# Question on Rainbow Trout????



## justin.hockey (Dec 10, 2007)

I am new to icefishing rainbow trout threw the ice and was wondering what the best bait is for them? During the summer months i fish almost exclusivly with night crawlers and have great sucess with them but means i can't find them this time of year i was wondering what else can i use...will they eat minnows, wax worms..ect 
also is there any methods that are more effective in the winter for trout such as jigging or just having the bait off the bottom a little ways,

any information would be greatly appricaited,
Justin


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Fish shallow. Once the water gets COLD the trout get ACTIVE and they move back into the shallows. Let's say you're fishing a stocked lake (like the ones here in ND). If it is fairly featureless, work that 5-12' area. Run a line of tip-ups out over varying depths and catch the fish that cruise the shallows.

My experience with stocked trout in ND on the ice is limited to one lake, but the methods I have used there are written about for stockers everywhere. Focus your attack in shallow, using smaller minnows on plain #6 or #8 walleye or circle hooks on a tip/up. Vary the settings, from just off the bottom to 4-5' up. The best times of day for me have historically been 5:00 am to 10:00 am (get out and get your holes drilled well ahead of time, as trout spook easily - this gives them time to settle down).

If you're going to jig for them, use a genzworm, or other jig tipped with a minnow or a waxie for starters, then adjust from there. Sometimes, you'll get a school of them to run through your dragnet of tip-up lines, and it'll be as fast as pike fishing! They tend to like muddy/silty bottoms, as there are a good number of nymphs, bloodworms and crustaceans buried or living just above the bottom. Good Luck. Remember, winter trout rarely survive being hooked, especially on tip-ups - so harvest selectively.


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## gillgetter (Nov 28, 2007)

One way tha i've caught them is similar to a walleye dead stick rig. #6 red octopus hook with a glow bead above it. Hook a minnow above the dorsal and put him a foot of the bottom. Either use a bobber or hold the rod.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

I've had my best luck in the 5-15 ft of water range. I definitely do better when jigging. My best lure so far has been the swedish pimple tipped with night crawler. You can't get them there? You mean you can't dig or probe them, or can't even buy them? You should be able to buy them, I think. My friend has his best luck with a small yellow crappie jig (tube type) with the skirt cut off everthing but the head, and tipped with a wax worm. He fishes it jigging, or still, or in combination of the two. He swears by it.


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## mnhunt1989 (Nov 9, 2007)

i have a stocked lake that gets 100+ feet deep...would you still fish the shallows in that deep of a lake?


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

If you are fishing NE MN, you'd better check the regs for ice fishing rainbow trout. 

Only lake trout is open, and I've never fished for them, but my guess is they're out over deep water!


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

mnhunt1989 said:


> i have a stocked lake that gets 100+ feet deep...would you still fish the shallows in that deep of a lake?


yup.


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## Wyomingpredator (Oct 16, 2007)

size 8 hook tipped with about a 1/2 by 1/2 chunk of velveeta cheese if legal. Yes it has to be velveeta even generic cheese spreads dont work as well. Fish in 5 to 20 feet of water and suspend cheese about 1 foot of bottom. sounds wierd but it works.


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## justin.hockey (Dec 10, 2007)

size 8 hook tipped with about a 1/2 by 1/2 chunk of velveeta cheese if legal. Yes it has to be velveeta even generic cheese spreads dont work as well. Fish in 5 to 20 feet of water and suspend cheese about 1 foot of bottom. sounds wierd but it works.

Are u serious? Your not saying this just to make me go and buy some cheese and then sit out on a frozen lake and try it because i will....lol...That sounds like a cool bait to try. Your not a velveeta sales man are u? j/k... I might have to give it a shot....


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Justin -

If worse comes to worse, take some minnows with you.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

njsimonson said:


> Justin -
> 
> If worse comes to worse, take some minnows with you.


And make chilli and grilled cheese sandwiches.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

I've used velveeta many times and it does work. I have not, however, had much luck with it through the ice. I don't know why.


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## method (Dec 5, 2006)

My best luck echoes what njsimonson has to say. I've caught them in the shallows, mainly on plain hooks on tipups, or small jigs on tipups, all with minnows. I have caught them in as little as 18" of water. One day the best results all came out of water less than 3'.

-Mike


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## mach (Aug 29, 2005)

I have used Velvetta cheese for a long time on a size 12 treble hook and a fountain pen spring to hold the cheese together for many years..got to be velveeta.

However in the last two years I have bought a ring of raw small shelled shrimp and put on a small piece..tail is preferred on a #8 long snell and try the bottom and then go up a foot at a time to locate the bite zone in stocked lakes..I guarantee this is a killer bait if legal..instant strike before it gets to travel down and not much chance of any trout sucking off the bait for a free meal. put a split shot one foot above the bait and match the bobber..quills are more sensitive..the take will be hard..first nibble..strike


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

I was catching trout today in everything from 4-12 feet. Didn't even try deeper. There was plenty of action right where we were. Didn't bother to take pictures as all the fish were small (less than 13 inches). Hope to bring you some pictures of bruisers soon.


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## magnum44270 (Jul 20, 2007)

go buy a can of sweet corn. buest trout bait i know of


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

magnum44270 said:


> go buy a can of sweet corn. buest trout bait i know of


You do what you want, but ever since I learned that fish cannot digest corn and it will stay in their gut for a long, long time, I won't use it.


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## justin.hockey (Dec 10, 2007)

I went out the last two days with the information that i learned on here and managed to catch 2 trout that were both about 2 lbs. I really appreciate the input. I caught them on little minnows and a small regular hook in about 8 ft of water. It was a blast....

Thanks again,
Justin


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

I went yesterday with my Dad. I had been fishing the same hole in less than 6 feet of water for about and hour. I moved over to tend a bite on one of my other poles and the pole I had been using was going nuts. I had my Dad go check it out and pulled out a 19 inch ~3 lb trout out of that hole. The BUMB!

We caught several fish on the day including over 50 perch and 3 trout over 2 lbs. 2 of the 3 were around 3 lbs.

Guess what.... I forgot the camera......I'll try to get some pictures next time.


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