Ice Out Lakers., Techniques

I will be heading to Haliburton for Easter weekend. Temps have been cold at night and I'm not sure what I will find as far as ice. Slight chance I will be on ice very close to shore (15-20 feet out from shore)as it drops to about 20' deep and I have caught Lakers there before. I'm not going to risk it unless it's safe. Again very very doubtful and I wouldn't risk it even if I tied a rope to a tree with a floater suit on and a buddy on shore!

Question. If the ice is gone. What would be the best technique? I can probably cast and get my lure down to 40' of water.

Slip bobber and cast out with live bait or a soft plastic? (white tubes have been good here)
Cast a spoon out and hope for the best?

Any other Tips?

Last year's snack.

Another

If the ice is gone, just cast as far as you can and reel it in normally.
Lake Trout cruise the surface at ice out.

Surface. I would have never tried that thanks! would a floating original rap be another option?

Ice thaws from the shore first. Dont think you'll be walking out.

I'd wait till "official" ice out

There is still a lot of ice on some of the smaller lakes. The rivermouths/outflows have open water. I would target that area.

This cottage has a small creek running beside it. (my hope for open water) Also the lake is pretty big. One year the ice had pushed out off shore and piled up on the other side. Pretty crazy to see and makes you realize the weight behind a massive ice flow!

I would try the suspending model raps or divers that go at least 10 feet.
That will give you a better coverage range . Especially if the water has some depth from shore.
If it is shallow ,the by all means, the floating rap.

Cleo's, Williams, Five of Diamond spoons. It will all work as long as a trout see's it:)

Silver Krocodile spoon with prism tape, or green back X-raps have always been good to me early in the season...

Minnow tipped Williams worked well for me

I so agree.

On our lake we often get them right on surface ow just below.No deeper than 5-10 feet at most.

I found that out accidently years back and it's a riot to see trout surface smash baits.

I have heard said that you need to wait a couple of weeks after ice out before they hit. Any truth to that rumor?

in my experience i have had good luck casting a smelt or large minnow out to 20' of water with a 1/2 oz weight. if your allowed live bait even better. have caught lots of 20'+ lakers from shore in late april.
cheers!

I have often got them while there are still ice chunks around....but not massive ice.

We go when we can get in as soon as she's broke up, but just like other lakes some bays etc will still have ice on them while main lake or northen bays are ice free.