I've read that the cold water in winter allows lake trout to move to many areas that they normally would never be found during open water season. Many articles have therefore suggested trying for them in shallow water when ice fishing. Most of the sources say to stay in at least 20 feet, but some say as shallow as 5-10 feet of water. That made me think of two questions:
1.What is the shallowest water that you have ever caught lake trout in while ice fishing?
2.What is the shallowest water that you normally fish when going for lakers through the ice?

We have caught lakers in 15 ft of water on Daniels lake. They were not big ones,but very good eaters! I have never caught a large laker in real shallow water. My biggest trophy was jigging over 25ft. I was reeling up to go to a different hole when Wham! She hit my white feather jig tipped with a small minnow. I had 6lb mono on,so I couldn't horse her at all. 80 minutes later I got her through the hole. 22lbs! Good luck to you! Marc

We have caught lakers in 15 ft of water on Daniels lake. They were not big ones,but very good eaters! I have never caught a large laker in real shallow water. My biggest trophy was jigging over 25ft. I was reeling up to go to a different hole when Wham! She hit my white feather jig tipped with a small minnow. I had 6lb mono on,so I couldn't horse her at all. 80 minutes later I got her through the hole. 22lbs! Good luck to you! Marc

5 feet for me the shallowest.

Laketrout58: "We have caught lakers in 15 ft of water on Daniels lake. They were not big ones,but very good eaters! I have never caught a large laker in real shallow water. My biggest trophy was jigging over 25ft. I was reeling up to go to a different hole when Wham! She hit my white feather jig tipped with a small minnow. I had 6lb mono on,so I couldn't horse her at all. 80 minutes later I got her through the hole. 22lbs! Good luck to you! Marc"

Incredible story Marc and the fish of a lifetime on 6lb test! I can imagine the range of emotions you experienced as the fight progressed. I probably wouldn't of caught that fish as I don't know if I would of had enough patience to fight the fish that long. I fought a pike once once pushing 20lbs on 6lb and that lasted 1/2 hour and seemed to take forever. 80 minutes through the ice just makes me shake my head and smile. Well done!

Laketrout58: "We have caught lakers in 15 ft of water on Daniels lake. They were not big ones,but very good eaters! I have never caught a large laker in real shallow water. My biggest trophy was jigging over 25ft. I was reeling up to go to a different hole when Wham! She hit my white feather jig tipped with a small minnow. I had 6lb mono on,so I couldn't horse her at all. 80 minutes later I got her through the hole. 22lbs! Good luck to you! Marc"

Thanks for sharing--that is a great story, and very impressive to get that fish in!

Pinetree: "5 feet for me the shallowest."

Wow! Did you just keep finding them shallower and shallower and follow them in, or what made you decide to even try for them at that depth?

I usually try to fish in about 45-50 FOW.
Have caught them in that depth, but only 3 feet below the ice, some have caught trout fishing in only 10 FOW.
They travel anywhere they want in the water column.

We have caught them in 5 -10 Feet of water. Generally I fish around the 30 ft Mark in winter.

Typically I look for a wall in the structure. Something that the lake trout can push the cisco's against and ambush them. As long as you are along that wall, you will catch fish all the way from the bottom of the lake to the top.

Monday i was fishing a trout lake with my daughter. We tried a new spot to us. The first tip up i put out was in 9' fow. We had 6 or 7 flags on that line. The older gentleman near us caught a 24-25" laker from 11' fow.