splake and rainbow adventure

[Freshtrax]

Ok as some of you already know im headed northeast after christmas in search of trout . There are 30 lakes in the area. I have done my homework as the regs are trickey up there. One of the lakes lakers are open all year and in 12 of the lakes there are splake and in 3 there are rainbow and in 1 there are whities Some of the lakes live bait is out of the question so im hittin the tackleshop on the way up. The lakers and whities i should be able to lay the smackdown on. But the splake and bows not so confident. I have never caught either.(Or tried). I am planning on bringing , little cleo's , buckshot spoons, williams ice spoons, some verry light flutter spoons, nightcrawlers for the deadsticks swedish pimples, tubejigs, small lipless cranks and badboyz. If anyone has any sugestions im all ears. I also was wondering is it hard to tell a splake from a laker or brookie sometimes or is it always pretty clear?

Also splake at early ice 10-20 fow in the bottom five feet. Bows just under the ice crusin all over the lake sound right?

Thanks for any and all input.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Freshtrax

[Freshtrax]

Oh yea im there for a week.

[BillM]

If you pull it up and say HOLY CRAP LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS BROOKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!....................It's most likely a splake

[BassAsin]

not the case up here bill. Trax has the potential of catching a 3 lb speckie where hes headed.

 

the splake this time of year can be anywhere from 3' to 30 ' depending on what characteristic they take. speck or laker. but 5-10 fow should be fine for the splake up there this time of year. as for telling the difference make sure to take a good look at the tail. dominant square tail on the speck (also likely has a clipped fin) and the laker has a huge fork tail, most of the splake will have a slight v in the tail and should have all fins as they quit clipping the fins on the splake in the north bay area quite a few years ago.

 

hope this helps.

[asdve23rveavwa]

Sounds like you are on the right track. The splake should have a slight fork in the tail, just as BassAsin stated. How's the Giesler re-build coming along?

 

Craig is in the process of updating his photo restoration on his. I WILL get you some pics, and, PM his phone # to you.

 

Good luck on the ice, sounds like a great trip.

[adempsey]

Sounds like a good strategy to me. I have only fished on a Rainbow lake a couple of times, each time the lake was covered with 2' of snow. However, I was told that when going for the Rainbows you should try to drill your holes early (when it's still dark if possible) and then go back to them later because they spook so easily. When I fished for them I basically fished like I was fishing for Simcoe Perch. Smaller jigs and spoons etc in white and/or pink. They really like pink. I am pretty sure I caught them on small Buckshot spoons as well.

 

Not sure about Splake as I have only fished for them in the spring and fall. I am sure any of your smaller go to ice jigs/spoons will work fine. I'd probably use Williams Wablers/Ice Jigs, Kastmasters, Swedish Pimples and Buckshot Spoons. I might tip them with a minnow or minnow head as well.

 

Sounds like a great trip! Be safe!

Edited December 22, 2011 by FishLogic

[Sinker]

I'm not sure why so many people say to drill your holes and come back to them later. With trout, I find as soon as you drill your hole, get a hook down there asap, because they come and check out the action almost instantly. I can't count the number of times ive gone troutin, and caught my first fish as soon as the line was in the hole!!

 

S.

[BassAsin]

I'm not sure why so many people say to drill your holes and come back to them later. With trout, I find as soon as you drill your hole, get a hook down there asap, because they come and check out the action almost instantly. I can't count the number of times ive gone troutin, and caught my first fish as soon as the line was in the hole!!

 

S.

 

 

when the bite slows down i ften pull my lines and start walking the lake (if its a small trout lake) and make 100 jigs in each hole every 50 yds or so. catch a lot of my trout in the first 10 jigs after drillin a hole.

[archie_james_c]

Wax worms on a #12 octo-beak hook, no weight. -10 FOW on bottom for still line. Jig the smallest flutter spoon you can find, gold/silver, tipped with a wax worm. As said before, jig as soon as you punch your holes, trout are attracted to the noise like flies on filtered try again please.