Ice Fishing For Rainbow Trout? Catch More Trout With This Simple Tip!

In many area's rainbow trout are often stocked (or planted) in waterways suck as lakes and ponds for the

express purpose of being caught by anglers.  Although often overlooked, during winter months when these waterways are covered my four or more inches of ice, ice fishing is a great way to catch these rainbow trout.  The winter months can often become monotonous and doing a little ice fishing is never a bad idea if you want to break up that monotony a little bit.

I have recently come a cross a simple ice fishing tip that has enabled me to experience quite a bit of success this winter ice fishing for rainbow trout.  As a matter of fact a couple of weeks ago I was fortunate enough to catch 5 rainbows, ranging in size from 10 to 17 inches.  If you fish for rainbow trout beneath the ice, this tip is going to be very valuable to you.

The tip involves the use of a new product that I was introduced to at the beginning of this ice fishing season, called the Jawjacker.  Actually it's proper name is the Jawjacker Hook Setter Tip-Up and it's the best piece of ice fishing gear that I've come across in years!  This ingenious little "tip up" is adjustable for rod length, sensitivity, and hook setting power.  What makes it so cool to me is that it is also adjustable to set the hook when even the most sensitive bite occurs (which as we all know often happens when we are ice fishing).  As a matter of fact after using my Jawjacker Hook Setter Tip-Ups about 5 times now, I'm convinced that I have been missing a LOT of bites from inquisitive rainbow trout while ice fishing over the prior 25 or so years. 

Depending on the number of Jawjackers you end up using, another quick tip is to buy a few small bells that can be attached to the tip of you're ice fishing rod.  You know, the rod that you place in the unit itself?  This way when a trout takes your offering, and the rod tip is released, you hear "ring, ring, ring" as the trout pulls against the resistance of your fishing rod.  It ends up being like a traditional tip up, but when you get to the hole you grab your fishing rod, rather than having to just had line the trout in, like I used to.  No more hand lining for me thanks to this simple ice fishing tip!