Hooks And Antlers Outdoor Column

Northern pike, walleyes, yellow perch, bluegills, and crappies rank as the favorite species among area ice anglers because these fish abound in local waters. The abundance of these species, though, influences fishers to overlook the options for pursuing trout through the ice.

Ice anglers looking for a change from their traditional winter outings might want to head to a trout-holding water during the second half of the hard-water season.

The same gear used for pike and panfish can easily be transformed into trout-catching rigs. Simply add a 6-foot leader of monofilament line to your tip-ups, and downsize your hooks to make the rigs ready for browns, rainbows, lake trout, splake, and landlocked salmon. Since winter-caught trout vary in size from 10-30 inches, anglers might want to beef up any ultra-light lines on their panfish jigging rods.

Among the many north waters that offer winter opportunities for trout are Lake Colby, Lake of the Woods, Lake Bonaparte, and Lake Ozonia. Since special regulations are in effect for each of these waters, anglers should consult the special regulations section of the current Regulations Guide prior to fishing.

LAKE COLBY

Lake Colby is popular among ice anglers because of good access and an abundance of trout and salmon. Located just north of the village of Saranac Lake in Franklin County, this 30-acre water is accessible at the DEC boat launch off Route 86. During the past two years, DEC stocked nearly 11,000 brown trout and nearly 7,000 rainbow trout here. Landlocked salmon stockings vary from year to year, and those stockings have consisted of various sizes from 0.5-inch fry to 24-inch brood stock fish. Under the ice, rainbow trout move constantly in search of food, but they show a preference for shallow water so shoreline areas are good bets. Brown trout favor fairly deep water so sloping drop-offs are worth checking out. Landlocks can be found in a variety of water depths, but they often feed just under the ice, so work your baits and jigs accordingly.

LAKE OF THE WOODS

Lake of the Woods is best known for its big lake trout. The average angler-catch weighs 4-5 pounds, and 10-pounders fin the waters here. This Indian River Lake has an abundance of fresh-water shrimp that provide ample feed and account for the excellent growth rates of its trout.

The bad news for fishers, though, is this plentiful food source makes it challenging to get the fish to hit angler offerings. Traditional lake trout wisdom calls for anglers to work their baits and jigs near bottom in the vicinity of structural edges. On Lake of the Woods, however, anglers should also experiment with various depths because the lake trout here commonly feed on suspended shrimp.

In addition to the traditional stocking of lake trout, the lake has also been stocked with landlocked salmon in past years. Covering 166 acres, Lake of the Woods is accessible via a DEC launch site. To reach the lake, take the Cottage Hill Road off State Rte. 37 just south of Redwood, and then turn on the Burns Road where a DEC sign identifies public access.

LAKE BONAPARTE

Named after Napoleon’s older brother who sought refuge there, Lake Bonaparte holds both brown and lake trout. Ice-caught browns in the 4- to 6-pound range are common, and fish weighing 10-15 pounds are a possibility. In the past two years, Bonaparte saw a stocking of 5,700 brown trout and 1,270 lake trout. The lake attracts ice anglers because of abundant trout numbers, solid ice conditions, drive-on access, and plenty of room to fish.

Among the best spots on the 1,280-acre lake are island drop-offs, mainland points, mid-lake shoals, and the outer edges of bays, particularly sandy-bottomed ones. Look for lake trout near bottom, but set live minnows and work jigging spoons at various depths from the bottom when targeting browns. Located near Harrisville in Lewis County, anglers will find public access by taking the North Shore Road off State Route 3 or 812, and following it to the DEC boat launch at Hitchcock Bay.

LAKE OZONIA

Lake Ozonia was first opened to ice anglers in 1997. This three-mile long lake in St. Lawrence County is located on the Lake Ozoniza Road half way between Hopkinton and St. Regis Falls.

Anglers access the ice via a DEC hand launch at the lake’s northwest corner. Annual stockings typically consist of rainbow trout, splake, and landlocked salmon. Over 5,700 rainbows were stocked in Lake Ozonia in 2010.

That same year the lake saw a stocking of nearly 3,000 splake and 1,000 landlocked salmon fry. No matter which species an ice angler seeks, though, the best action occurs along contours especially those near points and the mouths of bays facilitate the identification of fish-holding contours where anglers suspend live minnows on tip-ups or work small jigging spoons. Jigging is generally the more productive technique on Ozonia, a lake whose abundance of natural feed and high density of yellow perch can make catching trout a challenge.

CALENDAR

Feb. 9: SLC Trappers Association Meets at Lisbon Library at 6:30 P.M.

Feb. 11: Chippewa Bay F&G Club Hosts Annual Ice Fishing Derby.

Feb. 14: Federated Sportsmen’s Clubs of SLC Meet at 7 P.M.

Feb. 18: Ogdensburg Rescue Squad Hosts Annual Ice Fishing Derby at Wheathouse Bay.

Feb. 18: Harrisville VFD Hosts Annual Northern Pike and Trout Ice Fishing Derby at Lake Bonaparte.

Feb. 18: Plessis Fire Department Hosts Open Boundary Ice Fishing Derby.

Feb. 18-19: Johnstown Moose Lodge Hosts 7th Annual Adirondack Outdoorsman Show in Johnstown.

Feb. 25: St. Lawrence River Walleye Association Hosts Annual Northern Pike Challenge.

Feb. 25-26: West Potsdam VFD Hosts Annual Gun Show.

March 3: Cranberry Lake VFD Hosts Annual Ice Fishing Derby.