How to Find Big Stocked Rainbow Trout Ice Fishing a Lake

Big Stocked Rainbow Trout can be tough to locate in a frozen lake during the ice fishing season, but with the help of a Marcum Sonar and a few Jaw Jackers you can really improve your luck at catching more fish during the winter.
Join my dad and I today as we venture out on a new lake in Alberta's Lakeland Area that is Stocked by the Alberta Environment and Parks. Neither of us had ever fished this lake before, but with the help of the online resources available we were able to search for Stocked Lakes in close proximity to try. After a little google research we landed on this particular lake and got up early one morning to get out there and give it a try.
We started out the day heading to the largest shallow weedy shoal to try our luck at first light. We fished the 3 foot depth down to 11 feet and only saw one fish all morning. This was dismal and not what I expected at all. The fish are usually feeding in the shallow weedy shoals at first and last light during the ice covered season.
After struggling during the morning and drilling some 30 dry holes, my dad went drilling across the lake. He started fishing them from shallow to deep. When he got into the middle he said he saw a mark half way down and when you intercepted it with his Slender Spoon the fish took the bait. After a great fight he had a healthy fat 18 inch rainbow on the ice.
I spent some more time in the shallows as I had seen one fish. I was really shocked they didn't come in to feed.
After failing in shallow around noon I moved out to the deeper water and started drilling towards the center of the lake and deeper water.
While dropping down one hole I noticed a flash on my Marcum just a few feet under the ice. So I brought the lure back up under the ice and boom. I hooked a big rainbow that came off right under the ice.
I started to replicate this type of fishing right under the ice and fish kept coming through in the afternoon. We set up some Jaw Jackers with Circle Tackle Tungsten Jigs and Blob flies. The trout started to hit the Jaw Jackers and the action became great right under the ice.
The fish were suspended right under the ice in deep water over 20 to 30 feet deep. They were eating minnows and bugs that were right at the top of the water column. These fish are often hard to find because they avoid being seen on your sonar and if you drop your hook to the bottom you will never know they are swimming right under the ice. Keep that in mind when fishing for trout.
The rod I am using is a www.circletackle.com Full Circle Series - PANFISH 36" and works great for these trout. 7mm Circle Tackle Tungsten jigs were also used on the Jaw Jackers.
The Jaw Jackers have a 29" Jaw Jacker Rod on them.
If you would like to see how to tie a Bead Head Blob Fly then watch the middle of the video for how to create these fish favorites.
If you would like to find a lake by yourself and try it out. Check out these resources which are very helpful.
Alberta Conservation Association: www.ab-conservation.com/go-fi...
MAP OF ALL THE STOCKED LAKES IN ALBERTA: www.ab-conservation.com/progr...
ALBERTA GOVERNMENT FISH STOCKING REPORTS: open.alberta.ca/publications/...
I hope these helpful links help you find what you are looking for.
Best of luck out there ice fishing.
If you like the channel give me a Thumbs up! Like a video, Share with a Friend and Subscribe. Hit the Notification BELL for updates on my next video.
Till next time, God Bless your Adventure!

[@Fineherbgrower]

Another great video. We love catching stocked rainbow trout here in northeast Ontario

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Yeah, They provide a great opportunity for fishing. Something different than the usual pike, walleye and perch. Plus they grow quite fast in some lakes.

[@josephclements6659]

You videos are amazing! Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I’ve learned a lot from watching your videos and have become more successful 🙏🏻

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

This is exactly why I started making these videos. People sometimes questions why I have a channel and make the videos. It's for comments like this where people say I've helped them, taught them something or now they are more successful. That is what it is all about. Fishing can be a tough sport to get into as far as the catching goes. Thanks for the comment and watching!

[@brianfeeney9493]

Thanks for the tie tutorial 🎉 Looks like some nice Bows 🎣

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Yes, there certainly are some nice fish in there. This is a lake that I believe used to be stocked. It had been taken off the list for many years and was recently put back on a few years ago. Research shows fast growing fish and not much fishing pressure yet. My dad had one snap off at the hole. We couldn't turn his head up the hole. I figure it was 5 to 6 pounds at least looking at it. Thanks for watching.

[@Nolostiq]

I love that ur still posting being urself amazing keep loving what you do and excel at it

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Haha, thanks. I don't think I can be anybody else but me. In the end it's still about going out catching fish and eating them! Just happen to have a camera rolling.

[@brianquan7218]

Those blob flies look killer definitely going to try some out this year on the jawjackers. Thanks for sharing doc.

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Yeah I was seriously surprised. Then the perch biting them was not expected. Couldn't believe it. Must look like something they want to eat down there.

[@avid.venture]

Wow, I never would’ve thought to fish the 2’ water column in 30’ of water. That is wild! No wonder some days I just can’t seem to locate any fish - they are sitting right below me 😆. Great tips Brandon, and another beauty vid 👏🏻

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Yeah, keep that subice area in your target zone for the days that you can't find anything. Seriously I've had this happen many times. The toughest days till I find them in that zone. If they're in that zone fishing is usually excellent. Thanks for watching.

[@Creighster]

Great tips! Ice fishing stocked trout is a lot of fun, setting just under the ice is one of my go-to methods.

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Excellent... so I'm not the only one doing it.

[@GCRockymtns]

Great tips thanks for sharing, I use the finicky fooler hole covers when using the jigging jaw jacker. sure helps on those days when it freezes easily

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Yeah, If I used them more often in cold temps I probably would get some. Most of the time I am in BC and we can't even use an extra line here... plus usually warmer temps when I'm fishing so hole freezing not really an issue. I hear they have a proposal to change the rules to two lines though so maybe I'll need to invest in some in the future.

[@GCRockymtns]

@@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures hopefully they do cause one line is crazy especially ice fishing lol never did understand that rule there. Keep them vids coming 👍🏻

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

@@GCRockymtns I agree

[@oldpolak5203]

You can cut a piece of cardboard with a slit on it with the same results 🖖

[@GCRockymtns]

@@oldpolak5203 I’ve done that and also used the puzzle floors but they definitely don’t have the same results in my opinion, fooler works much better for me so far

[@fishonalbertaoutdoors9761]

Great video Brandon💙 you are always just full of positively and on the fish I love it! Again thanks for sharing and helping everyone be more successful on the ice. A few of them rainbows were absolute tanks! Awesome work!keep them coming! Feel like you've been out a lot lately this season in Alberta. Very Nice to see again.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Thanks for the comments Fishonalbertaoutdoors! Yes, I was out visiting in Alberta visiting for a couple weeks over Christmas and the weather was great so it made fishing and video easy. I don't always get on the fish... but you don't see those tough days since I don't like making those fishless days into videos haha. Not very fun editing a skunk day, haha. Or some days I just don't have the camera running when I catch the fish. Even like this day you see it took me three rapid succession fish already laying on the ice to pull the camera out. Not sure what took me so long to get it running. Too focused on fishing I guess. But my Alberta content will soon dry up. I think one or two possible more Alberta Videos.

[@waterfrontoutdoors2017]

I really enjoy your videos been watching them along time, even one of the inspirations for my channel! One of the first people I watched catch trout through the ice!

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Thanks for watching over the years. Glad to hear it's been a useful inspiration. Yeah people tell me that sometimes that they never caught or saw a trout caught through the ice till they saw my videos. Even some guys out East. Which is always surprising to me since they're a great coldwater winter species to fish for.

[@waterfrontoutdoors2017]

@@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures being from the Midwest with our waters dominated by walleye and Muskie fisheries when there is a trout lake they tend to be really challenging to target the best ones we found are where the trout are top of the food chain if a larger predator is present the trout tend to be scarce even with regularly stocked lakes.

[@sergiytsybulnyk7664]

God bless! Thank you for another great video!

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Thanks for watching!

[@danielgraham4717]

“Dad, what are you doing?!”😅

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Yeah my typical response to my dad... he's a little bit always giving slack or pulling too hard in my opinion haha.

[@Go2fishingbc]

You are having too much fun…😂

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Sometimes... sometimes its tough.

[@tomplouffe138]

Great video! More of your fly tying tips would be appreciated. Take care and tight lines!

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Sure I will have to figure it out with another camera so it is higher quality. I think some guys use their Cell Phone... I have another camera could try as well. I can do some more fly tying. Easy ties that are highly effective.

[@Zavala211]

Awesome videos

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Thank you!

[@rowboat1972]

Wicked. Just wicked. Good eats for sure. Was this filmed during the most recent cold snap?

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Thank you! All these Alberta videos were filmed while I was out in Alberta the last two weeks of December 2023. I was back to work as of Newyears. So just been editing and getting the videos up a bit spread out. This was one of the coldest days during that period of time I was out. Was about -12C in the morning I think. Cloudy as well so only warmed up a bit during the day then cooled off again. I was already able to drive on the lake at that time, so probably tons of ice now.

[@oldpolak5203]

Great video ! Im wondering if the oxygen level was low in that lake . Fish on dude !

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

I don't think so in December. That is usually too soon for oxygen depletion in a larger lake like this. I actually received the oxygen concentration data from the last few years for this lake and later in the year the oxygen levels do drop. But shouldn't be as much of a factor in December. Oxygen depleted states usually drive them to the surface as well.

[@oldpolak5203]

@@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures Yea December is early , but if there was a severe algae bloom that may affect timing . I was fishing cow lake last winter and the catch rate dropped to nothing by end of January. Even the freshwater shrimp were at the top of the ice dead .This climate change is bad . Too bad that lake had 8 pounders all day long,

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

@@oldpolak5203 I heard its still alive. But you are right with the algae. I am not convinced algae is caused by climate variability. I think it has to do with the excess nutrients in the run off going into the lake. High nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers. I heard there might be some research in using phosphate binders in lakes to decrease the availability to aquatic plants.

[@oldpolak5203]

@@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures Yes its still alive , we went there in early December and caught a bunch of pike on trout bait . I dont know what happend to all the trout that were stocked this year . We didn't go back because of the perch were biting at cross .

[@brianfeeney9493]

What was your bottom depth in the middle of that lake, when you were fishing virtually below the level of the ice? That’s quite an interesting proposition FISHING, in that matter!

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Sorry, thought I mentioned it somewhere in the video. Around 25 to 30 feet of water is where we seemed to find the fish cruising just under the ice.

[@brianfeeney9493]

Sorry to trouble you ….. I thought that you said that you were in the middle of the lake …. Thus my query ….. great video and lots of information !!!! Much Appreciated !!!!

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

@@brianfeeney9493 middle of the lake in a relative form. Not dead center from all shores.

[@mainemicrofishing4960]

How do you attach the blob fly to your main line?

[@erikmikado6103]

Usually a Palomar knot, look up drop shot rig knot on Google

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

I just tie it directly to the line with a trilene knot and leave a long tag end so I can tie the second hook below.

[@fishingreporter2784]

On average, are trout bigger in Alberta or in kamloops area?

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

It really depends on the lakes you fish. I'd say there are more lakes in BC where the lakes don't winter kill and the trout get very large with good feed in them. The same can be found in some lakes in Alberta. But many alberta lakes frequently winter kill so they just grow one or two seasons then die. The fish grow very fast, but don't reach the huge sizes as they do on BC. That said there are several lakes in BC where they can get to huge proportions where the lakes don't winterkill. Just have to do some research.

[@ianisackson9]

I'm in this area, how thick was the ice?

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

Doesn't matter now this was three weeks ago pre polar vortex. Probably over two feet by now. But you should always check the ice first yourself. Be safe. I had the truck out there. 12 to 14 inches.

[@OutdoorswithIAN162]

How deep was it I have a lake that’s 50-120 ft where should I fish ??❤

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

This lake is only about 35 to 40 feet deep. We were fishing around the edge of the basin like 26 to 30 feet deep.

[@TheFishingDoctorsAdventures]

You should fish where the fish are at. Depends on the lake. Every one is different.