Back-lake Rapala spinning ice combos, Sufix Ice Magic line, Luhr Jensen spoons and TriggerX grubs for brook & rainbow trout.
Posted on January 16th, 2015Early, safe ice is one off the best times to target back-lake brook and rainbow trout that are still feeding along the shorelines and in shallower bays where they find the most food.
You don’t need much gear, especially if you have to use machines, or are walking to get into a back-lake. Rapala has a series of spinning ice fishing combos that work great and are very compact, they even come spooled with Sufix Ice line!
The line you use is very important. You can use a braid, but under really cold conditions I find the monofilament works best. If you use a braid, make sure to use a low diameter Sufix Fluorocarbon leader.
Best lures to use are small flashy spoons that have a fast darting action. You can fish these fast, especially in water less than 15′, and if you want to attract trout from a greater distance and you are fishing a soft bottom, letting these fast dropping spoons hit the bottom on a “free-line” drop, really stirs it up and often attracts fish in to strike them. A couple of my favorite are the Blue Fox Lil’ Fin and the Luhr Jensen Krocodile spoons.
When I fish for brook & rainbow trout, and especially panfish like jumbo perch, bluegill and crappie I always tip my spoon (or jig) with a TriggerX grub. The combination gives the spoon/grub a really tantalizing action especially when a fish moves in and looks at your presentation, often commuting to strike!
