Icing Lakers

[Jds63]

Over the last several years trying to outwit Lakers in the winter (with limited success) i have taken a few... mostly using just a jig and minnow.

Last winter I caught a laker using the williams whitefish spoon. Most of the fish I end up catching are whitefish .

 

I have watched a lot of videos where guys are catching lots of lakers using a white tube, i tried it several times last winter but with no success.

 

This year I have armed myself with a flasher as well so I am hoping this will help.

 

What I was wondering is ... have any of you guys had luck with white tubes or is there a trick that they are using like some kind of special scent.

Also what is your preffered lure or bait for winter lakers.

[Paully]

My first laker last year came on a White tube jig that was dipped in mega strike.. a popular sent made by bill dance i think.

[Sinker]

Williams ice jig, half and half hammered, #60, no bait. Just jig the hell out of it!!

 

I always put a berkely sparkle nugget in my tubes for lakers. For some reason they seem to like it. I also leave the weight about halfway back inside the tube, this gives it a slower fall, and larger circle on the drop......that's when you get most of the hits. Watch your line.

 

S.

[irishfield]

My big guy (37") came on a 6" long white tube!! If you're getting whities.. sounds like you're banging bottom or there abouts. Get your bait up higher...

 

Another thing we found last year... you may mark lots of fish that won't commit... but you've gotta match the hatch for bait. If you do get a keeper, open it's stomach and see what they're eating!

[Raf]

 

as you can see a flashy williams would work well

 

tubes, spoons, even micro crappie jigs will work.

 

if you're fishn simcoe then i dont know. those fish are stupid.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Raf

[pike slayer]

i've caught most of my lakers on back lakes just using a flasher slip shot to medium dace in 10-20feet of water. i also do quite well jigging williams wablers(colour doesnt matter as long as theres silver on it i find) i switch the size up for the lake im at and the size of fish i target and how aggressive they are. i will also jig at different depths from 3ft under the ice to right on bottom. i've also used large sucker minnows going for big hogs. i've played around a bit with white tubes, ive caught a few but nothing of any real success and i've got them putting it right on bottom giving it quick jerks taking it 6" up. i've also tipped the white tube with a full dace with the head of the minnow on the hook. good luck out there.

[Jds63]

hey guys thanks for the info ..... i have only fished close to bottom ... usually fish in 55 - 75 ft of water .... (mostly Temagami and Haliburton) ..... can you walk out to that depth of water on Simcoe or do you need a sled ?

 

this year since I will have a flasher maybe I will see more of the water column which might help .... my friends that caught lakers last year caught them right on bottom as we were fishing for whitefish as well

 

hope to try all the suggestions and will give the tubes a chance to prove that they work for big lakers

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

more important that what you use, you need to start fishing the entire water column. on inland lakes i often fish between 10-60 fow. tubes, spoons, and tip up presentations will all work at one time or another, but you need to get your presentation in front of the fish. your vex should demonstrate why you can't always fish the bottom in a hurry.

[Dara]

Flourescent red Mooselook wobler. Take the treble off and put a hook on about 6 or 8" of line off it with a good minnow. just hang it on a gad and let them hit it. jig your other line i guess. I generally just let all mine hang there like that with different spoons.

[Sudsmaster]

Up here the trout seem to be chasers ...I catch the majority of my bigger fish with a jigging rap/williams about 6' off bottom ....watch the finder and if the fish either comes up or moves down towards the bait I start pulling it up as fast as I can ...they will usually hit it on the way up if not let it drop fast and reel it up again ......herring will hit it also ... we do get alot of pan sized trout off bottom with either set lines or a spoon rigged with a minnow ....a little different from the way I used to fish on Simcoe but it seems to produce here in Muskoka.

 

Suds

[camillj]

One of my biggest Lakers to date came because a thought I saw a flash as I was bringing up to check my bait .. l dropded it back down about 10 feet .. then wham !!!!! ... the line literally was ripping through my fingers (I always handline) ... it was awesome .. I iced a 9.5 lb laker that hit less than 15 feet below the hole on the free drop (in 60 ft of water)... so yes ... the important thing is to fish the whole water column .. I prefer minnows .. but anything white or silver that imitates a wounded minnow will entice a strike from an angry laker ....

[discophish]

White 3-5 inch tubes have been the most successful. To entice the bite try adding rattles to them. I often inject them with Berkley scent too. This is especially effective at night. Ohhhh ... I like nighttime laker fishing! When the fish are fussy, and they don't feel like dancing and are sulking on the bottom, slow it right down to the floor for them. Just barely lift the head of the jig so that the tail remains in contact with the bottom at all times. Side to side, laying it down flat on its right to left. You will have fun with this when you know they are down there playing with you. Good luck!

[turtle]

White tubes and williams spoons as posted. Also the bad boyz-humpback creeper tipped with a micro tube-works on Simcoe and on Haliburton lakes. Last year best bait for me was a williams wabler hammered 1/2 & 1/2 tipped with a minnow. Fish can be anywhere in the water column and will chase a bait both going down and up. You can walk to laker and whitefish grounds from the west side of Simcoe.

[anders]

White Tube jigs are golden up here....also forage minnows (there a spoon) made by northland tackle....amazing through the ice. Also, nk 28 jigged have produced well before and continue to do so. All of the mentioned tipped with a minnow or half are deadly.

[troutboy]

I use a #6 trebel hook with a 4-6 inch minnow on tip up,I also use the northland buck shot rattle spoons,and swedish pimple,cant go wrong for lakers with those spoons!

Edited December 23, 2009 by troutboy

[limeyangler]

Jds....i'm pretty new to icefishing too....this is my 3rd winter. I also used to only fish the bottom.....same way as i did for walleye...bouncing bottom. Having a flasher will definitely help you...it did me.....you really need to fish the whole water column...especially on a deep lake like Simcoe (not that ive fished it....but i read the posts...lol).

 

As for tube baits......i tried and failed with those for a long time....then last year i started catching with them....my CONFIDENCE.....has grown. I definitely think its just trying stuff out and sticking with it...especially if others have had success.

 

As others mentioned...match the hatch.... the flasher will not tell you what they are eating....but it will tell you what they are not...ie...if they keep inspecting your bait/lure and not taking...maybe change it to something they want.

 

 

good luck.