The best brook trout fishing will occur in one to eight feet of water where the bottom of the lake or pond consists largely of rocks and gravel. Best Brook Trout Ice Fishing in British Columbia Canada. Finding productive water is one of the most vexing aspects of brook trout fishing. Brook trout are comfortable in the cold water, therefore forage becomes a primary consideration. “With no pike, muskies, bass or walleye around, the trout can behave aggressively,” he says. As is my custom, I would jig one rod for five or 10 minutes, then lay it down, walk over to the second rod and jig it for a similar length of time. Most fish will be caught in water less than 10 feet deep. However, if it all possible it is best to go ice fishing for brook trout a day or so prior to a front moving through. This approach works very well when fishing around large boulders and other rocky structure. We research, explore and even eaves drop to become enlightened. ”. There are many effective ice fishing spoons on the market. This way you get to cove the entire water column beneath you. The water is very shallow where we are Ice fishing so you can watch the fish take your lure. Knowing that can help you pinpoint the typically shallow, fertile locations that are best for targeting these fish through the ice. The vast majority of anglers ice fishing for brook trout do so using live or natural bait. The idea of an artificial lure such as a spoon is to excite or aggravate a fish into biting when they are otherwise not in a feeding mood. These are not ideal conditions for brook trout or really most other species. Several manufacturers produce lines that are specifically designed for ice fishing. Anglers should reset the tip up and then wait a few moments. There are three types of trout-brown, brook, and rainbow. Spoons are also fairly dense. Ideally, these holes will be over weedy flats, shallows with rocky bottom, and the edges of drop-offs in 8 to 10 feet of water. The best live baits for anglers ice fishing for rainbow trout are mealworms, wax worms, spikes, and small live minnows. Trophy brook trout are not easy to catch! Here’s a list of the best. Conversely, anglers seeking more action would be wise to choose a lake that is more heavily stocked or is known for producing action as opposed to trophies. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Live bait is the preferred choice when going ice fishing for brook trout in Maine. Most anglers don’t really have a choice as to when they get to fish. Conversely, the days after the front will result in high pressure and a very bright, sunny day. Anglers should go light, using a 24 inch to 36 inch light rod with a matching reel. Then, the angler can lower down a live minnow and set the tip up so that the minnow hovers just above the tops of the submerged vegetation. Also, adding a little bit of lake water to the bait bucket when arriving on scene will help the minnows not being shocked by a drastic change of water temperature. There are many ways to hook a minnow for bait, but for ice fishing, placing the hook through the back, right after the dorsal fin works best… In locations where ponds freeze over, brook trout may be easiest to catch just after the ice melts, since they will be hungry. A small split shot can be used to get the bait down to the desired depth. Sarasota Fishing Charters | 941-371-1390, Click to shop Amazon for an ice fishing fish finder, Fishing for Striped Bass – Tips, Tackle, and Techniques, Best 6 Topwater Plugs for Saltwater Fishing. Required fields are marked *, ©2018 Sarasota Fishing Charters | Captain Jim Klopfer | 941-371-1390 | Websites By: 22nd Century Web Services | Web Hosting By: Web Planet Hosting, Most anglers don’t really have a choice as to when they get to fish. Ice Fishing for Stocked Brook Trout. 1. Take a look at our 7 best ice fishing lures for trout to see what works best for winter fishing. Therefore, anglers should check their baits every 45 minutes or so. Some of the better options to attract trout are minnows, live nymph and maggots. Nightcrawlers (worms): Early and late in the day along with cloudy days are almost always best. As with all fishing, anglers need to check local fishing regulations to make sure they are in compliance. Anglers ice fishing for brook trout should keep one thing in mind; fish shallow! First ice … This makes them an excellent choice towards the middle of the day brook trout tend to move to the edge of the flat, point, or weed line. Powerbait. Brook trout seem to be especially active during times that insects are hatching, such as when midges hatch in the spring. The best bait and tactics in the world will not produce if there are no fish around. They can be especially effective on heavily pressured waters. Points that drop off into deeper water, particularly with structure such as submerged weeds, timber, or rock and gravel are other likely fish holding spots. While most anglers ice fishing for brook trout do so with live bait, artificial lures will certainly catch their share of fish as well. The hook is then baited with a salmon egg or two, nightcrawler, or minnow and lowered down through the hole. Therefore, a selection of hooks is required. However, some anglers prefer brightly painted lures as well. In fact, there are too many to list. “I caught that fish in a 200-acre lake, in seven feet of water near a beaver lodge along the shore,” says Coulter, who lives in Sault Ste. These baits are readily available at bait and tackle stores that cater to anglers ice fishing. Most anglers tip the spoon with a small minnow or piece of minnow or even a nightcrawler. Use a 2-inch, silver-colored “Swedish Pimple” or a small airplane jig to probe the entire water column from bottom to top. There are many different trout baits out there. Anglers looking for action over trophies will do well with the smaller baits. Another consideration when ice fishing for brook trout is sunlight penetration. Anglers need to go very light on the line, as the water is quite clear. Four pound test fluorocarbon line is a good choice. Jigs: Jigs in the 1/64 to 1/8-ounce range (use the appropriate weight for the water depth and conditions) can be tipped with minnows or wax worms when targeting rainbow trout. Thanks to Tanya for all the great pics. One excellent strategy is to set tip ups over submerged weed beds. The key to success when ice fishing for brook trout is understanding their habits. As in all other aspects of ice fishing, there is strategy that comes into play when drilling the holes. Then, the angler can move on to put out more tip ups or actively fish a hole with the spinning rod. Rod, reels and line. Rainbows have an excellent sense of smell; so adding scent onto the lures and bait such as the Pro-Cure Trophy Trout Ice Gel encourages the trout to hold onto the bait for a longer period allowing for a greater hook set. Using even smaller jigs is fine too, particularly when fishing for brook trout. Case in point: I was ice fishing for lake trout one time in Thunder Bay in Lake Superior, and had augured two holes in the ice about 40 to 50 feet apart. Dress warm, wear gloves, take a heater, and put time in on the ice. Dead or dying baits do not trigger strikes like active ones do. Make sure to check weather reports because, with warmer temperatures, ice can be thin and dangerous.” Be sure to check ice thickness often. Anglers often tip the jig with a wax worm or piece of nightcrawler. A good approach is to set a bait like a night crawler or something similar at about 2 or 3 feet below the ice and then you can actively jig at varying depths from 3 feet down. Top baits include live minnows, nightcrawlers, wax worms, and salmon eggs. The first factor is the type of trout. This works particularly well with wax worms but can be used with nightcrawlers and salmon eggs, too. Since the window for catching brook trout can be small, anglers need to be flexible and constantly keep moving until fish are located. Just before freeze up I hit a little lake and found the brookies doing exactly what they are compelled to do at this time of year. One of the most popular species of fish to spend time on a frozen lake fishing for are trout and in this article I will outline 3 of the best baits to use when fishing for trout through the ice and some tips for putting said trout bait into action. However, if it all possible it is best to go ice fishing for brook, Since the majority of brook trout fishing is done in shallow water, the best approach when, Smaller minnows are generally the best choice for anglers, Ice Fishing for Brown Trout, Strategies and Tips, Ice Fishing for Rainbow Trout, Tips and Techniques. Some are known more for numbers while others are trophy fisheries. If there is one mistake that the novice brook trout angler makes, it is fishing too deep, as he or she would for other species. The rod, reel and line you choose obviously depends on your methods of fishing. It is best to start out fishing the bait a foot or so above the bottom. Like most trout, brookies thrive in cold water. Not only does the low-pressure tend to make them bite, these are normally the more cloudy and overcast days. The topic of this article will be ice fishing for brook trout. Brook trout can be caught in the middle of a bright sunny day. While purists may scoff at it, there can be no doubt that Powerbait Trout Bait is one of the most effective baits ever created for trout. At times, anglers will be fishing water so shallow that they will have to raise the height of their tip up. Also a combination of jigs, spoons tipped with minnows. So, if something moves and appears to be edible, a brook trout is likely to eat it. They will be found cruising the shallows all winter long. Live baits can be presented on a small hook. In fact, the majority of fish will be caught and 5 feet or less. When using minnows, keep your tip-ups light so trout feel less resistance and will not be as apt to release the minnow. The brook trout will feel resistance a drop the bait. Also, anglers will sometimes see where the flag pops but the line is not running off the spool. Since early-morning is generally best, anglers get out there early and drill a dozen to 15 holes in water ranging from a foot deep to 10 feet deep. Tip ups have the advantage of allowing anglers to fish multiple holes at one time. Some anglers even increase their odds by adding a sent such as procure to sweeten the bait even further. However, anglers should not get carried away with the motions. These baits are readily available at bait and tackle stores that cater to anglers ice fishing. Brook trout are a beautiful fish that feed aggressively under the ice. Best Hook Size for Trout. These are all readily available at tackle shops that cater to ice fishermen. Wood blocks can be used to accomplish this. So if catching trout is your goal and you don’t have time for highfalutin … Anglers who understand their habits will have success ice fishing for these terrific game fish! 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