Ice Fishing for trout around Caroline?

[Runewolf1973]

Tay Lake, Alford Lake or Phyllis Lake...
Are any of these places any good for ice fishing for trout? We're planning on checking out Swan Lake, but would like some options if Swan doesn't work out

[Poppa]

I've only ever been to Phyllis and I'm not s huge fan. It's all 8" rainbows and 6" perch, from what I've seen.

[Xbolt7mm]

I thought there was seasonal closures on one of those, better check first

[TROLLER]

I've only ever been to Phyllis and I'm not s huge fan. It's all 8" rainbows and 6" perch, from what I've seen.

You have sure seen bigger perch than me. never caught or saw one much bigger than 3-4" Drop down a camera and the bottom is crawling with the little intruders. Causing the trout to be stunted as well. Best thing could happen to Phyllis is a total kill, then restock.

[Poppa]

You have sure seen bigger perch than me. never caught or saw one much bigger than 3-4" Drop down a camera and the bottom is crawling with the little intruders. Causing the trout to be stunted as well. Best thing could happen to Phyllis is a total kill, then restock.Amen...first time I ever went there (with a friend who raved about how great the fishery was), my buddy starts pulling out these little dinker trout and I'm like "Oh, these are fresh stocked fingerlings..." and he says "No, this is how big they are in here...they're delicious!" AND HE KEPT THEM!!!!!!!!! They throw these little dinker rainbows in the smoker, I guess. I felt just sick about it. Haven't been back to Phyllis since...

[Red Bullets]

Swan can be tough but don't give up too soon. A couple record browns came out of Swan in the past. Are you fishing for lakers? or Browns? I would think the lakers would be deep but the browns might like feeding closer to and along shorelines.

Wishing you good luck.

I was going to suggest Struble lake as an alternate. Haven't been there in a few years but know I caught some trout there. I guess there is perch there too.

[Runewolf1973]

My daughter had a big trout on at Swan this morning, but it got off. My dad caught a nice 8lb laker through the ice a couple years ago, but sloooowww fishing. I know a guy who caught a 32lb record pike in there many years back. I guess it used to be just phenomenal fishing in there...until they started letting every yahoo with a 20 foot boat and 150hp motors rip around on the lake. 🙁

[Nikanit]

I know a guy who caught a 32lb record pike in there many years back.

That guy is my husband Kerry Reaman...I was supposed to go with him that day. He was fishing for trout with a 6 lb test leader and he ended up with this...

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/album.php?albumid=1970&pictureid=10532

Hi Randy!

[Epic_mango_27]

Phyllis lake hands down! I've caught an 13 inch trout, 100+ 5-8 inch perch and one sucker. go by the island and you will catch perch! biggest perch I've seen come out of there is 9.5 inches

[S_Mooj]

anyone been out to these lakes this year? or birch or burnstick ? ice on them ?

[TROLLER]

Phyllis lake hands down! I've caught an 13 inch trout, 100+ 5-8 inch perch and one sucker. go by the island and you will catch perch! biggest perch I've seen come out of there is 9.5 inches

You must know something the rest of us don't for sure:sHa_shakeshout:

[Coiloil37]

Tay lake is/was great in the winter but the bottom is soft like parts of cow lake. You can drop a hook or sinker three feet into the silt at the bottom. If you’ve got an underwater camera to figure out where bottom actually is and put your hook over the silt you should do well.

Prior to underwater cameras I didn’t catch many fish in the winter and never knew why.

[OL_JR]

Amen...first time I ever went there (with a friend who raved about how great the fishery was), my buddy starts pulling out these little dinker trout and I'm like "Oh, these are fresh stocked fingerlings..." and he says "No, this is how big they are in here...they're delicious!" AND HE KEPT THEM!!!!!!!!! They throw these little dinker rainbows in the smoker, I guess. I felt just sick about it. Haven't been back to Phyllis since...


Why? that's what they are there for. Phyllis is a lake that will never support any size other than the brooders so eat em if ya got em.

Tay lake is/was great in the winter but the bottom is soft like parts of cow lake. You can drop a hook or sinker three feet into the silt at the bottom. If you’ve got an underwater camera to figure out where bottom actually is and put your hook over the silt you should do well.

Prior to underwater cameras I didn’t catch many fish in the winter and never knew why.

Tay is pretty good and the fish are good eating compared to other lakes around I've found. For pothole rainbow ice fishing generally head to Tay or Strubel but it's infrequent at best.