SirCranksalot Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 My buddy and I were at lake Joe near Pt Carling today. We marked lots---and I do mean lots---of fish, presumably lake trout suspended at 10-20 ft deep. We mostly slow trolled lures such as fairly big Little Cleos and deep crankbaits with nary a bite. I think the lures were running deep enough as we both hooked bottom once or twice in maybe 15 ft of water. We also did a very slow drift with sinkers and worms over an area where we were marking fish i.e. ice fishing technique. again---nada. The water temp on my FF showed as zero. What gives??? Does the water need to warm a bit?We had never tried for ice-out lakers before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowSlayer101 Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 I usually troll body baits around dropoffs this time of year, should be fairly easy to tie into them, especially on Joe. If that doesn't work for you then try jigging minnows or spoons, always works, even in the summer. You have to play around with speed, baits, etc when trolling, its possible you were going too slow if you were hitting bottom a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 We already got into ice out lakers in the haliburton area. There was still ice on parts of the lake. I always troll rapala tail dancers. They work great for me. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
123chadder Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 best bet is maybe get a vexilar depththerm find out what depth is around 50 degrees.....go from there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirCranksalot Posted May 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 best bet is maybe get a vexilar depththerm find out what depth is around 50 degrees.....go from there... Given that it was zero at the surface I would assume that it was zero all the way to the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Given that it was zero at the surface I would assume that it was zero all the way to the bottom. If it's still that cold, they'll be all over the place. Jig them out of deep water just like you would icefishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 You might of been marking loads of herring. I thought they were lake trout this winter, til I caught one.LOL Got to get up there and try it this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirCranksalot Posted May 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 There were lots of well defined fish 'arches' about 15 ft down but sometimes just off bottom. we went from 50 ft to 10 ft or so. My guess is that until the surface warms a bit the fish have little incentive to move near the surface. When it does I guess they would move to warmer water near the surface to get more energy until the temps reach the upper limit of their 'comfort zone". Does this theory hold water? (Ever met a fisherman w/o a theory?? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowSlayer101 Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 I highly doubt the water temp is 0, you probably have something going on with your finder if its showing that temp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
123chadder Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 I'm pretty sure it's marking surface temp and there's no way surface temp is 32 degrees aka 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Ice went out here 2 days ago, and we got into a few Lakers today. The flatlining bite was very slow, but will pick up once the surface gains a few more degrees. Jigging bucktails and gulp minnows on steep drops like you would ice fishing is a good bet for when the water is still icy cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Given that it was zero at the surface I would assume that it was zero all the way to the bottom. Actually the warmer water will be on the bottom as water at its densist is 4 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 If the ice is off, there will be warmer water somewhere. North shorlines, and windblown bays/point always warm first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforwalleye Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Match the hatch so to speak....silver/grey/black Rapala Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Unless it's salt water, if it's zero, it's frozen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookslav Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Match the hatch so to speak....silver/grey/black Rapala I'd agree, I like perch pattern as well. At ice out I exlusively fish the top 10' of water, and seem to do well. It might just be my thoughts on the matter but I tend to find the active fish will come up for the bait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4bassin Posted May 2, 2015 Report Share Posted May 2, 2015 From my experience on fishing ice out lakers is try to find some warmer water believe it or not . The warmest part of the lake will be in the north section , start there . The lake has to wake up from the winter and start the cycle of lake life . Once this happens (usually around 2 weeks of ice out) the lake trout fishing heats up . No need to fish deep , just make sure the bait is a long way from the boat while trolling especially in pressured waters or clear water . As for baits try to match the hatch . I like to use rapala tail dancers or deep husky jerks in natural colours or cleo/williams spoons . I find jigging very productive but this pattern doesn't really get going till the early summer when the lakers are schooling in deeper water as apposed to being scattered at this time of year . Good luck , can't wait for my own laker adventure in a week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted May 2, 2015 Report Share Posted May 2, 2015 Tried a new lake today with totally different results. Flatlining cleos and Cyclops over 6-10 FOW boulder flats was the ticket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.brock Posted May 2, 2015 Report Share Posted May 2, 2015 Gull Lake, Haliburton yesterday (I hope my boss isn't reading this), most water was 45 degrees, I found some 54 degree water and caught 1 laker, most were suspended down 40 to 60 over deep water. Bassman is up on Kash and same thing, suspended fish. I've heard old timers say "when the poplar leaves are the size of dimes" and "when the blackflies are at their peak" is the best time for spring lakers, brookies, splake. There's only a few dopey black flies and the buds haven't popped at all. I think next weekend will be better fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4bassin Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 I agree chris , the next couple weeks will be prime ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirCranksalot Posted May 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Thx for the comments, guys. I think the temp function on my FF was probably not working but the water was bloody cold. Dipped my hand in and it felt like ice fishing. My guess is that it was about 4-6 deg. We didn't bother with buying minnows as we thought that some of the lures would work. We hope to get back up sometime mid-week to give those fish one more chance!! We might try minnows but I'm sure I'll try some of the tips offered here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Fished another new lake today. Found a creek mouth with a pod of fish hanging off the mouth and a couple more flatlining on a steep breaking shoreline running as close to the shoreline as possible. Cyclops was the ticket again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.brock Posted May 4, 2015 Report Share Posted May 4, 2015 Cyclops is my go to spoon for jigging and trolling. What colour are you using Joey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirCranksalot Posted May 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2015 Someone suggested that what we were marking was suckers. Aren't suckers mostly in the creeks spawning by now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
123chadder Posted May 4, 2015 Report Share Posted May 4, 2015 suckers spawn right about at ice out...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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