For small to
middle-sized lakers
, a medium-power spinning rod is sufficient. Big lakers are another matter and best fished using a 36” to 42” medium-heavy rod. Excellent choices are the Widow Maker Trout Ice Rods and medium-heavy Omen Ice Rods , which are specifically designed for lake trout tactics.
What is best rod for lake trout?
When trolling for lake trout, the preferred rods are anywhere from 7’6” to 9’6”, medium heavy, with a fast action Shimano Tekota 500 series or equivalent are excellent choices for reels. Most anglers have 60-80 braid on, tipped with an 80 lb mono leader.
What depth do you ice fish for lake trout?
Lake Trout are typically found in water that is 60 to 200 feet or deeper. Typically, you will want to fish your lure in depths between 80 and 160 feet Two of the best tactics to catch lakers are pounding the bottom and playing keep away.
What
pound leader
is lake trout?
A 12-15lb fluorocarbon leader is your best pick for ice fishing lake trout. Fluorocarbon is very thin, strong, and pretty much invisible underwater, making it more than suitable for targeting lakers.
What length rod is best for trout fishing?
A 6ft6″ – 7ft long spinning rod works best in most trout fishing situations. This is a good general purpose length for fishing from either the shore or a boat. Some anglers prefer rods as short as 5ft when fishing small overgrown streams.
How long should a lake trout leader be?
But how long should your leader be when trout fishing? If you’re using a spinning reel for trout, you don’t need a leader but can benefit from using one anywhere from 1 to 4 feet long If you’re fly fishing, leaders ranging from 7.5 to 12 feet are recommended.
What’s the
best bait
for ice fishing trout?
- Nightcrawlers.
- Mealworms.
- Salmon eggs.
- Powerbait.
- Waxworms.
- Spikes.
- Minnows.
- Ice fishing jigs.
Can you ice fish with regular rod?
The simple answer is yes There is no reason a regular sized fishing pole won’t work for ice fishing.
How long should my ice fishing rod be?
Rod Length: Consider a rod between 30 inches and 42 inches If your ice fishing techniques usually produce an occasional larger fish, consider a 36 inch, or maybe even bump up to a 42 inch. If your technique is pretty dialed into a particular range, then you are probably safe with a 30 to 32 inch rod.
What size hooks for lake trout?
The best hook size for trout will be between a size 8 and 12 A bigger trout hook is better at holding on to the trout but it can also be bad in certain situations. There are many advantages to using the right hook size for trout but there are some disadvantages to the wrong hook size.
What is the best time of day to ice fish for lake trout?
The best time of day to ice fishing for lake trout is late afternoon right around sunset Early morning can be really good too but late afternoon seems to be the golden time in the winter for hungry lake trout.
What depth do lake trout like?
Lake trout prefer to be in approximately 53 degree water. Their depth and eating habits will change with the weather. In the early spring and fall lake trout swim at a depth of between 35 and 45 feet (10.7 to 13.7m). Later in the spring and in the summer they move deeper to 50 to 65 feet (15.4 to 19.8m).
What do you use for lake trout fishing?
Live bait is generally the most consistently effective way to fish for lake trout. Minnows are usually the best option. Other good live bait options are nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, or anything similar to their native prey. One of the best artificial options for deepwater trout is a big bucktail jig.
How do you target a large lake trout?
Use a
tube jig
, soft-plastic paddletail swimbait or lipless crankbait, such as a Live Target Shad or Rapala Clackin’ Rap (above). Eventually—and quite suddenly—you’ll see a lake trout zoom onto the screen, chasing after the lure.
Do you need a leader for lake trout?
You will catch lake trout with a steel leader but you will also loose your chance at catching a lot more by them seeing the leader and turning away Leader are fine you an always get a floro leader if your concerned about the fish being spooked. Thank you for all the input here.
What color fishing line is best for lake trout?
Best line when still fishing for trout This is where monofilament shines. Fluorocarbon might be invisible but it’s denser than mono and doesn’t keep the bait suspended. In order to decrease line visibility, use 4 pound test clear mono for average water clarity and tint. Use green or blueish mono for stained water.
Can I use a medium rod for trout?
A medium-action spinning or casting rod with and complementary reel is a good starting place for conventional bait or lure fishing for trout.
Why are ice fishing rods so small?
Ice fishing rods are so small because they are designed specifically for use in ice For ice fishing, you need to be close to the hole, so a standard open-water pole will be too long. You also need a more sensitive rod for ice fishing, so the small size of ice fishing rods helps with feeling the fish.
Do trout bite at night in ice fishing?
In general, trout are more likely to be active at night if there is a bright moon and less cloud cover During these conditions, they will feed on small aquatic invertebrates and small fish in the top half of the water column, so make sure to present your bait sufficiently high in the water.
What do lake trout bite on?
When learning how to catch lake trout, it’s important to know that they prefer light lures so consider stocking up on small spinners and spoons. If you want to try live bait, try night crawlers, salmon eggs, or minnows that mimic their native prey.
How do you fish in cold lake?
Find deep water, typically off a point, or drop off and drill a bunch, and I mean a bunch of holes from deep to shallow, and back again. Then take your jig, tip it with the minnow of your choice and drop it to the bottom. Be alert. Quite often a laker will rocket up from the bottom and bite the jig on the way down.
Where do lake trout hang out in the winter?
The best winter trout locations are long underwater points with boulders, sunken humps and reefs, saddles between islands, necked-down channels, and high rock walls.
What colors do lake trout like?
Work With Bright Jerkbaits Since many of your prized monster trophy Lake Trout will reside in darker waters, it’s imperative to use brighter colored jerkbaits. Blue, silver, orange, pink, and chartreuse are all great colors to ensure your lure is visible at depth.
Is 4lb test good for ice fishing?
The best pound test line for walleye ice fishing depends on the presentation you’ll be using. For finesse techniques with small spoons and jigs you can go down to 2-3 lb. For regular sized walleye lures and live bait, 4-6 lb is ideal.
Is 4
lb line good
for trout?
The best pound line for trout fishing in rivers is 6-pound test which is a good all-around line for bait and for lures. If you are only fishing small creeks, 4-pound line is best 8-pound line is best for trout fishing in big rivers where the trout can use the current to run far.
Is 12lb line good for trout?
Suitable line weight for trout is usually between 1.75lb and 8.5lb , as long as you do not plan on catching steelhead, where you should aim for 13.5lb to 15.5lb test line.
Is a 5 foot rod good for trout?
5-6 Feet in Length – This rod length is ideal for trout because you need something long enough to give you the casting distance you want but you also need to have control over your fatigue. As you increase in length you’ll likely increase in weight as well.
Is a 5’6 rod good for trout?
Rods under 6’6” are ideal for trout, panfish, and younger anglers Longer rods over 7′ are popular for some bass fishing techniques such as using swimbaits and crankbaits and longer rods are also the go-to choice for anglers targeting salmon and steelhead.
Can you use any rod for trout?
Pretty self-explanatory, but in order to catch trout you will need a rod and reel. Trout can be caught easily on both spinning and fly rods , so pick your poison. If you’re a spin fisherman, opt for something shorter and sensitive, like a 5 to 6 foot light or ultralight model spooled with 4 or 6 pound monofilament.
Can you use braided line without a leader?
Why would you fish Braided Line without a Leader? You can throw a thinner diameter line, without worrying about adding a big chunky leader You eliminate one more potential weak spot. Tying on a leader, no matter what type of knot you use, adds one more potential weak spot to your fishing setup.
Do you need to use a leader with braided line?
You need to connect a leader to your braided line if you are fishing rough grounds or super clear waters, or if you are targeting sharp-toothed fish like flounder, bluefish, or the sharks. Apart from that, it should be okay to use straight braid without expecting any problems.
Should leader and tippet be the same size?
Normally the tippet is 2 to 4 feet in length and matches, or is smaller than, the diameter of the leader’s tip The biggest advantage to using tippet is that it extends the life of the leader. Leaders can be expensive and if you change flies often, little by little the taper of the leader is cut away.
How do you target trout ice fishing?
Selecting the best ice fishing lures for trout isn’t hard. In most cases, you should choose bait and lures that are light and small Jigs: Jigs in the 1/64 to 1/8-ounce range (use the appropriate weight for the water depth and conditions) can be tipped with minnows or wax worms when targeting rainbow trout.
Do Nightcrawlers work for ice fishing?
Nightcrawlers can be an excellent bait for ice fishing , depending on the fish species you want to catch. They are one of the best ice fishing baits for all kinds of trout, and also work well for crappie and other panfish.
Citations
https://www.yogirodsllc.com/custom-lake-trout-spinning-ice-rod
https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/ice-rod-recommendations-lake-trout/