Questions: Jigging for Lake Trout

[Hawker]

Since the opportunity for me to fish hard water only rolls around once in a blue moon (last time was four years ago) I'd like some help from those of you get to do so more frequently, especially for lake trout. It's possible I'll get to make a trip to fish Crow Lake just north of Nestor Falls, Ontario next month to fish for lake trout. Last time I got to do this, we were jigging some spoons and lead heads with white tubes. One of the things I noticed and found frustrating was a lot of line twist, more so with the lead head and tube than with the spoon, but quite a bit nonetheless. I've thought about using a braid for main line & coupled to a fluro leader but need some suggestions on leader length as well as suggestions to use or not use a good ball bearing swivel to join the fluro leader to the braid. My reasoning for using braid, be it good or bad reasoning, is that it would help in setting the hook at the depths we'd be jigging. I'm a novice with this hard water stuff guys, so take it easy on me would ya???
Really, I would appreciate any insight, suggestions and information you'd pass on to this softwater-bound Okie! Thanks in advance for any help!!

Hawker

[Mattman]

Crow is where I Laker fish.

I gave up on mono and fluro lines long ago for jigging Trout.

I will tie on a 6' flouro leader to the end of my Fireline. I prefer Fireline because its a smooth line and doesn't hold as much water. My guides and line roller don't ice up as quickly.

I have not used a swivel. Spoons, leadhead/tube, airplane jigs... I've not really had a tough time with line twist.

If I were to use a swivel, they would be a ball bearing type of 20# - 30# breaking strength. http://www.sampoinc.com/sampo_swivels.htm




Matt Davis

Better to have and not need than to need and not have!

[risor39]

We use spoons on Big Green for lakers and line twist is just terrible so we use a barrel swivel and about a 2 foot leader.At the depths we fish even using cut bait you will get a good amount of twist so we use a swivel on just about everything we put down.Just got out yesterday and pulled 2 fish nothing big as the average fish here is about 18-20" both fish on a buckshot rattle spoon in 90fow.Good luck

[Dave W.]

I've fished for years on Lake Superior thru the ice for Lakers. We use steel braided line coated with plastic, the smallest pound test that you can find. Attach about a 6 foot leader of 20# with a large Swedish Pimple in any color that glows, or another good one is the 1 oz. Got-Cha plug that glows (can be found in Bass Pro catalog). Use a chunk of smelt or large minnow to sweeten the lure. Watch out when the laker hits, there's no streach in the wire and I had a 15 pounder pull my arm right into the hole while I was standing!

[overdalimit ul]

I fish with my uncle and his friend up on the gunflint. We like to try different stuff and I tell you the craziest things work really well. We call it the christmas tree. This fellow made it himself by attaching many different lure componants together and then tipping it with 2 or 3 minnows. I don't know how or why it works but work it does. I have never gotten a good close look at it (only from a distance) but I think it has many different colors on it as well as all that scent. Oh yeah he spits on it too. I know this goes against every rule of logic but what can I tell you. As for the line I like fire line and a swivel with a 3 foot mono or floro leader. We are going up in a couple of weeks and I am really looking fwd to it as we always get fish and the company aint bad either. Boy the stories those two tell!!!

[Hawker]

I do appreciate the different tips and suggestions so far guys! From the variety of answers so far, looks like I might need to rig up a couple of different rods with a variety and see what works the best at the time. I've got several rod/reel combos so that won't be difficult, and plenty of all types of line as well. My favorite super line is already Fireline, though I have to admit mainly for spinning reels, but I can put some on a baitcast reel to use with no problem as well. Once again though, I really do appreciate the info, tips etc you guys have given thus far, it will help me to make better tackle & equiptment decisions before I go.
Thanks guys!!
Hawker

[briand]

Ice fishing for lakers is my fav type of ice fishing.
Personaly I prefer using a tube jig tipped with a live minnow, or sucker belly and lately strips of chicken breast over anything else.
Plus with that a really good stinger hook. Lake trout not always are hard hitting fish. A lot of times I find that they like to gum it first. This is why I prefer soft baits over spoons.
I like to slowly drop my bait to the bottom and work it for a bit and bring it up 5 feet and work it some more, and repeat till the line is 5 feet below the surface.
A good fish finder really makes life easy on the ice for lakers since they don't always relate to bottom.

[can]

were u serious about the chicken breast strips for lake trout? if so how does that work?

[briand]

We cut the breasts into strips the lenght of the breast. And in strips about 3/4" thick. You can slice the tail up for added effects.
Honestly the jury is out what is better, live minnow, sucker belly or chicken breast. In the lakes we fish they all work. It's nice to be able to present something different to them.

[can]

I've always done best jigging with smelts....but im definitely going to have to try this chicken breast idea. Thanks alot