How many of you are using white tubes (open water or ice fishing) to target lake trout? I don't know why it took me so long to figure out how to fish this bait (and how effective they can be), but I've finally added them to my list of confidence baits. When you're fishing these bwca lakes that are absolutely full of their favorite forage, cisco, you really just need to match that profile and fish aggressively to convince the active fish to feed.



White Tube Jigs for Lakers!!

ericinely: "How many of you are using white tubes (open water or ice fishing) to target lake trout? I don't know why it took me so long to figure out how to fish this bait (and how effective they can be), but I've finally added them to my list of confidence baits. When you're fishing these bwca lakes that are absolutely full of their favorite forage, cisco, you really just need to match that profile and fish aggressively to convince the active fish to feed.



White Tube Jigs for Lakers!! "

In 2001 that was my presentation for Lakers on McDougall Lake. We caught four in about an hour. I returned to the same lake in 2021, fished for hours with the same presentation and caught none. Both times were in peak July heat.

Last year on Jean Lake, also in late July, I switched to a 1 oz Crippled Herring and that did the trick. I brought a tube and head-to-head it was not producing (my buddy tried it for a while).

I have also had success trolling a Rattlin Rap behind a bottom bouncer. I really have no idea how deep I'm getting when I do that. But it's a high maintenance rig as you need a snell, there's a lot of drag and you have to deal with the entire assembly when you land a fish as opposed to just a single lure. Come to think of it, last summer I just attached the Rap directly to the bottom bouncer and it worked.

I plan on visiting Cirrus, Quetico and Kasakakwog lakes this summer. All are LT lakes. I'll try the tube again.

For 25 years now

i've been jigging a Bass Assassin 4 inch saltwater sea shad in white the last few years with good success. didn't fish the bwca last year, but caught some decent lake trout in the UP lakes late june from my inflatable kayak.

Yes. Used for my first laker of decent size back on IMA in June,2010.

Lakers in McDougall?

Good video. If you haven't realized it yet, but I'm 100% sure you have, your dog adores you!!!

airmorse: "Good video. If you haven't realized it yet, but I'm 100% sure you have, your dog adores you!!!"

Thank you! And I adore him. I don't know what I did to earn the loyalty of this wonderful creature but I will never take that for granted. He's the perfect adventure buddy!

Yes, in 2001. Struck-out in 2020. Same conditions, same spot on the lake and same time of year.

In 2001, Jim from Canoe Canada directed us to McDougall for LT. There were four of us. We each caught one within about an hour or two jigging white tubes in about 50' of water. Two had white meat, two had pink meat.

Tube's are one of the best presentations out there, especially for larger fish. Vertically jigging 2 oz chartreuse tube's is deadly for lakers. You need a depth finder and patience to find structure but it's worth it.