Is it to early to be able to plan what kind of bait we would want for 4 days at Clearwater?

RustyBoldt1: "Us it to early to be able to plan what kind of bait we would want for 4 days at Clearwater?"

No it’s not but since you want to get your bait on the way up if it’s a really late ice out then I would plan on minnows .

RustyBoldt1: "Us it to early to be able to plan what kind of bait we would want for 4 days at Clearwater?"

What will you be targeting, smallmouth or trout?

Mostly smallmouth

RustyBoldt1: "Mostly smallmouth "

That changes everything get a 4 inch black power worm and a 1/8th ounce Charlie brewer slider head fish shallow and you will catch every smallie in the lake

Basspro69: "

RustyBoldt1: "Mostly smallmouth "

That changes everything get a 4 inch black power worm and a 1/8th ounce Charlie brewer slider head fish shallow and you will catch every smallie in the lake "

Why does that smallie look deformed?:)

RustyBoldt1: "Is it to early to be able to plan what kind of bait we would want for 4 days at Clearwater?"

For smallies, don't worry about bringing bait.

What would I bring if we went for trout?

RustyBoldt1: "What would I bring if we went for trout?"

They should still be shallow that early in the year, so I'd focus on trolling spoons (little cleos, dr. spoon, etc.) and/or crank baits that run anywhere from the surface down to 20 feet. Floating raps, jointed rapalas, husky jerks, jointed or regular shad raps, tail dancers -- that list kind of gets progressively deeper and will cover the entire 20 feet range of the water column if you vary your speed and the amount of line you let out. Trout will come up a ways to feed if you strike their interest, so you want to stay on top of them.

Is there anything specific to Clearwater that people going there should know? Like color preference or anything? I'm going there on the 8th of June so I'm going to be in a similar boat. Targeting trout btw, but any advice for bass would be appreciated too.

Also I'm a little newer to fishing for lake trout, but how should I estimate their depth? I know that the colder the water, the shallower they will be, but what water temps are we talking about? If I check and the water is 60 degrees how deep should I be? 50 degrees?

Zwater: "

Basspro69: "

RustyBoldt1: "Mostly smallmouth "

That changes everything get a 4 inch black power worm and a 1/8th ounce Charlie brewer slider head fish shallow and you will catch every smallie in the lake "

Why does that smallie look deformed?:)"

Because it was 22 inches long 6 pounds and had eaten something very large recently before she tried to eat my power worm, she didn’t realize it had a Charlie brewer slider head hook attached:-)

RustyBoldt1: "What would I bring if we went for trout?"

Little Cleo’s blue silver, silver, and gold .