Inland Lake Trout Gear & Tactics

[Mike Stark]

How about the new mini Rippen Raps ? Has anyone picked up any yet. I went and bought a few today. Setting them next to the large chubby darters I think they are going to be a great bait for Lakers. With the thinner profile they have I really think they will be pretty enticing on the fall with a soft flutter all the way down. Besides white, what are the colors you guys stick to for hard baits for BWCA Lakers ?

I haven't seen the new mini raps yet. I do like the UV colors tho. You really can't go wrong with anything UV. The blue chrome is a good color. And sometimes the perch colors work too.

In most of the BWCA lakes, ciscos are the main forage. Baits that match the profile will work. I would prefer to use the larger rattle baits in the BWCA. The mini rap could work great on Burntside tho where fish are keyed in on small smelt.

[Northlander]

The rippin raps in the new mini all the way up to the big boy are great laker baits. The mini is also a great walleye and crappie bait through the ice.

As far as inland lakers my new jigging rod this year will be a 36" MH St. Croix Avid with a 1500 shimano sahara and 12# suffix ice. When inside I will use the same combo but with 20# suffix 832 ice and a 12# suffix ice shocker leader.

I have rods from 32" to 42" for lakers in all type actions. The more I use those bigger rods with bigger baits the more I like spinning reels. Even with a spiral wrap rod I still find a spinning rod easier to jig all day.

Tip ups have 25# coated dacron tip up line with 20# mono leader and usually a glow or chart bead and #2 hook with a nice golden shiner or rainbow. Dead smelt or scisco for smell at times.

[centralmnguy]

I like using viking spoons, slender spoons & castmasters for chasing lakers. Anything that flutters on the fall has worked good for me. As far as tip-ups or deadsticking I have caught a few on a yellow single hook with a green glow bead (like a walleye snell) usually have a big shiner or rainbow chub on it. & I like to have that suspended half way in the water column while I am ripping a jig or spoon in another hole a few feet away...you would be surprised how often they will race up after your spoon only to turn off & hit your dead stick or tip-up next to you!

[eyesonly]

I just returned from shopping at the Big C. I got to ask. Does not anyone sell just plain white tubes any more ? Pearl speck this and white speck that. How about just some plains old white tubes for gosh sakes ! Maybe plain white won't catch enough fisherman I suppose. I picked up some bucktail jigs, blue and purple slender spoons, a few chrome and blue rippen raps, jiggen raps and some pearle white with silver speck tubes . I should be ready to go...

[Mike Stark]

I just returned from shopping at the Big C. I got to ask. Does not anyone sell just plain white tubes any more ? Pearl speck this and white speck that. How about just some plains old white tubes for gosh sakes ! Maybe plain white won't catch enough fisherman I suppose. I picked up some bucktail jigs, blue and purple slender spoons, a few chrome and blue rippen raps, jiggen raps and some pearle white with silver speck tubes . I should be ready to go...

Berkley makes 3in and 4in White tubes. Baits shops have them here in town. Pearl white with silver speck works great too. Those flakes will give off a little flash. Looks just like a cisco.

[eyesonly]

Thanks Mike . I was all over that store and never saw just plain old white. Maybe I didnt look hard enough. When I stop at Bucks or Holiday in G.M for my Ciscos I look there. I do like the look of the packs I did get though. I also had a hard time finding the Larger airplain jigs. They were out of them. I ended up picking up the 1\4 ounce Northland Whistlers.

[fishwater]

I just returned from shopping at the Big C. I got to ask. Does not anyone sell just plain white tubes any more ?

I was just at the Woodbury store earlier today looking at all the plastics and think I maybe saw you - was your gal friend enthusiastic about a hand warmer? Maybe not.. Anyway, the guy i saw looked like he had a minor case of lake trout fever.

You must have missed a row, they had the northland impulse 3.5" tubes in plain white and a few others.

[eyesonly]

"I was just at the Woodbury store earlier today looking at all the plastics and think I maybe saw you - was your gal friend enthusiastic about a hand warmer? Maybe not.. Anyway, the guy i saw looked like he had a minor case of lake trout fever. "

Ha ! Yep that was me , too funny ! Yes , my wife really wanted me to get that hand warmer didn't

She. She is always worried that I will freeze to death on my trips. It was in the bargin cave for $40.00 . I put it back though. Dang, I even asked the workers if I missed a row and they said no,that's all they carry for tubes. Well, good excuse to go back. My wife just loves the fact that they built a C store 10 miles from home :-) I could spend all day there. I do always try to save a few supplies till I reach my destination to try to help out the local bait shop or local store though. Im sure they appreciate the business. I do have a case of trout fever, that's for sure. You should have said Hi darn it.

[fishwater]

Eyesonly - I should've commented about laker fishing. I was looking through all the various tube options too; a bit much to filter considering three entire rows of plastics. I saw larger tubes randomly in each row. If I remember right, the northland tubes were in the row closest to the musky tackle. I picked up some venom 2.5" pearl tubes with only a bit of sparkle.

Gold luck! We're heading up off the gunflint next week. Debating running up to Chequamegon tomorrow, sounds like it's firmed up a bit all the way to red cliff.

[eyesonly]

Thanks man. Sounds awesome. I will be hiking in off the gunflint also next week. Leaving Monday morning and getting a motel room in G.M. I'm heading up the trail next day for a Solo 4 day camping trip. Looks like the weather is shaping up to be pretty nice for us. Good luck to you also !

[eyesonly]

Sorry for hogging the thread lately but I have another question getting ready for my trip. What is considered an "eater' sized Lake trout and what is considered a bigger fish that you would want to release for the lakes along the Gunflint ? I'm sure I will have a few more questions before I finally get to head out . This thread is really the reason why I'm taking this adventure......thanks to all.

[JBMasterAngler]

You can certainly keep as small of a laker as your willing to eat. Keep in mind, a 15 inch laker is a lot leaner than a 15 inch stream trout though. I typically release everything under 16 or 17 inches, and over 10 pounds.

[Mike Stark]

I like 3-4 pounders to eat. Let the bigger ones go. They are OLD fish. Lake trout grow very slow. It is important to let the big lakers go.

[drewbop]

So I've been looking at the longer laker rods and none of them will fit in my otter box case (anything over 36"). I am debating now of getting a specific rod case for the longer rods as typically we are taking snowmobile/wheeler trips of 4+ miles. I made the mistake one year of having a soft case and 2 of my rods broke off at the tips.

Wondering how ya'll protect these longer rods? Just find a bigger case? I know that if I want to get a couple decent laker rods, I should go for the longer ones...

[Wanderer]

Just find a bigger case?

That's what I did. I still don't have one for the 45 inch though but that one is pretty thick fiber glass.

I can typically fit two 36 inch rods in one case.

[fishin4sum]

You can certainly keep as small of a laker as your willing to eat. Keep in mind, a 15 inch laker is a lot leaner than a 15 inch stream trout though. I typically release everything under 16 or 17 inches, and over 10 pounds.

I would highly recommend releasing Lake trout over 5#'s. Growth rates are very slow for fish up to 10 years of age. On average a 10 year old Lake trout is from 2-3 pounds depending on the lake it is from and the types of forage available. At about 10 years their growth rates tend to hit an exponential rate which typically corresponds with their ability to eat larger prey. Primarily whitefish. The more fish we can get to 10 years of age the greater number of larger fish we will see! The thrill is in the catch, not the kill! Release the fish and keep on keepin on!

[Mnfisher]

Do these growth rates for Lake Trout apply to Lakers in Lake Superior also?

[Mike Stark]

So I've been looking at the longer laker rods and none of them will fit in my otter box case (anything over 36"). I am debating now of getting a specific rod case for the longer rods as typically we are taking snowmobile/wheeler trips of 4+ miles. I made the mistake one year of having a soft case and 2 of my rods broke off at the tips.

Wondering how ya'll protect these longer rods? Just find a bigger case? I know that if I want to get a couple decent laker rods, I should go for the longer ones...

Last year I put them in my backpack. It was a pretty good system. I am going to try and mount some rod holders on my snowmobile this year. It is nice being able to have all your gear on your machine and not have to pull a sled.

I do have a big case that fits my 42" Thorne Bro rods. The case is big and bulky tho. It takes up a lot of space in the otter sled.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Do these growth rates for Lake Trout apply to Lakers in Lake Superior also?

Yes

[leech~~]

Last year I put them in my backpack. It was a pretty good system. I am going to try and mount some rod holders on my snowmobile this year. It is nice being able to have all your gear on your machine and not have to pull a sled.

I do have a big case that fits my 42" Thorne Bro rods. The case is big and bulky tho. It takes up a lot of space in the otter sled.

It still maybe good to at least find a soft pack case for them so you don't find them covered in snow or slush and iced up when you get to the spot.

[eyesonly]

Its a balmy 8 degrees as i pull in to Grand Marais this morning . I Had to to stop at the Java Moose for a cofee while I stare at the lake for a bit and unwind from the drive before I start my trip. The weather couldn't be shaping up any better for a 5 day camping trip in search of some lake trout. One more stop to Stone Harbor for some last minute supplies and I'm on my way. I wouldnt be doing this trip without all the motivation and great information from all the guys that have been involved in this thread. It was greatly appreciated. Thanks again........

[leech~~]

Sounds like you may have timed a great time to go! Good Luck!

[JBMasterAngler]

Looks like you'll be getting back right before the temps drop again. The difference in highs for saturday to sunday will be about 25 degrees

[certified jumbo]

Good luck eyesonly. Can't wait for the report.

I'll be up that way friday morning. Can't wait.

[Borch]

I have a huge amount of Berkley Gulp Minnows at home still from my last Summers BWCA trip . Do any of you guys use Gulp or any other plastics for Lake trout ? If so how do you fish them ? I plan on Tube Jigs but how about putting those Gulp Minnows on a Jigging spoon ? One more week till I leave for my 5 day camping trip for lake trout in the BWCA. Still not sure where I am going. Thought about the Long Hike to Knife. Also the hike to west pike and also Trout lake. Just too many lakes for a guy to decide on.....

If your looking for rod Ideas I took the guys advice on this thread and I picked up a sweet 38 inch Jason Mitchell Mackinaw series medium heavy Rod last week. It feels awsome and I cant wait to Jig some Tubes with it. I also picked up a 40 inch heavy Action Clam Split handle rod. I like that one too and I only paid $30.00 I think for it.

I don't fish lakers a lot but I have had a great luck with 3 & 4" gulp minnows on the bigger lindy slick jigs. Make sure to use a swivel or they'll twist you line as they swim in a circle when jigged.

[eyesonly]

I have just returned from my very first and not last laker fishing trip. It would have never been possible without all the things Ive learned on this thread . i chose an entry point in the bwca that would give me plenty of chances for great fishing and not much of a chance of seeing another human for my four day three night cold camping trip. It took me one looong day with one snow filled portage to reach my destination. My first morning couldnt have gone any better. After setting up my tip up I got my jigging rod ready to go. I tied on a four inch white tube jig and dropped it down the hole. The jig dropped to about ten feet and WHAM ! a nice 20 inch lake trout slammed my jig and I havnt even hardly got set up yet. For the next two days I caught about 20 nice lake trout. smallest being 14 inches and even caught 3 lakers that touched the 30 inch mark. Ive been told a 30 inch laker is a pretty nice size fish. 2 of the 3 big ones came on a rippen rap, blue and chrome. the larger size. only caught about 5 fish on tip ups with frozen ciscos. Under the reccomendation in the thread I brought two of the Jason Mitchell 38 inch Makinaw rods. Medium Heavy . They were the perfect size along with ten pound mono, swivel and a 3 foot leader of flourocarbon for Jigging 4 inch tubes along with the bigger rippen raps. I got to hear a pack of wolves one night and saw a ton of moose tracks but did not see any other wildlife wich was a bit disipointing .It was a hard trip but very much worth it and cant wait to try it again. for my next trip Id really like to hire a dog team to try to take me up to knife or somthing along those lines. Pulling my gear for five miles one way was the most demanding thing Ive ever done. Id love to make it up for the Bash and would love to hear more about it. thanks again everyone.

[Wanderer]

That's awesome! What a great report to read. I'd say you had a fantastic trip.

[leech~~]

Pictures!

[eyesonly]

Pictures! [/quote I havnt had the energy back yet to unpack my gear and clean out the truck but as soon as I do I'll post a few pics. One thing I didn't mention. It was amazing seeing the bend in a medium/heavy 38 inch rod that a 25 inch lake trout can manage. The fight they put up was amazing . I broke 3 fish off on my tip up set using 10# Vanish. Some of it could have been bad knot tying as it was a bit windy and its tuff for me to tie good knots with cold wet hands the older I get. I was also using a swivel so I suppose your doubling your chances of a break off.

[eyesonly]