Spray Lake thread
 

So everyone this season will be my second time fishing spray lakes. I did last year and hooked up about 8 times in 45' of water off a sunken island. I got out there and lost my medium action rod, so I was fishing with my backup UL rod... and lost every one I hooked because I didn't have the power. It seemed to be all lakers though...

Im going back when the ice freezes up over Christmas. How come people fish deep on this lake? For the veterans of spray lake, why do you go so deep? Do you look for structure? Ive watched the videos on youtube, and they say to "go deep" but no one has an explanation for why.
Obviously I dont want spots I'm just looking for some tips on what part of the lake to hit up next. I was thinking the far south end...

Thanks in advance!

Sounds like you have found a good spot, especially for spray, I’d stick with it... use smaller stronger hooks and you can land them on an UL no problem.

I'm not an expert by any means, but a few years ago I started to ice fish Spray, and after a few mostly unsuccessful trips, I bought a flasher. My fishing success went up as you might expect, but I've noticed that just about all the fish we mark come up from the bottom, and more often than not in 80' of water or deeper. Not always, but I'd say 80% or more come from deep water from my own personal and limited observations. Disclaimer - I'm talking about lakers, not whitefish.

I was in a similar boat and have the same observations.

Thanks for the tips guys. I wonder why the lakers are generally deeper.. makes a guy wonder

My father in law thinks it’s for the following reasons:

Eyes are on top of their head and they naturally look up, so easier to suspend below with little movement and look up.

Easier to swim up then down, and better ambush position. Just like sharks.

Baitfish agsinst the bright ice or sky are easier to see from below.

More oxygen and springs in the deep water. They prefer colder more oxygenated water.

That’s what he told me icefishing one time when I asked.

Now that you have a flasher, do you find that the fish take the lure on the way down? Do you think a lot of guys without flashers miss strikes because the lure is so far down and it takes a while for the strike to translate from the line to the rod tip?

Been to spray a few times myself, and find it hard to find the lakers, probably because I don't have electronics, except a camera. I usually switch to whitefish around noon, however, I've caught a few small lakers in 6 FOW while fishing for whites.

I've definitely had fish take the lure (usually a smelt tipped jig) on the way down, but I'm not sure if that's their usual take. I'm not sure how much of a real world difference it makes, but I use a braided line with a swivel and a fluorocarbon leader to avoid my line stretching to any degree. I'm usually not jigging very actively, so I can usually feel most nibbles. I'm using a light weight or ultra lightweight rod / reel with usually 6# braided line and a 4# leader.

Reservoir with little side structure except for contours and depth changes. I find my best success in the past for lakers at Spray has been 60-80 feet of water off a point.

I’ve always caught lakers out deep always wanted to try for whitefish, do you catch them shallow in sandy areas? The ones I catch fly fishing (lakes and rivers) fall to wire worms more often than not, do you use similar lures when ice fishing them.

Yep, shallow(2-4 FOW) with sandy/rocky bottom and a few weeds or structure around. Use sz.14 nymphs (Prince or copper brassies are best) tied in-line with a weight on the bottom. Tipping the nymphs with a pink maggot, or just using a bare sz.14 hook with pink maggot works good too. Rest the weight on the bottom so the line is tight. Gently banging the weight on the bottom every now and then will strike their curiosity. Rockies are a lot dumber than lake whites

Ton of fun if you find a school and you have a shack, you can see all your takes. No shack, just rest the weight on the bottom so the line is tight and clip a bell to your rod.

sounds like a great technique ;)

I learned from the best.....a couple AO ghosts taught me

I have found tube jigs with a stinger hook tipped with a piece of smelt work best for the lakers. Remember do not use minnows at Spray or you will get nabbed. I know a few people that learned the hard way.

I'll post a few of the jigs that I make up. The colors I've had the best luck with are green, pink or pink/green, or pink/purple. However one of my newest color glow orange I think is going to be the hot color this season. I make the small jigs with 3/4 oz jig heads. I also make larger one's with a 2 oz jig for the big hogs. I secure a loop of 50#braid for the stinger hook.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attac...1&d=1543010824
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attac...1&d=1543010859
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attac...1&d=1543011063

good looking jigs rob

What do you use to fasten stinger and what knots?

Haha. Just read the answer in your post.

2 Alarm get your act together
 

You are posting on lakes way too far south. And ensure you are reading posts fully before you respond.
We are in smelt tipping Country don’t take that from us.

Flasher
 

I've fished Spray in the winter a few times each season for about 5 years now.
My success increased dramatically when I got a flasher last season.

As stated by others: 60-80 ft of water with your choice of lure/jig. I tip it with a piece of smelt no more than an inch long.
Majority of strikes come from fish that leave the bottom and come up -- as high as 20-30 ft off bottom.
Early AM or after 2pm has been most productive.

Some of the nicest days up there at Spary when the sun is shining.
Wind typically howls, so to any rookies make sure you anchor your tent.

Holiday Fishing
 

Anybody been lately, or planning to head up to Spray over the Holidays?
Any idea how much snow is on the ice?
We're hoping to get up there a couple times over the break.

Not yet, I hope to head there in a week or so

I was out on the 26th. Only a couple groups of I guys that I could see. Snow in the trees is quite deep 14” at least tough to pull a sled up hill in. But not nearly as bad as last year. Snow on the lake was an inch or two at most very easy going. Fishing was terrible I marked about 20 fish had a few really light bites, never pulled anything up. I fished from 8:00am- 4pm. I was out in the middle of the lake it’s 14” of ice. Gorgeous area just to be out in though.

I want to hit Spray on Friday or Saturday.

I am going back out tomorrow. I feel defeated from yesterday. Tomorrow I will be going ultra light running and gunning and trying to hunt down some new locations with the fat bike and trailer.

I went out today. Late start, didn’t have a line in the water til 9am which didn’t help the cause. Started in 98ft with nothing, then moved to 75 ft. Fishing in general was very slow. I managed to land 4 before leaving at 1pm, only one of which was worth keeping. First time I’ve ever been at Spray (winter or summer) that there wasn’t a stitch of wind. -17C when I left the truck though. Ice was booming big time, about 14 inches.

Good luck to those heading out this weekend.

What was working?

Every bite I had was a result of the flasher -- without it I suspect I would have been skunked. White tube tipped with smelt, otherwise a smaller Swedish Pimple tipped with smelt.

Where you marking fish? Or you only marked 4 and then Caught them?

All fish I marked came off bottom. Nothing suspended today.
I had 6 bites: landed 4, 2 others came off.

What is the thickness of the ice on the lake. I'm very cautious when taking my little girl on the ice.