Inland Lake Trout Gear & Tactics

[ben h]

anyone hitting bside fri?

[Steve Foss]

anyone hitting bside fri?

Quite a few, I'll bet. But I bet there'll be 100 or more on Saturday. Opener last year was on a Thursday, and the first Saturday of the season I was at the mouth of the North Arm and was checked by a C.O. who came on at Wolf Lake Road and checked 35 guys before he got to me. Said his buddy C.O. came on at Van Vac and was checking that end of the lake.

[ben h]

ever fish up the north arm much? dont see a ton of people up there much. be fishing the arm with the family all weekend hoping for some action this year skunked last year

[Steve Foss]

You bet. I fish up the Arm a lot. Like any laker water on Bside, it can be hit or miss, with a bunch of fish one day and nothing the next. I like the Arm so much because it offers a more wild feeling than the rest of the spots typically hit for lakers. No development at all on the east side all the way up, and the only development on the west side extends about half way down the Arm.

[NoWiser]

Thought I would post some Laker pics from my trip last week to Canada to maybe help get a few of you excited for the MN opener! I have a little more detailed report on the Canada forum for those interested.

I hope everyone has a fun and safe opener in Minnesota! I'll be getting my sled back in shape for my next trip to Pipestone in February.

Also, for what its worth, all trout were caught on 4" Venom glow tubes with 1/4 ounce jigheads off of shoreline points and rockfaces over anywhere from 25 to 90 feet of water. The key for us was to move constantly. If you fished a spot for 10 minutes and didn't get a hit or at least mark a couple, it wasn't worth staying. Now, I'm not sure if these tactics work well in MN but they might be worth a shot since I was only an hour over the border and I have to imagine a lake trout is a lake trout no matter where it swims. We got 74 trout in 2 1/2 days fishing for 6 people. All but a couple were very quickly released to fight again.

[Steve Foss]

Nice pics, man! Sounds like you had a great trip with a lot of trout up there in Lake Trout God Country.

We're shaping up for a positively balmy Jan opener on Friday. Forget the shacks, just fish off the sleds. Love it!

[chaffmj]

Great pics thanks for posting.

FYI Was at GM yesterday in Maple Grove and they had slender spoons for those who live in the cities.

[Northlander]

Marine General only had like 5 Slender Spoons left. Most in gold/orange and silver/green.

[harvey lee]

Yep, that did it. I cannot get out of town fast enough now.

Gunflint, here I come in a few more days.

[Northlander]

Harvey Lee Im actually kind of excited to try out a new lake. Even if it is for grease balls. Ill be leaving real early Sun morning too.

[Great Outdoors]

Northlander,

We have quite a few 1/8th and 1/4 oz Slender Spoons in most colors except blue or black/purple/silver combo

[leech~~]

Great pics thanks for posting.

FYI Was at GM yesterday in Maple Grove and they had slender spoons for those who live in the cities.

chaffmj, I must have just missed you, thats where I picked them up last night also!

[KG243]

I just bought a slender spoon in GM down here in the cities. I hope it works good!

[fishgutz77]

Has anyone tried the new puppet minnow from northland?

I took a nice laker at last years bash on one over by the entrance to the arm.

good luck everyone.

[Steve Foss]

I started a Burntside opener fishing report over on the Vermilion-Ely forum for people to add to.

[Steve Foss]

Just picked up a new rod yesterday, and it is a SWEET laker stick!

Mr. Walleye Gary Roach 45" Ice Pro hybrid carbon fiber spinning rod in H. Designed for walleye, and Heavy is a little lighter than my H laker rods, but not much lighter, and the length and action are excellent. Not the rod for inside a portable, but I got to work with it today for a few hours, and man is it nice and smooth on the ice. I started with it when it was about 5 degrees, and the guides do not ice up at all.

At $30 retail, it's quite affordable for many folks, especially considering what you get for that price. It's also worth noting the the handle is short for a spinning rod of that length (well, not TOO short), so you have a LOT of rod to do the work. I was surprised how easily a rod that long fishes once you get used to it. Takes about 2 minutes to get used to it.

Spooled it with 12 lb Trilene XL on a Shimano Simetre 2500FJ. Very, very nice for medium-weight lures like most Slender spoons and Jigging raps to No. 9. It won't get a serious workout until next week.

I've got a big bunch of laker rigs now, including three of the older Berkley Genz Rod 36" yellow-wrap (solid graphite blank) in MH baitcasting, paired with Ambassadeur 4600 and 5500 reels (my all-time favorite mass-produced laker rod/reel combo.) But the Roach rod (as well as a lovely 40" St. Croix H blank crafted into a custom laker spinning rod by Surface Tension) makes a lot more fun to stand out on the ice.

These days, the poor Otter seems to stare accusingly at me from the garage as I walk toward my pickup for a day's laker fishing, sort of like a Labrador retriever being left home by a duck hunter.

These two spinning rods will be my go-to sticks on upcoming trips to Saganaga and Lac la Croix. Gee, are my passport, RABC, Ontario license/outdoors card here yet?

[Mike Stark]

dang foss!...got another one!?! those mr walleye rods are nice...i have a couple of the 36in MH rods...they are nice...i was looking at getting the 45in H...you beat me to it...did you get it at red rock? i know they have some of those rods out there. i might have to make a trip out there soon.

any fish?

[Mike Stark]

i do the same thing with my shack...i walk past it everytime i get in my explorer...who needs a shack when its 32 n sunny!

[Steve Foss]

dang foss!...got another one!

When you can write it off through your business, it's even better! I gotta say, though, that with that and the St. Croix, there's going to be WAY less shelter fishing and WAY more fishing out in the open.

Yep, we got fish today. BTW, I didn't get the last 45-incher Joe had. I think.

[Mike Stark]

im fishing tomorrow morning...might make a trip out there in the afternoon.

[Mike Stark]

i am soon entering the world of writing all my fishing expenses off...cant wait!

[Steve Foss]

i am soon entering the world of writing all my fishing expenses off...cant wait!

You can't write ALL of them off. The IRS hates fishing guides. Get an accountant, and get Quickbooks.

[Mike Stark]

ok...maybe not ALL...but a lot.

[Mike Stark]

and by the way foss....you got the last one..i had to order mine on-line and pay shipping...all he has left were 39in MH...i ordered the 45in H.

[Steve Foss]

and by the way foss....you got the last one..i had to order mine on-line and pay shipping.

Well, hopefully you'll get it before the end of laker season.

[jim carpenter]

Make sure you have good tax advise. Guiding and Pro Fishing are almost surefire ways to get audited. Not a problem, just make sure you follow the rules to a T.

[JBMasterAngler]

Curious to know what size lindy darters you like to use for lakers? And also, do you tip them with bait?

[Mike Stark]

i dont use em but the biggest size is what most folks use...the biggest size is still a pretty small bait for lakers...i think if you tip them it will take away from the action.

[Northlander]

Mike if you are looking for them Mr. Walleye laker rods send me a e-mail af what your looking for and Ill see if I can get some for you. Those are great rods for the buck. I have a few of the combos and to my surprise the reels arent bad at all.

[Mike Stark]

i found some online..thanks tho steve...yeah i have a couple of the reels and they are decent reels...nice n light.