Morning Guys and Gals-

I’m bringing the family up trout fishing for the upcoming weekend – my wife and 3 boys. We’re going to our cabin on Echo Lake near Finland MN- we’ll have to walk a short distance from the plowed road to the cabin. We’ll bring the dog and the sleds for the kids, snowshoes and pop up fish house and all the goodies. The plan is to get there and let the kids play in the snow and mess around while I start a fire and warm up the place and get unpacked. Then, we’ll strap on the snowshoes and make a trail out to the lake to my lucky trout fishing spot.. But wait.. I don’t have a lucky spot? This is the first winter at this lake and I have never caught a trout through the ice. So, this spot doesn’t even exist yet, but I am hoping to find one or two, so the kids can bring their kids to the lucky spot someday. I have obviously done some research on under ice trout out of excitement, but if anyone has any tips or tricks I would love to hear them. Better yet, if any of the MN folks have fished this lake in summer/winter, I would enjoy hearing some spots to try, if you’re willing to share!

I’ll post pictures next week if we’re able to catch one or two to fry up. I have 4 year old twins and they caught a sunfish at home this past weekend which they got to help clean and fry up for dinner- we all got one bite so needless to say, they are very excited to catch a rainbow trout for dinner.

Thanks!
Jeff

Looks like fun.

Hi Jeff,
I fished Echo many years ago, summer and winter. mostly along hwy 7. I've scuba dived there also and all along hwy 7 there are trees tipped over and absolutely filled with mono and lures etc so I would stay farther from the road than casting distance. There used to be a bait shop in Finland, so if that is still open check there. It was located just about where hwy 7 leaves hwy 1. Salted minnows, just the heads on swedish pimples work. My info is many years old, so take it for what it's worth and have fun.
Gary

Thanks a lot Gary. I know the shore along 7 gets fished pretty good, especially in the summer months. I have been reading many people ice fish trout in shallow waters. I will give the salted minnows a try too.

Jeff

white tube jigs or sweedish pimples with a piece of cisko

Put a tip up on shore in 2 feet of water or less.....iam serious. I run a very small swivel ,with 8 inches of mono lead line to the hook.....and a shiner or smelt. If you don’t run a swivel...you line will tangle .

Try some salmon eggs....and ... crawlers..too,and see what they like.