Keep in mind that stocked Brook and Rainbow trout bite best in cold water. If you know what type they stocked and where, you may want to shy away from the Browns. I once was at the upper Ramapo River in NY. They had stocked mostly Browns and a few Rainbows. Out of the 10 guys fishing that Opening Day within eyesight, only 2 Browns were caught and over 30 Rainbows. You could see Browns all over the 2 pools, but they wouldn’t hit. We went back there once the weather warmed up the following week. We caught plenty and all were Browns!

Be sure to check out areas you haven’t been to for more than a month or so. I once traveled 2 hours to a “honey hole” only to find out they were reconstructing a bridge and the hole was now a mud flat that wasn’t stocked! I have also had a few surprises from beaver dams, floodwaters changing river bottoms, new POSTED signs, etc.

Match The Hatch

Okay, so they are stockies for the most part and don’t even know what a hatch is! The principal is still the same.

Power Bait –

In slow moving or still waters, make sure to have Power Bait! I have consistently caught my biggest stocked fish on opening day in slow moving or still water on it. If I know what they stocked (Rainbows, Browns or Brookies) it will make your Power Bait choice easier. There are many other brands of scented bait and I’ve done my testing. Nothing has come close to the original for staying on the hook and catching fish, period!

If you can find it, the Hatchery Formula (with or without cheese) in the resealable pouch (brownish nuggets) is the best overall Power Bait! If the Hatchery Formula isn’t available, here are some tips for what colors of the “nuggets in the jar type” to choose. For Rainbows – pink, orange or white seems to work best. For Brookies and Golden Trout (Palomino’s) – chartreuse or yellow. For Browns-  gold or white. Another good all around choice is the yellow “corn” formula. One last item on this subject. Try a little Trout jelly or juice on your Power Bait. It can sometimes trigger picky brood fish!

Live Bait-

Recently released hatchery trout that are on the prowl want the BEEF. They are use to getting fed daily and after a few days on their own become fixated on eating.

I prefer ½ night crawlers, baby night crawlers or mealworms above anything else. Burry a # 10 or # 12 dry fly hook into one of these offerings with a small enough split shot just to hold bottom and you have a deadly combination! Only one year did I see Fathead minnows out produce worms. Luckily, I always have a few on hand for the opener!  Fatheads and other small minnows will work gradually better as the water and weather warms in May. That also is when most Browns are stocked and Browns LOVE Fathead minnows!

Artificials –

There are two schools of thought for using lures on opening day. You have a better chance of catching the more aggressive fish quicker and a better chance at a larger brood fish. Both are true under certain circumstances. However, unless you are in a sparsely populated body of water, you will most likely spend more time untangling your line than fishing, not to mention aggravating an already tense situation! Small spinners, jigs and even small plugs will work, but use your head and make sure you are not interfering with other anglers. I once had a nice 20+ inch Brookie almost to the net when a spinner came whizzing across the creek and became ensnarled in the 15 feet of line I had left to reel in. To make matters worse the guy chucking the spinner thought he had a hit upon contact with my line and jerked back hard enough to set the hook on a 30 lb Striper! Brookie gone, Bob mad and Mr. Spinner hightailed it for his car after a series of threats from both sides of the river! Just be mindful of your surroundings when tossing lures.  Stocked Rainbows tend to launch after silver or white patterns with a hint of red or blue. Stocked Brookies and Golden (Palomino) trout tend to like bright colors like Fire Tiger patterns, yellow, chartreuse, more painted than polished offerings. Browns like gold blades, dull colors like brown or even dark green or black with a matching feather tail. Just be mindful of other anglers when casting lures. Make sure you have the room and any drift accounted for so you can avoid tangles, a cut line and a barrage of unkind words!

Tackle

Rods, Reels and Line

Leave the light finesse rods and 2 lb test at home! These rods are best used after the crowds have died down and the fish have become educated! For opening day I like a 5 – 5 ½ ft ultra-light with a strong enough butt section to lift a 1 lb can up to your chest without much effort! A reel that has a smooth drag and a large diameter spool can make life much easier! The reason for this is that too short a rod lessens your reach to get around potential tangle or snag situations. Too whippy a rod and you will waste too much time netting even small trout and if you do throw lures you will not get great hook sets. While a limber rod is fun later in the season while using 2 lb test on an open stretch of water, it is not practical in a crowded pool or pond. Opening day is either about filling your creel or culling fish until you get “the big ones”. You want to catch and keep or catch and release as many as you can until you obtain your goal. A large diameter spool will provide less tangles, quicker retrieves and usually smoother drags. I will use either Tectan 4 lb test or some other small diameter premium line that is limp and casts effortlessly. You want to stay away from the Spider, Braided or “extra tough”/ abrasive resistant lines for trout fishing! They are too hard to break off if you get snagged, don’t cast well and may spook even an uneducated hatchery trout!

Hooks and Sinkers

For EVERYTHING other than Power Bait or Fatheads, I have found a #12 or #10 Dry Fly hook to be the best all around hooks for trout under 5 lbs! They are sharp, bury in a mealworm or baby night crawler excellent, are lightweight, but strong enough to use with 4 lb test! They will dissolve quickly if left in the fish, usually result in hook sets in the mouth area and rarely pull free! I will use a # 10 Nymph hook if the fish are running larger or if there is swift current or very deep pools. Once the crowds die down and the fish are warier or you are stalking holdovers or natives, then a # 12 with 2 lb test is your best bet.

Power Bait and Fatheads are best fished on a wider gap, shorter shank hook. I prefer a # 10 or 12 egg hook or the finer wire “octopus” model hook over anything else. They will hook up better with the “snatch” bite that occurs using these baits rather than the “nibble” bite of worm type baits. They will also hold the bait better and provide the Fathead with a little wiggle room.

For live bait, I still prefer lead, “easy open” split shots. I have tried the non- lead variety and do not like them. I’d like to be as environmentally minded as everyone else, but lead offers a smaller size per weight and that makes a difference!  If there is a fast, rocky-bottomed stretch that has many snags, I will often go to a snagless, “split shot in a sock” type weight. They work well and come in dull, low visibility colors.

For Power Bait, I will use a small barrel swivel and egg sinker with a leader of 1-2 feet. This allows the bait to suspend off the bottom and give the fish a chance to swallow and run. Unfortunately, this is very common with Power Bait. Fish will swallow it and you will lose hooks. Try to use the smallest egg sinker/ barrel swivel possible!

There is nothing wrong with keeping your limit of trout, especially on a body of water that offers little or no chance for hold over. However, keep in mind that a 12 inch stocked trout in April can be a fat 14-15 inch fish in the fall!

You will get out of the season opener what you put into it. A little planning can have big dividends.

Fish safe, stay dry, practice catch and release and take a child fishing as often as possible! Family fishing is fun too!

- Bob Tackels

Hail To The KING! and The Iceman Cometh...

Hail to the King!

In the dark, we lined up side by side in the deep pool just below the rapids. You could see the outlines of long rods at the east end of the pool where the sun was just peaking over the horizon. There was no room left on the gravel bar in waist deep water. Anyone who arrived now would either have to try and muscle his way in or take a chance at one of the smaller pools or breaks downstream. A few anglers strategically placed themselves above the big pool down a narrow run off the far riverbank. I looked around thinking how the scene reminded me of the opening day of New Jersey’s trout season. Just then, something slammed into my right leg almost knocking me over! The guy next to me kind of laughed and said, “they’re big, but they don’t bite!” I sure wasn’t in Jersey anymore!

Those first few minutes on the Salmon River in Pulaski, NY changed my fishing forever. While other anglers either only dreamed of catching a Pacific Salmon or traveled expensively west in pursuit of these fish, all I had to do was drive a little over five hours and put on a pair of waders! It became addictive before I had even hooked my first Salmon!

There are several types of Salmon in Lake Ontario. Landlocked, Atlantic and Coho Salmon are speedy, tackle testing challenges for any angler. The mighty Chinook or King Salmon however is in a class by itself! These are the largest of the salmonoid species introduced into some of the Great Lakes over the past 35 years to originally assist with the overpopulation of forage fish such as alewives and smelt. The once plentiful native species such as Lake Trout and Walleye were depleted by commercial fishing and in some cases pollution. Biologists experimented and I feel they got more than they bargained for! Introducing these west coast eating machines, along with the German Brown Trout and later Pacific Steelhead varieties, sure took care of the forage fish problem, but created another one. What to fish for!

ANYONE with a pair of waders and a fishing rod can catch Browns, Steelhead or Salmon in Oswego County, NY at various times of the year.  If you own ANY type of boat 16 ft or larger you can greatly improve your chances and extend your window of opportunities with little or no additional boat modifications or expenses! In fact, you can get in on this unique fishery for the cost of gas and maybe $50 in lures to start off with!

For years, in addition to planned overnight weekend trips, my friends and I would go on “suicide runs “ to the “Big O”. This meant leaving at midnight to get there before sunrise. We would fish until 1 or 2 pm and then drive home for dinner! Yes it was crazy, but if you picked your days, drank enough coffee and came home with 50 lbs in Salmon fillets it didn’t seem so bad! Here are a few tips and some helpful advice on narrowing your chance s for a successful Lake Ontario trip.

The Seasons

SPRING ICE OUT

Non Boaters realistically have a much smaller window of opportunity. However, you can catch Browns, Steelhead, Salmon varieties and sometimes Lake Trout, in the spring by donning a pair of waders! “Ice Out Brown” fishing is legendary along the shores of Lake Ontario. Attracted to the shallow, warmer water, the forage fish are easily corralled by the predators. This usually starts in early April – ends in mid-late May (depending on water temperatures) and is more noted for quantity than the size of the fish. By casting spoons, small minnow imitations and even using live bait; shore anglers catch their share of the inshore action. During this time there is an ample supply of Steelhead and some Browns still in the rivers to make the trip worth your while! Casting Little Cleo type spoons, Rap alas and even larger spinners from the lakeshore in a variety of colors can be affective if you are in a zone of fish. Tributary mouths and shorelines with the most south or west exposure are usually the warmer water areas. If you are trying bait, bullet or weighted bobbers are a big help. Sometimes the fish are 10 ft from shore and other times you may have to wade out and cast your best! Minnows and even at times night crawlers on a floating jig head will be productive. The key here is line no heavier than 8 lb test with a 3-4 foot section of Fluorocarbon leader! These shallow fish are very spooky and line shy. Wade as stealthily as possible! A good spot is Selkirk Shores State Park. There is a long fishing pier there, which is near Grindstone Creek and situated between the Big and Little Salmon Rivers.

Boaters

There are two schools of thought here. Some guys will have the best luck cruising shorelines looking for the warmest water and troll Rapalas and small spoons off of Planner Boards or behind a boat 125 ft or more (without the boards) and make zig zag patterns. I know others that will just drift with bait and cast lures, using a drift sock if needed, to make sure they do not spook the fish in shallow water. If the fish are in close on a calm day, I have seen guys in 12 ft car toppers with electric motors clean up! That quiet approach to trolling gave them a big advantage. Some anglers I know even have success drifting and just sight casting as they move through the shallows.

Boats from Oswego and the Pulaski/Salmon River area converge on the Nine Mile Nuclear Plant in the spring. The warm water discharge has been a fish magnet for years. Post 9/11 security measures have pushed boats out past the “bubble”, but it is still productive. The plant is a good run from most launches, so you need to check weather conditions. It is situated out on a point and has little protection unlike Sodus Bay to the west.

Keep in mind that at this time of year, most Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon are somewhat grouped together and feeding on the same bait. It is possible to get Browns, Steelhead and Salmon on the same lures. I would suggest keeping it on the small size with Rapalas in the J-10 size or smaller. 3- 4 inches is usually a good all around length limit this time of year for plugs and smaller even for spoons. Jack (immature Kings) Salmon are more abundant during this time of year and tend to mix in with other species.

BOATING SUMMER KINGS

I will usually wait on my boat trips to Lake Ontario for most of June –into usually mid July. Following reports on Charter activity via the websites is a good idea. Oswego County Tourism has a reliable site. As the King Salmon start to really gorge on bait preparing for their spawning runs, they gradually work their way into larger groups and shallower water. Once I start hearing that they are catching fish in 150 feet of water or less, I start paying attention. Ideally, trolling 75-125 ft deep over 100-150 feet of water is my personal sweet spot! I know when the Kings are in this zone I will usually have my best chance at boating a 30 plus pound fish. This is usually when they are gorging themselves constantly and a few types of forage fish become available to them. You can try several methods of trolling during this window. Large, 10-12 inch Slashers (dodgers) with cut bait rigs have been the top producers in recent years, Smaller Dodger/Howie Fly combinations, Dodger/Squid and many types of Spoons such as Northport Slammers, Northern Kings, Suttons, etc. My personal favorite is the NK (Northern King) Magnum size in a black front with a green/glow stripe and raspberry eye and an all white back! “Batman” (our knick name for this lure) has saved more trips for us and accounts for the majority of the larger fish we catch over deep water. I will troll these big spoons on the outskirts of the charter boat pack and at about 1.8-2.0 MPH tops! This slower, but bigger presentation, fished further back off the downriggers (about 40 -70 feet) than the dodgers, has proven to be a big fish magnet! These deeper water fish fight long and hard, make magnificent runs and are full of color. Make sure you have plenty of line on your reels! I still use my 20-year-old Diawa 47 LC reels, spooled with 200+ yards of 15 lb test Magnathin line. They are mounted on Diawa “Great Lakes” 8 ½ ft. Downrigger rods rated for 10-30 lbs test line. Anything less is risky, will put undo stress on the fish and won’t hold up in the long run.

For those without downriggers, Dipsy Divers are a good alternative for deep water Kings. You can practice with them by rigging with your choice of spoon or Dodger combination without the hooks. Keep playing out line over the depth you want your bait to be trolled at until it bumps bottom. For example: If you are trolling a magnum spoon and you want it to troll at 70 feet, you may have to let out 150 ft of line while trolling at 2.5 MPH. Mark the line once you have it calibrated!

By the end of August, the majority of the Kings have “stacked up” at the mouths of the rivers from the shoreline out to about 50-75 feet of water. It depends on wind, water temperatures and the flow of water from the rivers just when they will make the mad dash into the spawning grounds! When they are hanging in the 50-70 foot depths, I prefer spoons mainly the NK type in either they magnum or #28 size. It can be nerve racking and slow fishing if they congregate along the shorelines in shallow water (35 ft or less) for any amount of time. They are spooky and finicky in the shallows. Favorite lures here are J-Plugs! Before and after the sun is most productive. Trolling behind the boat 100+ feet at speeds of 2-3.5 MPH is the rule! To me size does matter! I favor the larger size J-Plugs in Chartreuse or Silver and “Glow in the dark” / Glow stick models for low light conditions. I also stay away from rattling lures. Just this past summer we spent over a dozen hours on the water over 2 days, with huge King Salmon swimming and surfacing (sometimes completely clearing the water) all around us during that entire time. You couldn’t miss them in 10-20 feet of clear water. They were very finicky and we were lucky to boat 2 and we lost 2! They will make screaming runs and will jump more in the shallow water. Keep in mind that as the Kings near the river mouths, they will normally start to take on darker, duller colors! If you want “picture fish”, get them in deep water!

Late Summer/Fall

Once the fish are near or in the estuaries and creek mouths (yes, even smaller tributaries like The Little Salmon River, Grindstone and Catfish Creeks have some Salmon running up them) the whole catching game takes a wild turn. These fish have one thing in mind and it is not eating! Unlike us, they don’t often stop at the fridge on the way to the bedroom!

Small boats can anchor in the currents of the larger rivers and fish with J-Plugs, Wiggle Warts or other vibrating plugs left to cruise the current just off the bottom. These tactics are more to aggravate the fish and get them to strike in anger, than to replicate something to eat. Salmon will sometimes get snagged as they try to bump the lure out of their way. Bank fisherman can achieve success with a variety of methods. Some are illegal, some are borderline legal and a few are above board!

Some wader clad fisherman use a technique called blind snatching. This is usually done in deeper pools where large concentrations of Kings are schooled up. Regulations change from year to year and you really need to read the rules. Some years snagging with treble hooks is allowed in certain areas, but drifting a short shank hook with no larger than a ½ inch gap, baited with a piece of yarn, sponge or small egg imitation is usually always OK. You must have at least a 24” leader (I like a 36”) and a swivel leading to the hook. Pinch on some large split shots to get the hook down. The idea is to drift it through a hole hoping to catch a King with his mouth open and some random, quick snaps of the rod may help! It is legal to keep a Salmon that is hooked in the mouth, but foul hooked fish must be released. This is not the most sporting way of catching a King, but it is the way most river fish are landed! This is a VERY common practice in holes on the Oswego River (below the dam) and on the Salmon River (in pools such as the Black Hole, Sportsman’s Hole and the Schoolhouse Pool). This is also accomplished in the “fly fishing only stretches” to a degree.

There are two ways that I have found to be sportier than the snagging or snatching. One is using a live shiner right at daybreak at the head of a small run or pool. Hook it through the tail and keep it just off the bottom. For some reason, when Kings start to move upstream at daybreak before they start to get spooked and casted at, they will pick up a shiner, seemingly to get it out of their way. It is not a big or aggressive hit, so be on your toes. This method has also worked using a hot pink ½ “ piece of plastic worm, hooked in the middle. I learned this one rainy day by watching an old timer fight four Kings in a half hour! He wasn’t snatching, just keeping that piece of pink right in the middle of a small, narrow run. He was after only the fresh fish than were more silver in color. I watched him land five or six before he found a suitable one for the table!

Lastly there is sight snatching. Most guys doing this will use a 10-12’ noodle rod or 9-10 weight fly rod with a bright orange, pink or chartreuse soft bait like a piece of yarn, small puff ball or egg fly. This way they can drift that bait right to the Salmon’s mouth and set the hook.

On the Fly

I have known a few fly rod anglers who say they legitimately get the Salmon to hit a variety of Salmon flies, but I have not actually seen this happen. When they do, it would be to get the intruding fly offering out of their way. Most anglers in the Fly stretches I have seen have been doing more of the sight snatching! Bright Steelhead/ Salmon flies, Glo Eggs, etc. are most widely used. I burned up a cheaper 9-weight outfit in one afternoon trying to land these behemoths. I was a total rookie and had no idea what I had gotten myself into until my drag gave out and I had smoke coming off my glove while trying to rim drag the reel! You need a study, large arbor reel with an excellent drag to even have a fighting chance. I know a few guys who fish for Stripers and Blues with the long rods that say the Kings are in a category all by themselves! I agree! Think saltwater fast, add in current and the determination to get to the spawning grounds and you have one heck of a fight on your hands!

Drift Boating

This may be a good idea for those who are not use to wading, don’t know the rivers or haven’t the equipment. The guides provide the tackle and with the right water conditions, you can drift most of the river. The downside is that you may get some negative feedback from the wader crowd as you drift through their holes and “screw up” their fishing! I once saw it get pretty ugly when a guide parked his boat right in the middle of about a dozen guys at one pool. After a few heated verbal exchanges, a few rock warnings and pleading from his clients, the guide got out of there.

Here are a few more tips to may help make your trip for Kings more successful:

Charters – a good place to start is the Oswego County Tourism website list. Ask for references before booking. Make sure they fish the way you want to. Some offer no fish/ no pay deals. Others target Lake Trout and Browns more than Kings. Be sure you are getting the best deal for the dollar!

Boat Owners – Buy a lake map or if you have a GPS, buy the appropriate disks. Make sure your equipment is up to the task and your gas tanks are full! Although this is a lake, be prepared for almost ocean like conditions. Even on a calm day you need a high-sided 16’ boat at the least! A good fish finder with an accurate slow speed (0-5 mph) indicator is a must. Try fishing just off the main area of boats if you want to target the big ones!

Wading – Felt bottoms are a must, but cleats are big advantage! These are mostly fast water, rocky rivers/ creeks and gravel lakesides. Rainfall and reservoir released water can make or break a trip. Try to double check fishing conditions within12 hours of your departure or later. Buy a river guide map, check the websites for hot holes and have an alternate plan. When the runs are in full swing, weekdays are obviously the best. Don’t be afraid of some of the smaller less crowded tributaries! Almost every year someone drowns or has a close call on the rivers during the Salmon run. Make sure you wear your wading belts!

Weather- Obviously you need to check with local bureaus to get the best picture. Check anticipated wave heights, wind direction, etc. Remember, this is the most unpredictable weather in the continental US! A thirty-degree daily temperature swing is the rule, not the exception. The good news is that if you cannot get out on the lake, there are plenty of stream opportunities!

Oswego County, NY offers great King Salmon opportunities compared to other Great Lake areas. Most of the largest Kings east of the Rockies are caught here. Two reliable tackle shops that will have just about anything you could want or need for both boat and wading ventures are All Seasons (Pulaski) and Woody’s (Port Ontario). They are helpful, open early and reasonable on price. Once you hook into one of these monsters, you too will Hail the Kings!

The Iceman Cometh…

By Bob Tackels

Over thirty years ago I was on a very frozen Greenwood Lake along the NJ /NY border. The ice was over a foot thick and there were snowmobiles (no ATVs out yet), cars, jeeps and pick up trucks all over the lake.  I was ill equipped with a “not so sharp” ice spud, some tip-ups, a few jigging lures/hooks/ split shot in an old metal “band aid box”, a plastic “jigging stick” and an ice ladle. I carried my equipment in one bucket and my bait in another. Without cleats on my feet it was slow going and it took serious concentration to balance my load while not ending up dumping my bucket of baitfish! I reached the “hot area” of the lake, dropped my gear and knew there had to be a better way! I did manage to catch a couple fish before I lost feeling in my extremities and retreated back to the car before frostbite set in!

Two winters later, after many experiments and much time in my grandfather’s workshop, I had it all figured out! My time on the ice became a pleasurable experience. Even my catch ratio and species variety increased.  People were walking over to me on the ice for advice! I had created a versatile method of ice fishing for those who have limited access and shorter seasons than our friends along our northern borders. I am still using most of that same equipment today with similar results. It is still low cost and low tech, especially by today’s standards, but continues to get the job done! Whether you are after Panfish, Bass, Trout or Pike, this system and it’s techniques will work for you and you will have fun too!

I have had a tendency over the years to fish smaller lakes and ponds through the ice. I had gravitated this way because they freeze up faster, stay frozen longer and allow you to cover a good percentage, if not all, of the where the fish are! They also seem to have less pressure during the season than the larger lakes. Don’t get me wrong, I like fishing larger lakes too and they are often very productive!

Before we get into my techniques, let’s go over a few tips about choosing where to fish. This decision can often make or break an outing.

Stretch The Season

To maximize your ice fishing season, key in on bodies of water that freeze over and offer safe ice earlier than others. These will most likely be either shallower or at higher elevations than some of the other lakes. Try calling tackle shops or State Fish and Game agencies in the northern most reach of your area. They will usually know where the safe ice is. I like a good, solid 4 inches before I venture out. I have in the past fished over less, have fallen through and over the years have decided no fish is worth hypothermia or death! Back bays and coves of larger lakes will often offer safe ice way ahead of the main lake. Remember that wind will slow down ice formation and sheltered areas of a lake, especially those that have protection such as rock bluffs, tree lines, etc. from a south wind, will always freeze first. Beware of springs, creek channels, shallow rocky points/shoals and wood areas. These structured areas will normally take longer to freeze over and account for many of the breaking through  the ice horror stories we hear about. Also, be wary of bodies of water that are known to fluctuate water levels such as reservoirs and some large manmade lakes. I once drilled a hole through 8 inches of ice only to find out that they had dropped the water level by almost a foot! That air space makes ice very unsafe and deadly if you fall through!

Mobile Assault

We all have seen or been in a nice cozy ice shanty, some with heat and even TV’s with recliners in front of them. If you live in the “ice belt” areas of Minnesota or Maine, want a hideaway from the wife on the weekends and are happy with a couple Pike or Walleye, this is the way to go! I have found that fish move under the ice, especially Perch and Trout. I have always liked the idea of trying to stay on a good school of fish whether in open water or on the ice. Even the portable tent models are not that portable. I have seen several on the ice and they never seem to move much once they are set up! I built my first “ice sled’ over twenty years ago out of ¼ ‘ plywood, 1x2 lengths of pine, a pair of old broken skis and some spare, leftover hardware. It cost me under $25 to build back then and I still use it today. The sled is basically a box with skis and a flip up backrest. Hooks at the rear hold a milk crate in which my bait bucket, ice ladle and strainer are stored. Inside the box is enough room to carry tip ups, sterno heaters, wood, a safety float rope, rod stands, 6-7 ice rods, food, thermos, spare clothes, fish finder etc., and has a separate compartments for tackle, my collapsable wood stove and short handled gaff! It is small enough to fit on the backseat of a car, light enough for one person to lift, strong enough for two people to sit or stand on yet it pulls easily on the ice and lake snow! I strap my auger securely on top with a bungee and I’m ready to go! In the off season, it acts as a safe cabinet that holds all my ice equipment, rod sets, auger, etc. I built my son a bigger, lighter and stronger version this fall at a total cost of around $100 including the stain and marine polyurethane!

This sled gives me a sturdy seat to jig from, breaks the wind, makes it easy to bait up or re- rig and allows me to set up and break camp within a couple minutes if I feel the need to move! Aside from being extremely durable, it floats and if you lay out the backrest you can even take a nap on it! It has a corner in my shed and is ready to go fishing at a moments notice! I couldn’t imagine being on the ice without it anymore.

The “Ice Rod” Advantage

After experimenting with just about every tip –up type device on the market, incuding the wind action and round shaped models, I still prefer my home made Ice Rods! My reasons are simple. Every tip up model is designed to let out line by rotating a spool and that means some degree of drag on the line. Years ago while fishing a reservoir in NJ, there were a bunch of guys that kept yelling ”Tip –Up!”, but ended up not getting any fish through the hole! As they packed up to move, they were complaining about how they must be small perch that were dropping the bait. I put a few of my ‘ice rod” set ups in their abandoned holes and within an hour had released 6 trout averaging about 18”! They were still cursing me when they walked off the ice empty handed.

By using a small, jigging type rod, strike guard, slide bobber and slip sinker set up with an open bail on a spinning reel, THERE IS NO DRAG! The lightest biter has no idea he’s on the line. It is just like drift fishing in a boat over suspended fish. Plus the rod and reel is much more fun than hand lining braided Dacron line! By using mono line, your bait stays livelier and because the slide bobber and line are above the hole, any wind keeps the bait moving. If by some chance the bail flips or a strike guard malfunctions, your rod is safe in a stand that will not flip over into the hole and can act on your behalf (with a correctly set drag) while you are getting to the hole. You do not have to worry about line getting tangled on the ice because you are reeling it in! As long as you keep the hole clear of ice it is virtually fool proof. Because you want to keep the hole open, you are checking baits more often and moving around more than if you were just sitting and waiting for a flag! End result: less missed fish, more hook ups and much more fun getting the fish up to the hole! The weighted slide bobber is held in place near the rod tip by either a paperclip or a small button. Once the fish trips the strike guard the bobber falls into the hole (breaking any thin skim ice) and the line just flies off the reel and through it. I use regular, round, weighted, orange cork spring bobbers. I drill out the plastic center spring mechanism and super glue in a piece of aquarium air tubing that extends 1/8-1/4 out each end. Even if that freezes to the line the fish is just swimming around with a bobber like in open water. This did happen once and I spotted my bobber UNDER the ice about 30 feet from the hole on my way there! We all got a laugh at the sight of that!

I will still use some modified, old wooden tip ups that I have in my box if it is brutally cold or windy. I test the spools before I set them to make sure they have the least amount of drag possible. Most of the time, if conditions are like that, you don’t want to be fishing anyway!

I have made most of my “Ice Rods” out of broken or old rods. I have bought a few, but you need to make sure that they are sturdy enough to lift a big Bass or Trout out of a hole and that the guides, especially the tip, are large enough diameter that they will not freeze up. Any small reel with a good drag system is fine. I use my older ultra-light Trout reels most of the time. Remember you are not doing any casting!

The Rod Stand

This is the most important part of the set up. After several proto-types and experiments, I came up with the best stand/ holder for the Ice Rod set up. It is made of 2 10” x 1” and a 16” x 1” galvanized metal flat bar. Bend the ends of the 10” bars ½ inch down and drill holes in the middle. Make 3/8 or 1/4'’ holes to accommodate ¼” stainless screws, lock washers and wing nuts. Drill a like hole at the end of the 16” inch bar and another hole 10’ down the bar. Bend the bar into a slight upward curve to a 90 degree or so angle with the last couple inches straight. Drill one last hole at the end of the curved bar. Use the screws and wing nuts to put the three pieces together and add a 3-4” piece of 3” diameter PVC pipe at the curved end hole.

This stand will collapse easily, take much abuse and will not tip over or slip through your 8-9 inch auger hole in the ice. Test the stand and the rod by setting it up at the end of a table. Put a 5-10 lb weight on your line hanging off the end of the table. It should not tip if set up correctly. A properly set drag adds to the stability.

All the materials can be bought at a Home Depot and cost about $4-$5 a stand! They will last you a lifetime.

Make sure you put your name and address on the PVC to conform to most state’s fish and game laws about “unattended ice fishing devices”. There are similar stands on the market today that are copies. They are ALL junk, cost more and do not perform as well or will last as long!

Jigging Rods

There are so many types on the market now that it is crazy! I was at Cabelas in Harrisburg last weekend and counted over 15 different ice jigging rod and reel combos on display! Some were as whippy as a wet noodle and others were like broom handles! Again, I make my own. I look for a piece of an old rod that has a soft tip and a strong enough butt end to lift up a 5 lb fish. I then add a spring bobber to the top guide. I make the spring bobbers out of a bass guitar string (about 4-6 “ section) and a ½” diameter single footed guide. I wrap and superglue the guitar string onto the guide and then glue/wrap the same piece onto the top of the rod and eye guide. I then paint the spring bobber guide fluorescent orange or green to make it easier to pick up the slightest nibbles. By doing this I can use the rod with the spring bobber to jig tiny ice dots for Crappie or use it without the line going through the spring bobber guide for Bass or Trout lures like Rapala swimming jigs or larger Kastmaster type lures. When using ice flies or other tiny offerings, I will often use a small cork bobber. This also lets me keep the presentation at a constant depth for the finicky feeders while using finesse baits such as mousies or small mealworms on a # 12 dry fly hook!.

Presentation Tips

Keep in mind that larger Trout, Walleye, and Bass will not always go after a minnow type bait. Walleye will react to baitfish best in low light conditions when they have the upper hand in an ambush. I always hook a bait either behind the dorsal fin or in the upper tail area while ice fishing. I usually keep one predrilled hole available to try jigging in. During high sun hours I have put 2 mealworms or 10 grubs on a teardrop jig and caught big fish. When I am using “mousies”, wax worms, etc. and I know big fish are in the area, I will put several baits on a hook and twitch the bait hard for a minute or so to get the scent going. This works great on Walleye and Trout especially. While jigging with small “Swedish Pimple” type jigs, I will often tie an ice fly or dot jig 6-8 inches above the jig and try a different bait on it. This will increase your odds and works excellent on Yellow Perch! If you are fishing for stocked trout through the ice, try fathead minnows and Powerbait on a teardrop jig off your ice rod! No other weight, just that teardrop jig. I will also use Powerbait  products to tip off jigs too. It does work great for Trout and Crappie.

High Tech Help

Electronics are a big plus through the ice. I prefer any portable flasher type unit over anything else. They will help you stay on fish, find structure, suspended fish and will not run down the battery as much as LCR’s etc. With that said, I know of a few anglers that swear by their Bottom Line “Fishing Buddy” through the ice! The flasher I use can follow a teardrop jig on it’s way to the bottom and can show me if there are weeds, hard or soft bottom, etc. just by the sensitivity adjustment for the transducer. Most are very simple, have fish alarms and can run a few trips on a rechargeable type or 2 lantern batteries. They are durable come in a small tough package. There are even a couple on the market that are the size and shape of a flashlight!

I have seen the video screen models used in the last few years, but my attitude is what next? Heat seeking lures? I just can’t bring myself to go there in open or hard water. However they do work, especially when Walleye are finicky and you can watch there reaction to different presentations and “dial in” with the right jig.

Drilling the Holes

I have used both gas and hand augers. There is no doubt that regardless of your physical condition, fishing method, etc., gas augers are faster and less strenuous to use. However, in the lower reaches of Ice Fishing Land where I mostly fish these days, the ice rarely gets over 8 –10 inches. With an 8 inch bit hand auger that is sharp, I can breeze through holes! A gas auger will spook fish to a degree, especially in shallow water. I use to drill my holes, have a cup of coffee, relax and then start baiting up. With a sharp hand auger, I would drill, bait up after each hole and catch fish right away!

If you do go with a gas auger, do not go with a smaller, lighter HP or CC motor. Yes, they are lighter, but they will not hold up, have a tougher time in deeper ice and aren’t your best deal for the dollar. It is worth the extra weight and dollars to buy a premium model. Forget the electric models! They are not worth trying at any price. They have limited time on the battery and they tend to wear out fast.

If you are going to go out in freezing temps to catch fish, get some fresh air and try to avoid the later stages of “cabin fever”, you should at least try and have some success. The tips previously mentioned will work for anyone venturing on the ice and maybe bring some new perspective to hard water angling.

Fish safe and be prepared with adequate safety equipment, such as a throw able floatation device, 100 ft of rope and a warming blanket. Try and practice catch and release. Remember to take a child fishing whenever possible and that family fishing is fun too!

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-Bob Tackels

Beltsville After Dark

Tactics that work on one of NE PA’s toughest lakes

It has been nearly fifteen years since the first time my boat slid off the trailer into Beltsville Lake one bright spring afternoon.  Several disappointed and fishless anglers were milling around the boat ramp area complaining about how poor the fishing was and “how they’re just must not be that many fish in there!” Having just moved into the area, I knew nothing about the lake aside from the nondescript map posted near the ramp area and that I could use my large outboard to scout it out. I spent the next few hours cruising around and looking at my trusty Lowrance.  I had copied by freehand the map at the boat ramp and was filling in the empty space as I went along.

Having “cut my teeth” on the deepwater reservoirs and lakes of NY and NJ, the main lake area of Beltsville seemed almost familiar. Plenty of deep water, quick drop offs, a dam, schools of suspended bait and lots of fish on the screen! After a few unsuccessful and uneventful trips to the lake, it dawned on me that these fish had to be active sometime. I solved the mystery as the light bulb above my head lit up! Beltsville after dark!

About the lake

Beltsville Lake is located in Carbon County where the NE PA Turnpike extension intersects Rt. 209 near Lehighton. Located within the nearly 3,000 acres of Beltsville State Park, the lake covers 949 acres, has twenty miles of shoreline and can basically be broken down into two sections: the “main lake area” and “the no wake zone’. As an Army Corps of Engineers Flood Control Project, Beltsville is long, narrow and has depths of over one hundred twenty feet. As with most state parks, Beltsville is an extremely popular destination that is often filled to capacity by mid morning during the summer. With a large sand beach swimming area, boat rentals and adequate launch area parking, Beltsville has become a haven for water-skis, jet skis and pleasure boats into the mid twenty-foot range. During the summer season, small craft take refuge in the no wake zone area that largely consists of two narrow channels. The main lake can warrant small craft warnings by mid morning due to the heavy boat traffic, designated ski areas and narrowness of the lake.

Beltsville has been stocked consistently for years with generous amounts of fingerling Trout, Walleye, Striped Bass and even Musky. Small Mouth Bass rule here over the Largemouth, although there is a fair population of lunker Large mouths in the lake. Channel Cats, Bullheads and Carp cruise the bottom and there are plenty of Yellow Perch and assorted Pan fish.

The lake has a very healthy population of forage fish. Large schools of Alewife can be found throughout the lake. Shiners, small perch and stocked fingerlings, especially Trout, can often be seen getting chased onto the flats and along the shorelines. With the vast food source that swims, crawls and jumps into Beltsville Lake there is no mystery to the number of quality fish in this body of water! Because of the pressure it receives through most of the year and the abundance of food, these fish are no pushovers! Under the calm and cover of darkness, this lake really turns on!

Where to Start

Beltsville can be divided into two sections. The main lake area that is easiest accessible by the larger main launch area near the State Park entrance and the “no wake zone” area which is accessible easiest from the smaller Preachers Camp Launch area. Both areas will yield a variety of species year round, but the main lake area is most productive in the warmer months, especially for Trout, Small mouth, Stripers and Walleye.

The main lake area of Beltsville has two characteristics that most PA anglers may not be used to. Quick drop offs and two thermo clines  are found mostly on the deeper main lake section. If you are looking for Trout or Walleye, this is significant. A good portion of the main lake has depths over 100 ft. You may catch Browns and Walleye in the upper thermo cline, for example at thirty to forty five feet and also at the lower thermo cline at sixty to eighty feet. This is the portion of lake near the dam. Suspended bait will be the tip off as to what thermo cline has the best oxygen level and action. I have seen both produce at the same time. During the spring and late fall this is not as much of a factor. Just keep in mind that those fish you are marking at eighty feet could be a few different species.

Because of the numerous, steep drop offs, much of the feeding on the main lake is done in a suspended fashion over deep water and just off some of the steeper ledges where bait can become corralled easy. Many times Trout and Walleye will push bait up to the Striper and Small mouth range and follow the action on top while feeding on the injured or dead bait that slips down to their level. Other key areas are any narrow flats or points that lead to drop offs. The ridges of these flats can be very productive, especially for Stripers.

The “no wake zone” area, which is much shallower than the main lake, can be a real challenge. There is a wider, deeper beginning to this section that eventually splits into two relatively narrow channels. The Preachers Camp Launch side has a more even, gradual slope to the main channel, while the opposite side has more of a jagged, steeper drop. If the fish are up in the area, the far side of the ramp area, up to where the channels fork off, can be very productive. If you are fishing this area and not getting results, try up into either channel a couple hundred yards past the split. I have had a few occasions where fish, especially mid sized stripers, have chased bait pods out of the deeper main section up into the more narrow channels.

I will always try to arrange to be on the lake either an hour or so before dark or stay an hour or so after sunrise. During those windows of time I will often troll or move often looking for signs of active fish. Trout and Stripers will often crash bait on the surface during the first or last light of the day.

From ice out to mid May and from late September to mid November, Beltsville receives less pressure and anglers can have success in daylight. The early and late in the day rule still applies.

Best Methods

Anchored

The more successful anglers, especially those in search of the big Stripers, will swear by anchoring up and live lining bait along one of the drop offs, channels or points. With a pair of binoculars you can usually spot a row of anchored stern lights indicating a recently productive area. The two most popular areas are within eyesight of either launch ramp area. If you are patient, have lively bait, great night vision and can keep quiet, this may be for you. Keep your stern pointed at the drop off and spread cast your offerings. If you are fishing with a buddy, try dropping a line off the side of the boat, straight down and just off the bottom. Position it opposite your stern light. Sometimes fish will be drawn to that light and the bait around it. A slip sinker heavy enough to keep it in place and a 3-foot leader is key. If the bite is slow, try top water or diving lures starting from the bow in shallower water out to where your bait is. Slow, but erratic action on top water and diving plugs is key. This works well for fish that have continued a chase for bait up beyond the drop off.

Drifting

If you are new to fishing deep water, this can be can be your best bet. On the main section of lake it can yield interesting results. Depending on wind direction and speed, a drift anchor may be necessary. Try paralleling the shoreline out about 40 to 50 yards for starters. This should put out by most ledges or points. Look for suspended bait schools or individual fish on your locator and start drifting. If the action slows try jigging the bait, clipping tail fins, dropping to lighter leaders or changing depths a few feet up or down. Bottom bouncing rigs can be affective when drifting the ridges of drop offs and flats. Vertical jigging with Crippled Herrings or Kastmasters can also turn fish on. Paddle- tailed swimming jigs in white or Trout patterns are very affective for Stripers.

Trolling

Yes, trolling in the dark! At Beltsville, trolling can be the most effective way of getting fish into the boat. Because there is so much suspended water feeding going on here, it is a great way to find active fish. Trout, Walleye and especially Stripers will turn on after the crowds leave. They will also have a tendency to chase bait out of their comfort zones. Do not be surprised to catch more than one species off the same downrigger setting when cruising the upper thermo cline or while flat lining. These fish are spooky and I have found the best method to be plugs or swimming jigs pulled no closer than 40 feet behind your weight. The closer to the surface, the farther back. I will troll my bigger Striper plugs 100-125 ft behind the boat when I am flat lining. Speed should depend on the action of the lures. I will usually run between 1.5 and 3 mph. Try power trolling (holding the rod in your hand and making erratic jerks with your rod) with crank baits or Swim baits if fish are active on the surface.

Bait

Alewife (Lake Herring) is the main forage fish for most inhabitants of Beltsville. Small Trout are always a favorite of Stripers and most of the other predators, especially for the month or so after they are stocked. Neither is readily available at local bait shops. Most of Beltsville ‘s “night crew” use umbrella nets and a submersible light to net their own Herring on the lake. Small Trout (Rainbows seem to hold up and work best) can usually be purchased at one of the local hatcheries if arrangements are made ahead of time. If you plan on only bait fishing, some large and small Shiners can be a good back up. Make sure you have a quality aerating system that keeps the water cool onboard. Both Trout and Herring need high oxygen and cool water. A model called The Minnowmizer has been my favorite for years. It is very portable and can keep bait for a couple days if you need to. For Stripers, try Trout in the 6-8 inch range. I highly recommend Fluorocarbon leaders of 36” to 48” and circle hooks for both baits.

Lures

The best plugs are anything resembling a small Rainbow/Brown Trout or an Alewife. I will troll 4-8 inch soft and hard bodied plugs of quality for Stripers. Try wrapping a few of your rainbow finish plugs or swim baits in a Trout fillet and then put them in a plastic container in the fridge for a couple days before you use them. It really does make a difference, especially with soft baits and swimming jigs. Alewife imitators, such as Storm’s chrome finish Thin Fin, work well for just about everything. White buck tails with a flash of green or yellow Mylar can be productive at times. Vertical jigging with Crippled Herrings or teaser tailed Kastmasters works also. I also drop a couple lures I intend to use in the live well with the bait I have chosen. The Trout or Herring smell from the bait will work as well or better than any store-bought scent!

Tackle

For trolling I prefer 8 ft. Med Action downrigger rods with line counter level wind reels that have a great drag system. I will spool them up with a small diameter or fluorocarbon line that yields little stretch. For Stripers I will use a 4 ft section of 20 # test fluorocarbon leader off a premium barrel swivel, for both bait and trolling. If you were targeting Trout, Walleye, etc., I still would use a 3- 4-foot fluorocarbon leader of  8-10# test. These fish are definitely line shy. If you try heavier line it will greatly reduce your strike ratio.

For casting I prefer a medium tapered 7 foot spinning rod rated for 10-15 # test. For casting bait or lures after Stripers, I prefer a “bait runner” type reel with 10- 12 pound test line, which is either fluorocarbon or a light green hue, such as Tectan Premium. Make sure the reel has a great drag system. I have lost a few monster Stripers due to drag problems on the 10 # test line. For Trout or Walleye, I will spool up with 6-8# test on an 8 ft rod that has 6-12 # test rating.

When fishing bait, suspended or otherwise remember that a softer rod tip will keep the bait alive longer and moving more naturally. The clicker mode on a level wind reel or the bait runner feature on a spinning reel allows fish to run with a bait virtually drag free. I will often manually flip the bail also. Trout and Stripers will often mouth or turn a bait before swallowing it. Give them a little time before setting the hook, especially when using small trout for bait.

Here are some of my observations about the fish in Beltsville and what to expect.

Brown/Rainbow Trout- You are likely to catch mostly Browns. I have caught a couple over 10 pounds, many between 5 and 10 lbs. More importantly, I saw my largest Brown, outside of Lake Ontario; break off a fellow angler’s line that was in the 18 to 20 pound class! Fish the “no wake zone” area early spring, late fall and winter. The deeper main lake fish late spring to early fall.

Small mouth – Fish over 5 pounds are not uncommon, my largest was 7 pounds. The main lake always produces the larger fish. Try the Dam area in May and October.

Largemouth – While not the dominant bass in the lake, they hold their own. I have seen several 7- 9 pound fish on beds and have weighed a couple over 6 pounds. Main Lake coves and the “no wake zone” in the upper reaches of the channels.

Walleye – Fat 4-6 pound fish are available; the largest I have seen was an 8.5-pound pre-spawner. Fish the flats near the power lines on the main lake to the “no wake zone” channels in early spring and late fall.

Musky –I have caught them by accident, and 30”was my limit!  I have seen a few in the 40” plus range. Fish wherever you do not see me!

Striped Bass – I have personally seen a couple 40 pound fish caught and several in the mid to upper 30 pound range. Several year classes are identifiable by size. My best outing was 14 fish in the 8-15 pound range while trolling pre-dawn hours wearing a snowmobile suit in late October!  My largest was 24 pounds and I have lost a few monsters close to the boat! Beware of the marker buoys near the ramp, ski and no wake zone areas.  The big Stripers seem to know exactly where they are! The” no wake zone” area is productive in spring and fall. In between, fish the points and drop offs of the main lake or troll over deep water no further than 20 ft down. I have never trolled up a Striper in the lake below 25 ft. I have caught them 50 feet deep on bait in the channels. The monster Stripers are lazy and will eat bigger and fewer meals if possible. Larger Trout, 8-10” fished near the bottom along the ridges of flats or along channel drop offs are most effective way to fish for these behemoths. You will cut down on your bite ratio, but you will only need to hook one to make it worth the time!

Lake Trout- I have caught only two, have seen only a few others, but know that there must be more and larger ones in there than what I have witnessed. Your typical deepwater trolling/bottom bouncing is tough here due to the humps and ridges in this lake. I honestly think that most anglers do not target them, including me. Maybe that will be the next challenge…

By the way…

Since Beltsville is heavily patrolled by the state, make sure you have all your required safety equipment on board, proper registration, boat numbering and especially make sure your bow and stern lights are working properly. Double check the regulations for gathering your own bait and make sure you have a receipt for any Trout that you may have purchased for bait. It is also a good idea to have a spotlight on board and to wear a headlamp. A Salmon size or saltwater landing net is also a good thing to have on board.

Beltsville is relatively easy to navigate at night. Most of the shorelines consist of higher tree lines. While it may not be as large or as well known as Raystown or Wallenpaupack,

Beltsville is a quality fishery that should not be overlooked. See you when the sun goes down!

Fish safe, follow the regulations and practice catch and release! In a lake like Beltsville, anything is possible! Remember, family fishing is fun too and take a child fishing every chance you can!