Ice Fishing

Posted On February 21, 2012
My favourite place to fish through the ice is on Lake Clear.  This lake is located in Eastern Ontario, Canada, about a 2 hour drive northwest of Ottawa.

My main goal is to catch Walleye, but I've caught Lake Trout and Brown Burbot (a.k.a. Ling) as well.  I've had the most success at night.  The bite times will vary, anywhere from 7pm to 4am, but it's almost always dark when I catch anything at all.

I usually use a small, glow in the dark jig-head hooked through a live minnow as bait.  I like to rig up a slip system using a hairpin on a stick and a piece of surveying ribbon on the line that slips into the hair-pin, with some slack to the spool.  (I'll soon post a video on how to set this up, it's not nearly as complicated as it reads on here).  I also like to jig using a live minnow and an ice fishing rod and reel.  I prefer to use braided line as well because it tangles less than monofilament in the cold weather.  I don't use any electronics, as I have not yet been sponsored by any major sport fishing companies or organizations (I'm still waiting though).

To stay warm I usually dress in layers so that I can remove layers to avoid sweating and being wet.  I also wear wool socks. A hood or toque is also a must.  Warm mitts, or gloves are a necessity as well.  I always bring a scoop for cleaning my holes to avoid getting cold, wet hands.  If the conditions permit, I'll drive my truck out onto the ice and jig out the window and keep an eye on my other line through the windshield.  The slip system I use buys me some time to set the hook well after I see a bite.

The biggest fish I've caught on Lake Clear was a Walleye.  It measured 30 inches.  I'm not sure of the weight but my guess is 8 lbs.  I know the length because there is a slot size on Lake Clear of 20 inches or more.  (You can only keep Walleye 20 inches in length or greater).

In conclusion Lake Clear is my favourite lake to fish on because I grew up there and I know the lake well.  It's a beautiful lake with crystal clear water and has many types of structure from weedy/sandy shallow waters at one end to rocky/drop off deep waters at the other.  There's not a huge abundance of fish, but with some patience and a bit of luck, I've always had some success.  I hope to post some more photos and videos of my ice fishing experiences soon.  Thanks for reading, and happy fishing to everybody.

Sincerely,

Cory Lambert

Latest Blog Posts

Ice Fishing

My favourite place to fish through the ice is on Lake Clear.  This lake is located in Eastern Ontario, Canada, about a 2 hour drive northwest of Ottawa. My main goal is to catch Walleye, but I've caught Lake Trout and Brown Burbot (a.k.a. Ling) as well.  I've had the most success at night.  The bite times will vary, anywhere from 7pm to 4am, but it's almost always dark when I

WFN's Website Support

I recently had problems signing into my WFN account through Facebook.  I sent an e-mail to the WFN staff and they were quick to rectify the problem.  I just wanted to say thank you to the staff responsible for the WFN website/ambassador support.  Sincerely, Cory Lambert

How to Make Your Own Spoon

STEP 1 Find any spoon of the desired size you'd like.  I used a soup spoon that I purchased at Dollarama.  (I got 3 for $1.00) STEP 2. Cut the handle off of the spoon using snips, wire cutters, a lot of bending or whatever else works. STEP 3. Use a file to smooth the cut edge and remove any

Some Of My Favorite Lures

These are some of my favorite lures.  From left to right: 1. Rapala Jointed Minnow (size 13)  - Great for shallow water Northern Pike.  Has great action and can be cast far and retrieved at various speeds. 2. Willams Wabler (gold plated size 70)  - Great for Northern Pike or Largemouth Bass.  I've also caught Perch and Rock Bass with this spoon.

Baitcast Rod and Reel

So I finally decided to try out a baitcast outfit.  I was hesitant at first because I knew that backlashes could be aggravating and I was just so used to my spinning reels.  I must say, however, that after watching some helpful videos, and a bit of practice, I was not disappointed. With proper line spooling, and tension setting, I have almost eliminated backlashes.  When I do

About

Cory Lambert
Cory Lambert
Eganville, ON
Joined June 8, 2011

I've been fishing for as long as I can remember. It's a great hobby and definitely, for me, an addiction. I enjoy all types of fishing. I would love to be able to get sponsored and do it for a living one day. I'll keep it simple and low budget until then.

Socialize with WFN

Follow WFN to keep up to date on the latest news, updates, promotions and more!
Facebook Twitter
YouTube Google+

User Stats

WFN Bonus Points
10pts
Total Points
pts