How to catch lakers after ice off on Spray

[jacenbeers]

I am thinking of heading to Spray in the next little while to see if I can catch some lakers from shore. What would be a good place to start casting and what would you recommend I use?

[nicemustang]

Spray ain't easy to fish from shore, however it can be done with some success early in the season before the trout hold the bottom. So many rocks and stumps near the shore make for lots of snags and lost hooks.

I'd try off the dam. Seems to be decent there. Or if you go across the dam to the campground, then hike around the lake shore a way close to that first point. In there should be good as well.

I would be casting large spoons or buzz bombs. Lakers will stay near the top for a few weeks after ice out until the water stratifies. You can also try a pikeral rig and smelt on the bottom, might work, who knows.

I was there last year in the first week of june. Ice was just off a week or so before, the water level was really low. I fished close to the point on the west side as I described above. The wife wasn't to interested in fishing/casting, so I set her up with a pickeral rig. All she caught was snags. I was chucking 4"-5" spoons for about 1.5 hrs, caught 1 17" laker. I think I caught it on a five of diamonds but it may have been a holographic baitfish spoon, can't recall atm.