Sometimes anglers love to search out a treasure spot in the middle of the bush. We sometimes find ourselves dragging boats, canoes or even balloon setups just to have a chance to harvest some great fish. Fishing charters and fly-in fishing charters live off of this type of fishing; lake fishing. Many of us who do not live in large cities have the opportunity to pack up shop and go fishing. Some of the best fishing is lake fishing and we are here to tell you a little more about locating spots as well as what baits are good to use for these kinds of fishing conditions.
Related: Bank Fishing Tips
Lake Fishing Tips
The Basics of Lake Fishing
Before you head out on the water there are many things to consider before you do so. One is to map out and plan your fishing adventure, sometimes the best lakes are hard to get to so having a well mapped plan is key. With that being said these are a few basic things to have with you before you go.
- Map/ GPS
- Tackle box
- Food & drink
- Appropriate fishing clothing
Another thing to keep in mind if adventuring on your own is to tell someone where you are going just in case of an emergency. Cellphone service is scarce so be prepared if you are venturing into inland lakes. No matter the lake size big or small every lake has its own characteristics, depths, weather, and the color of the water. Since lakes barely have current a simple and proven method to catch the big one is to jig. Lake fishing can be enjoyed either from shore or in a boat. If you have a life jacket with you be sure to have it on, lake conditions can turn at any time and depths are very mysterious even a few feet from shore. If you tend to venture off into larger lakes be sure your vessel is outfitted for the challenge. It is not uncommon for a boat large in size to be thrown around. Always keep safety in mind as it should be your biggest priority. A couple basic large lake fishing methods include down rigging, slow troll and of course jigging. If you are trolling always watch your depth finders to make sure you are at the right height with your lures, lakes have mysterious landscapes that like to eat up lures. A few basic fishing tips of lake fishing include:
- Seeking out sunken debris - fish like to hide around these strange sunken treasures, they use them for protection as well as breeding habitats
- Take advantage of inlets and outlets - Lakes in most cases always have a river either leading in or out of it. If it leads in fish will gather in hopes of coming across an easy meal, or if it leads out fish will tend to run or migrate for better spawning grounds.
- Weed beds and bottoms - Make sure you have your tackle box outfitted with weedless lure if your lake has these types of ground conditions.
Lake Fishing Baits & Lures
There are many different ways to catch fish out of a lake, one of the most proven methods is to simply jig (as I mentioned earlier). The lake is another key thing to keep in mind when rigging your tackle box with lures. Inland lakes can be very dark at time so be sure to outfit you tackle box with bright lures, in most cases we recommend chrome, and neon colors like red green and pink. Below is a quick checklist of things to know before you embark to a mystery lake. Works both for boat or shore fishing.
Ask a fellow anglers about water conditions, depth, species. Not sure about anything make sure you outfit your tackle box with multi specie friendly lures (jigs, worms )
Lake Fishing By Species
There are many popular species and game fish that lure in the depths of a lake, big or small. If you know what fish you are aiming to catch these tips will help you before and along the way
Bass - These fish can be pretty lazy at times, mostly found near rock beds or pebbled areas but bass can be a heck of a great time to catch. If you are fishing off shore, bait placement is key therefore we recommend a bait caster set up for easy and precision bait placement. Bass will pretty much bite anything that cruises by its nests, crank baits, spinner baits as well as jig and worms work great. If you are in an area that's eating up diving lure a high water Rapala may do the trick, bass will notice the commotion.
Walleye - Fishermen and anglers all over love to pack up the canoe and head to an inland lake. Usually small in size walleye tend to make up for it in numbers. Hook, worm, sinker is probably your best bet when catching these fish. If you like rubber baits a bright pink jig and a white twister tail will surely stir up commotion at the bottom of these lakes.
Trout - There are many types of trout species that lurk in these types of waters. Great lures for trout include chrome spoons, flies, imitation spawn, green/yellow Raps, and single hook spinners. Trout are also a great in the winter when ice fishing on inland lakes.
Perch - Inland lakes sometime either have an abundant amount of food or very little. Perch on the other hand can go abouts their day with minimal food. If your adventuring into the bush to a mystery spot chances are perch may be running abouts, we mean jumbo perch of course.
Conclusion
Lake Fishing can be the most adventurous and rewarding way of fishing. Many fishing businesses thrive off lake fishing because of it unique conditions and natural habitats. Home to many species it makes for a great weekend getaway with friends or family. With that being said, we hope your lake fishing journey is a good one and always remember to be safe and respect the local fishing laws.
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