Cleveland Ice Fishing Report

And you thought your lake was crowded when you head out ice fishing.  They don't play games in Minnesota when it comes to catching a fish or two through the ice, as you can see in the picture from Cleveland.com.  There are some rainbow trout being caught in and around that city as well, if you're in the area?

New Twist To Use When Ice Fishing For Trout

I have been ice fishing for rainbow trout for many years, using a variety of baits, ice fishing lures, and strategies, but recently I was introduced to a new twist that has enabled be to experience success on virtually

every ice fishing outing that I have used it on.  Admittedly, this may not be a new concept to you, but for some reason it was to me and is an ice fishing strategy that I will use for the rest of my ice fishing "career".

For years, I have been ice fishing by either using a tip ups, jigging with a single ice fishing lure, or a combination of the two approaches.   Well, a couple of weeks ago I was introduced to the concept of ice fishing with multiple lures on a single line and my catch rates have never been the same.  When the guy who I was fishing next to a couple of weeks ago showed me what he was doing I was intrigued to say the least.  Well, the first thing I thought to myself was, "Of course!  Why in God's name haven't you used this strategy before?", but I digress.

 As my new friend told me, "All you have to do is learn to tie a dropper loop and you're good to go."  Now the number of hooks that you can have on each line will vary depending on where you are fishing, but where I ice fish in Montana the regulations say that you are allowed 2 hooks per line.  In some area's you can have up to 4, so make sure that you check your local regulations.

In any case, by tying a dropper loop onto my line about three to four feet above The heavier of the two ice fishing lures that are being used, I'm able to "cover" more of the water column and the results have been strong to moderately strong.  My "go to" lure that I place on my dropper loop has been a bead head nymph (yes the fly) with a maggot or two baited on the hook.  Below the fly I have been using a small marabou jig, that is also tipped with a maggot or meal worm. 

In any case, the rainbow trout have been falling prey to this "new twist" quite a bit this year and I only wish Montana was a state that allowed another hook or two per line.  A dropper loop is so easy to tie that adding another lure or two would be a cinch, but oh well.  I'm just Happy that I discovered (or was introduced to this strategy) and that I have been able to pass it on.  Enjoy!

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!

Which Trout Bait Is Most Effective When Ice Fishing For Rainbow Trout?

There is no doubt that in many areas during the winter season, ice fishing becomes many anglers only outlet ice fishing for rainbow trout, so in this post I will outline my "top 3" as far as "fishing" is concerned.   I know for sure that this is the case here in Northwest Montana, where I have learned that fishing through the ice is my best bet for landing a few hungry rainbows during the months of January and February.  For me the main question becomes what bait to use while

 The bottom line is that if you want to head out onto your local lake or pond, drill a few holes in the ice, and catch a few rainbows, you should have one (or all) of the following trout baits available to you. For the most parts these 3 baits have almost never let me down when it comes to ice fishing for rainbow trout.

1. Live Meal worms and/or Maggots - Everyone knows that small jigs, both twister tail and marabou style, are an excellent way to land a few rainbow trout when fishing through a hole in the ice. Well, "tipping" said jig with a live meal worm or maggot or two makes the offering that much more enticing to the trout you are attempting to catch. When using an ice fishing jig you want to remember to not "jig" too much. "Less is more" when it comes to moving your jig when fishing for rainbow trout through the ice.  As a matter of fact I will often only "jig" my maggot tipped jig every few minutes or so. 
2. Powerbait Is Effective Under The Ice - Most trout fishermen are aware of the trout bait known as Powerbait, yet many people forget to use this unique bait when ice fishing. Powerbait is quite effective when fished under the ice, whether it is fished by itself on a treble hook, on a set of gang hooks,or even "tipping a jig". The bottom line is that the trout bait known as Powerbait is very effective when used under the ice.
3. Puppet Minnows - North land tackle Puppet Minnows which are jigs with "wings" protruding off of each side are an effective trout bait that can be used when ice fishing.  This unique ice fishing jig will move in a circular motion underneath the hole in the ice as it is "jigged".  The circle that the jig travels through in the water is often much larger than the hole itself.  These jigs can be tipped with a maggots to make them that much more attractive to trout beneath the ice, although the maggots have a tendency to fall off of the hook sometimes. These jigs mimic a bait fish quite well and are many ice fishing rainbow trout anglers "go to" ice fishing lure.

It's impossible to say what the best bait for ice fishing for rainbow trout is, but there is little doubt that the winner could easily be among the aforementioned trout bait choices. As I said before, if you are going to be ice fishing for trout one (or all) of the trout bait choices mentioned above should be in your ice fishing box, bag, or bucket.   

Effective Strategies for Rainbow Trout Fishing Through a Hole in The Ice

During the winter months of December all the way through March in many area's, the most effective way to catch a trout is to head out onto a frozen lake or pond and do a little ice fishing. Although rainbow trout can be caught in rivers during these months, getting them to bite your offering is much more difficult than it is during the warmer months of the year. So, for trout fishermen who want to fish during the winter months, the best chance of landing a trout or three is to do go ice fishing. In this post I will discuss a couple of effective strategies to implement the next time that you head out onto the ice with the intent of catching a few rainbow trout.

The first thing to keep in mind no matter what strategy you are going to employ is that under the ice, is that trout are much more active during the changing light conditions that occur during the early mornings and late evenings than they are at other times of the day. This means that you need to be on the ice early in the morning and/or late into the evening if possible.   During these low light periods rainbow trout are almost always active, and thus the most apt to be feeding (which is what you want anytime that you are fishing).

Many anglers who ice fish for trout fish in water that is much deeper than it needs to be. This was a mistake that I used to be notorious for making when I was fishing for rainbows while ice fishing. The truth is that many times trout, and often large rainbows are caught in very shallow water when ice fishing. This means fishing the shorelines and drilling holes in water that is from two to four feet deep. This shallow water ice fishing strategy is very effective when ice fishing for trout in my experience.  Ice fishing in shallow water means that you are very close to the trout you are fishing for and those trout can (and often do) "spook" easily. So being as quiet as possible on the ice is paramount when employing this strategy.

Another effective thing to do when ice fishing for trout is not to neglect fishing with Powerbait. If you fish for rainbow trout during other seasons you undoubtedly know how productive fishing with Powerbait can be. Well, believe it or not Powerbait is also a great bait to use when ice fishing for trout. Powerbait can be used by itself and rigged on a small treble hook with a split shot or two pinched onto the line to keep it from floating to the surface or can be used to "tip" a small jig, but the bottom line is that  Powerbait is effective even when you are standing on top of the water that you are fishing in.

Finally, there is one of the most popular strategies that there is for fishing for rainbow trout beneath the ice, which is to use a small marabou jig, tipped with a meal worm or maggot for added attraction  Hungry rainbow trout will readily goggle up these little morsels as they cruise around in the freezing water of a winter lake.  I have caught many trout on tiny maggot tipped marabou jigs.  I have found that a key to using this strategy is to not be afraid to let your offering just sit there.  With many ice fishing jigs, the goal is to constantly "jig" the lure up and down, but with marabou tipped jigs, I have found that less is more, so to speak.  I will often just jig my rod once every 5 or even 10 minutes and let the rod sit there motionless in the mean time.  I have found that hungry rainbows will often take the bait when the jig is sitting there doing nothing. 

These simple strategies will help you to experience more success the next time that you head out onto the ice in search of rainbow trout, I guarantee it.  Now bundle up, get out there, and have some fun. 

Ice Fishing For Trout: Simple Tips To Help Anyone Catch More Trout Through The Ice

Now that the winter has officially settled on us like a lazy dog lying on his bed next to the fireplace, ice fishing ice fishing for trout. Add one (or all) of these simple ice fishing tips to your ice fishing repertoire and you will begin experiencing more success when you are targeting trout under the ice.

is starting to heat up. One of the most popular fish to target when fishing through the ice are trout, and in this post I will outline a few tips that will help you catch more fish when

Anytime that ice fishing is being discussed, I think it's important to at least mention safe ice thicknesses. I realize this info is well known to experienced ice fishermen, but it's nonetheless worth mentioning for anyone who might be new to the idea of fishing on a frozen body of water. In almost all cases four inches of ice is considered safe for walking, drilling holes, and fishing through the ice.  The following tips are being listed in no particular order. Use the ones that feel right to you, discard the rest, but keep in mind that I adhere to all of them anytime that I head out onto the ice in search of rainbow trout.

Be On The Ice When The Trout Are Most Active: So how the heck do you know when the trout are the most active? Simple, by paying attention to the weather and moon and planning your fishing trips accordingly. The weather and moon have an amazing affect on the feeding behavior of trout and using this information to your advantage can be a big help when ice fishing for trout. Not only this, but when fishing through the ice the warmer parts of the day are generally more productive than the colder parts of the day.

Small Jigs Tipped With Bait Are Effective: Small jigs, either traditional twister tails or marabou, tipped with meal worms or maggots can be very effective when trout fishing through the ice. A key is to not provide much jigging action to your jig. As a matter of fact jigging you rod every few minutes should suffice. Trout are extremely sluggish under the ice and a lot of movement can "spook" them.

Don't forget the Powerbait: I realize that this may sound strange, but if the body of water you are fishing on contains "stocked" trout, fishing with Powerbait can be very effective when ice fishing. A great technique when ice fishing for stocked trout is to us a set of gang-hooks with a small ball of Powerbait covering each hook on a set of gang-hooks. This ice fishing rig can be fished on a regular ice fishing rod or a tip up.

Small Spoons Are Effective: Small spoons such as "Little Cleo's" can be quite effective when fishing through the ice for trout. Just as with jigs, any jigging action should be minimal in many cases. Small spoons can also be tipped with maggots or meal worms for more trout attracting power.

The bottom line is that when fishing for trout through the ice these tips have helped me over the past two decades and I know they will do the same for you. Now get out there, drill a hole or two, and begin starring through a hole in the ice!

Ice fishing for HUGE brown trout

I often neglect ice fishing, mainly because I'm not very good at it, but I need to change this.  There is some serious trout fishing to be done through the ice, and this huge brown trout is an example of this fact.   39 inches is not too shabby and the fact that they released her is pretty cool as well.  Do yourself a favor and watch this record sized brown trout be caught through a hole in the ice. 

Ice Fishing For Rainbow Trout – 3 Trout Baits That You Need To Try if You Want To Catch More Rainbows This Winter

For spin fishermen who enjoy fishing for and catching rainbow trout, the winter means one

thing, ice fishing. I mean sure if given a choice, most of us would prefer to be standing in the flowing water of our favorite trout river, but during the winter rainbows become so difficult to catch in rivers, it means there is one place that we have to go. The local lake that the local fish and game department stocks with trout to engage in a little thing called

Now ice fishing for rainbow trout certainly couldn’t be compared to rocket science, but there are certain tips, tactics, and methods that need to be employed if you want to catch a rainbow or two through the ice. One of those things is the trout bait that is employed and in this article I will draw upon more than 30 years of combined trout fishing experience to outline 3 baits that you need to try if you want to catch more rainbows through the ice.

1. Micro Marabou Jigs – Micro marabou jigs that are 1/8 of an ounce at the heaviest are an excellent bait for rainbow trout when you are ice fishing. It's also a good idea to "tip" your jig with a live meal worm, maggot, or wax worm. Also keep in mind that a ton of movement is not necessary when ice fishing with a micro jig (especially if the jig it "tipped"). I like to jig my rod every minute or two, but many old timers "jig" their rod only about once every 5 to ten minutes and swear by the strategy.
2. Powerbait – While this might sound strange, Powerbait can actually be quite effective when utilized as trout bait when ice fishing for rainbow trout. Keep in mind that a majority of the trout that are fished for when you are ice fishing have been planted and therefore will readily eat anything that smells like Powerbait. Remember there are also Powerbait products now that come in the form of mite jigs and micro wigglers that also work great as bait beneath the ice.
3. Acme Kastmaster – The acme Kastmaster makes a great vertical jig when ice fishing for rainbow trout. Always remember to vary the depth and the speed at which you jig your Kastmaster. You never know what the rainbows are going to be attracted to on a particular day on the ice.

The bottom line is that all of the baits that I just mentioned are effective baits to use anytime that you are ice fishing for rainbow trout. Make sure that one or all of them are available to you the next time that you hit the ice in search of a few rainbow trout and you won't be disappointed with the results.

The trout fishing is winding down around here

It's been getting colder and colder here in Northwest Montana and it's looking like the fall trout fishing may be all but over?  We shall see, there's still a few weeks left and I'm holding out hope that a little pre-winter warm up will happen, so that I can catch a few more heavy fall rainbows.  On years when this happens (often called and "Indian summer") the trout fishing is usually fantastic, so we shall see.

Otherwise it's time to begin to focus on other things until the spring rolls around.  I mean sure, a little winter trout fishing will certainly be done, but due to many factors this often isn't as productive as one would like.  And then of course there's ice fishing, but I'm afraid I'm just not quite ready to break out the shanty just yet and spend my afternoons on a frozen lake.  I will though, and when I do, you guys will be the first to know.

3 Of The Most Effective Baits For Catching Rainbow Trout Through The Ice

For many people fishing through the ice is a ton of fun, but for the novice ice fishing can be a challenge to say the least. No where is this more true than when it comes to fishing for rainbow trout. Let's face it the act of standing on a frozen lake, drilling a hole in the ice, and attempting to catch a few rainbows can seem like an exercise in futility, especially if you don't know what you are doing. This is especially true if the wrong bait is employed and in this article I will outline 3 of the most popular and effective baits for catching trout through the ice so that you don't end up having a cold and unproductive outing on your next ice fishing excursion.

Although there are many types of baits that can be used to catch rainbow trout through the ice, the following 3 baits are considered "go to" ice fishing baits by many seasoned rainbow trout chasing ice fishermen. You should have at least one if not all of these baits available to you the next time that you head out onto the ice in search of rainbow trout.

1. Swedish Pimples - This bait has been used in Sweden for more than 100 years, and delivers exceptional results when jigged for rainbow trout under the ice. Just use a sharp vertical jig motion to mimic an erratic injured bait fish which hungry trout find hard to resist. Try to match the color of your Swedish Pimple with the predominant bait fish in the body of water that you are fishing.


2. Wax Worms - Live wax worms (or "waxies" as they are often called) are excellent little baits for ice fishing for our colorful friends. They can be fished by themselves on a small fishing hook or set of gang hooks or they can be used to tip the hook of a small buck tail jig or Swedish Pimple. However they are employed, wax worms are hard to beat as bait whenever you are ice fishing for rainbow trout.


3. Powerbait - As strange as it might sound, using Powerbait as bait whenever you are ice fishing for trout is actually a good idea. This is especially true if the rainbows that you are fishing for have been stocked (which almost all of them have been). Powerbait fished under a tip up can be hard to beat anytime that you are ice fishing for rainbow trout.

The next time that you head out onto your local frozen lake in search of rainbow trout make sure that you have one or all of the aforementioned baits available to you and you will experience more success, I promise you.

Ice Fishing For Trout - Tips and Tricks

Now that the winter has officially settled on us like a lazy dog lying on his bed next to the fireplace, ice fishing is really starting to heat up. One of the most popular fish to target when fishing through the ice are trout, and in this article I will outline a few tips that will help you catch more fish when ice fishing for trout. Add one (or all) of these simple ice fishing tips to your ice fishing repertoire and you will begin experiencing more ice fishing success.

When discussing ice fishing, I think it's important to reiterate safe ice thicknesses. I realize this info is "old hat" to experienced ice fishermen, but it's nonetheless worth mentioning for anyone who might be new to the idea of fishing on a frozen body of water. In almost all cases four inches of ice is considered safe for walking and fishing through the ice. I personally like to see six inches of ice, but this isn't necessary.

The following tips are being listed in no particular order. Use the ones that feel right to you, discard the rest, but all of the following ice fishing tips are effective.

1. Be On The Ice When The Trout Are Most Active: So how the heck do you know when the trout are the most active? Simple, by paying attention to the weather and moon and planning your fishing trips accordingly. The weather and moon have an amazing affect on the feeding behavior of trout and using this information to your advantage can be a big help when ice fishing for trout. Not only this, but when fishing through the ice the warmer parts of the day are generally more productive than the colder parts of the day.
2. Small Jigs Tipped With Bait Are Effective: Small jigs, either traditional twister tails or marabou, tipped with meal worms or maggots can be very effective when trout fishing through the ice. A key is to not provide much jigging action to your jig. As a matter of fact jigging you rod every few minutes should suffice. Trout are extremely sluggish under the ice and a lot of movement can "spook" them.
3. Powerbait Is Effective: I realize that this may sound strange, but if the body of water you are fishing on contains "stocked" trout, Powerbait can be very effective when ice fishing. A great technique when ice fishing for stocked trout is to us a set of gang-hooks with a small ball of Powerbait covering each hook on a set of gang-hooks. This ice fishing rig can be fished on a rod or a tip up.
4. Small Spoons Are Effective: Small spoons such as "Little Cleo's" can be quite effective when fishing through the ice for trout. Just as with jigs, any jigging action should be minimal in many cases. Small spoons can also be tipped with maggots or meal worms for more trout attracting power.

The bottom line is that when fishing for trout through the ice these tips have helped me over the past two decades and I know they will do the same for you. Now get out there and begin starring through a hole in the ice!