Best Laker Bait/Lure if Minnows are banned?

[Sterling]

Title. Wondering what you guys use where minnows are banned. I have all manner of spoon available, some assorted lures, also thinking of grabbing gulp minnows.

[muskymatt]

I use a variety of spoons. Never had the need to use gang trolls or bait as these spoons have worked consistently for me.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=mooselook+thinfish&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiB6szB65XUAhUH1oMKHSr_AoYQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#tbm=isch&q=mooselook+spoons&imgrc=PS8i5yzcz179SM:

 

I have used some williams whitefish as well with success.

All spoons are silver or silver with copper back and are between 3" and 5" long trolled at 1.6 - 2.0 mph

[jimmer]

Depending on the time of you year you're fishing. I have had great luck on twister tails and tubes during the spring and fall in shallower water, but I'm sure they would work in deeper water as well during the summer if you locate them and vertical jig them. Easy enough to bring an assortment along with you, but I highly recommend trying them.

[misfish]

Title. Wondering what you guys use where minnows are banned. I have all manner of spoon available, some assorted lures, also thinking of grabbing gulp minnows.

 

 

Have you tried jigging for them? Soft plastic baits on a jig head. Dead stick it and wait for the mark going for the bait. Then start reeling up once it,s very close. On Simcoe, it,s the chase game. Works well.

[Whitespinnerbait]

White tube, or a 5" White jerk shad......enough said right there

[grimsbylander]

 

 

Have you tried jigging for them? Soft plastic baits on a jig head. Dead stick it and wait for the mark going for the bait. Then start reeling up once it,s very close. On Simcoe, it,s the chase game. Works well.

 

Same on Lake O and the Niagara Bar.

[Acountdeleted]

White tube, or a 5" White jerk shad......enough said right there

White tube X2.

[muskymatt]

Jigging works well when they are on imo. A slower bite will have me trolling and covering ground. That said I jig often. My three favorite jig options are.

Rapala ice jig (yes in summer)

https://www.google.ca/search?q=rapala+ice+jig&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjjs3ljpbUAhUJzIMKHaKjDoYQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=bEg4gYfp64w5rM:

Yellow jig head with swim bait of grub tail

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Yellow+jig+swim+bait&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzkeaPj5bUAhXI1IMKHTbMCZQQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=AA58WLBd2i0XJM:

Green jigging spoon, any colour patter or size

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Green+jigging+spoon&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiC2Mi6j5bUAhUo34MKHYmKABMQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=8WZf3s9IhRTl5M:

[limeyangler]

white tube.

[TJQ]

Try a williams wobbler with 12 inches of line behind it, and a white grub on a singkle hook.

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QPTCfpfMBhU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[DRIFTER_016]

Tube jigs, flasher and fly, flatfish, spoons, swim baits...................................

[Joeytier]

There's sooooo many efficient ways to catch lake trout either by trolling or jigging. Ive never felt the need to use minnows dead or alive. My favourite flatlining spoon is a 3/4 oz cleo spoon and for trolling behind weight or leadcore i prefer williams wabblers or whatever flutter spoon you like. For jigging, 1/2 oz or heavier jigs and 3-5 inch paddle tail minnows are great.

[Sinker]

IF its for this time of year, my go to is a 3/4oz cleo flatlined, or a rapala taildancer TD7 or 9....depending on the depth the fish are at. I never use minnows, no need.

 

S.

[chris.brock]

 

My favorite spring flatlining spoon is also the 3/4 oz Cleo. I think they work well because they are heavier and will get down to the 8' to 12' range.

 

For jigging, white tubes or a white paddle tail like a swammer.

[Sterling]

Thanks everyone. Guess a trip to the local outfitter is called for .

[fishboy]

I'll echo the Jigging rap option in the summer; Buzz bombs have also worked for me while jigging for lakers

Jigging works well when they are on imo. A slower bite will have me trolling and covering ground. That said I jig often. My three favorite jig options are.

Rapala ice jig (yes in summer)

https://www.google.ca/search?q=rapala+ice+jig&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjjs3ljpbUAhUJzIMKHaKjDoYQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=bEg4gYfp64w5rM:

Yellow jig head with swim bait of grub tail

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Yellow+jig+swim+bait&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzkeaPj5bUAhXI1IMKHTbMCZQQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=AA58WLBd2i0XJM:

Green jigging spoon, any colour patter or size

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Green+jigging+spoon&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiC2Mi6j5bUAhUo34MKHYmKABMQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=8WZf3s9IhRTl5M:

[manitoubass2]

White tube or 1-1.5oz bucktails jigs for me

[Old Ironmaker]

We went to Lynn Lake Man. some 30 years ago and used 2 different lures and that's it, a monster William's Wobbler, maybe 8", it had a small little piece of red plastic at the end and was hammered metal finish. Also a huge around 6" white Tube Jig. Trolled the spoon at all different depths and jigged the spoon and tube from bottom to top of the water column. Used the old small black and white portable Eagle Ultra to find clouds of baitfish and dropped the lures into the schools. I was in shape then and my arms were ready to fall off at the end of each day hauling in those snot rockets. Averaged 25 pounds, actually considered small. I loved the Grayling fishing best.

[manitoubass2]

We went to Lynn Lake Man. some 30 years ago and used 2 different lures and that's it, a monster William's Wobbler, maybe 8", it had a small little piece of red plastic at the end and was hammered metal finish. Also a huge around 6" white Tube Jig. Trolled the spoon at all different depths and jigged the spoon and tube from bottom to top of the water column. Used the old small black and white portable Eagle Ultra to find clouds of baitfish and dropped the lures into the schools. I was in shape then and my arms were ready to fall off at the end of each day hauling in those snot rockets. Averaged 25 pounds, actually considered small. I loved the Grayling fishing best.

Hahaha sick! My biggest Laker is 16lbs

[adempsey]

White tube, or a 5" White jerk shad......enough said right there

X 10

 

If you troll, any flutter spoon should work. I like the Sutton Silver spoon, Lucky Strike Half Wave and Williams Wabler/Whitefish.

 

I always wanted to try some drop shotting with Gulp. I am sure it will work.

[SirCranksalot]

My best luck on a recent trip to Algon was on Flatfish, followed by Mepps. Had a couple hit the worm right off the campsite.

[OhioFisherman]

Jigging works well when they are on imo. A slower bite will have me trolling and covering ground. That said I jig often. My three favorite jig options are.

Rapala ice jig (yes in summer)

https://www.google.ca/search?q=rapala+ice+jig&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjjs3ljpbUAhUJzIMKHaKjDoYQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=bEg4gYfp64w5rM:

Yellow jig head with swim bait of grub tail

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Yellow+jig+swim+bait&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzkeaPj5bUAhXI1IMKHTbMCZQQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=AA58WLBd2i0XJM:

Green jigging spoon, any colour patter or size

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Green+jigging+spoon&rlz=1C1CHMO_en-GBCA566CA566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiC2Mi6j5bUAhUo34MKHYmKABMQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=8WZf3s9IhRTl5M:

 

Never fished for Lake Trout, or in the winter, but jigging rapalas catch fish.

 

http://www.lurenet.com/heddon-sonar-flash

 

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=739634&type=product&WT.ac=YMAL-739634&WT.z_pg_ref=prd1168929

 

So do these, and good for deeper water jigging.

[dave524]

I've caught a few on Worden's Spin and Glows behind a Gang Troll when I didn't have any big minnows to put there.

[smitty55]

I was taught how to fish Lakers using lead core and gang trolls with a threaded bait 20" or more behind and it is still my preferred method. I just like trolling and learning the lake and seeing as I spent so many weeks at Kipawa it was by far the best way to explore that huge waterway. Funny enough, even my buds with riggers were still pulling big hammers off the ball and they always produced better than the spoon on a stacker. I've been salting minnows since Quebec outlawed live bait. I would buy a big wack of Emeralds late winter for all our Quebec fishing but sadly that is no more.

Sterling you didn't specify for what technique you were using the minnows for but if you are referring to on a leader behind a troll or a spoon then I have some alternatives for you.

 

Gulp minnows do work, what I've done is use two on the treble hooked through the head with the two adjacent barbs, as it seems to track better that way than with three.

 

That same guy that taught me also showed me a little known trick for behind a big hammer. He would actually go to this little lake in the middle of Ottawa at a certain time of the year and catch a couple dozen of a certain size range sunfish from shore. Here's the kicker. You cut the tail off and use that threaded on the leader behind the gang troll. I've used it and it works quite well at times. One nice thing about it is that it usually tracks well with no spin even after a hit or catching bottom. And guess what? You can even legally use a perch tail in Ontario so long as you don't allow any meat fit for consumption to go to waste, so a normal fillet method would leave enough to use. I just found this out from a recent interview I watched that a member of Fish Hawk had with a CO. But don't tell anyone ok... hehe

 

Cheers

[scuro2]

In Kipawa old school is with sutton spoons, they work