https://youtu.be/JCElSBleeJo?feature=shared
If anyone ever wants to cross the line for some winter salmon fishing through the ice... this is how to get the job done. Stump lake is a great lake with lots of fish and great sizes once it freezes up. Usually the kokanee lakes area larger and take till January to get safe ice on them.
Stump Lake British Columbia Ice Fishing for KOKANEE Salmon and Stocked Rainbow Trout after the Polar Vortex froze the lake.
They may not be huge, but these land locked salmon are an iconic species in the North West for ice fishermen.
What they lack in size, they make up with their high numbers and excellent flavor.
Large schools of fish can often be found suspended over the lake basin. They are attracted by using flashy spoons and will chase most small lures tipped with bait.
Having a sonar is super helpful since you will need to find what level in the water column they are swimming by to catch them consistently. Having the awareness of when a fish is in the location allows you to work them into a frenzy to bite.
I find slow jigs, and pulling the lure away from them triggers the bite. It also makes it easier to feel the light bites when you are pulling up.
I was using a small pink fly and a red/gold wire worm tipped with a meal worm.
I also spent some time in the south end on the weedy flats looking for rainbow trout. In this lake 8 to 10 pound rainbows are actually pretty common. Putting in the time can get you hooking a monster. The morning bite was great and plenty of fish were coming in hot to check out my blob fly. The Jaw Jacker was doing its thing to put fish on the ice as well.
I hope you enjoy this little fishing trip up to Stump Lake from the Lower Mainland of BC. It was a very enjoyable day to be out fishing. Glad you could join along with the video.