Ice fishing for rainbow trout

[KraTToR]

I found a small lake close to where I'm staying and according to Ontario Fish Online, the MNR has been stocking it for a number of years with Rainbows. The lake also has a topographical map - any recommendations on where to start? Ideal depth?

[smitty55]

Two spots come to mind for me. First would be at the top of the lake where it narrows down between the shore and that 60' hole, the other area would be halfway down the lake where the lake narrows down by that hump that sticks out and that little small island. Id be trying  from 7 -15' early in the day and maybe check deeper for suspended fish later in the day. They sure do put a lot of Rainbows in each year and someone actually reported a Splake back in 22. I bet the Bass are well fed too.

Edited January 22 by smitty55

[BillM]

Find a neck down or something similar.  I wouldn't fish deeper than say 5-10ft down.   Any rainbows I've caught through the ice have always been in the top 10 feet no matter the depth of water. 

[Big Cliff]

What Bill said. I use to fish rainbows up in Elliot Lake area many years ago, almost all were caught just under the ice, 2 to 10 feet down (more in the 2-3' range) usually in about 7 to 20 feet of water. 

[KraTToR]

On 1/21/2024 at 10:42 PM, smitty55 said:

Two spots come to mind for me. First would be at the top of the lake where it narrows down between the shore and that 60' hole, the other area would be halfway down the lake where the lake narrows down by that hump that sticks out and that little small island. Id be trying  from 7 -15' early in the day and maybe check deeper for suspended fish later in the day. They sure do put a lot of Rainbows in each year and someone actually reported a Splake back in 22. I bet the Bass are well fed too.

I think the splake reported was likely an error. there's no history of stocking splake in that lake and an easy error considering all the lakes in the area stocked with splake.