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[maxkiddsbrodie]

Hey all, just curious if anyone has experience ice fishing rainbows at lightning lake? What lures/ bait do you recommend… and any other tips you have are much appreciated.
Thanks

[SuperBobby]

10 inches is considered a big fish there.
Great for kids. The key is to stay away on the busy weekends. It can be hard to find shoreline to cast a fly with all the sunbathers and kids doing 'beach' things.
The fish are not picky. Sight fishing can be really fun for the kids as quite often they can see the fish come to their offering. June is a great month.

[maxkiddsbrodie]

Thank you, i definitely want to head there for a weekend in the summer but i was planning on doing a day trip there in the next week or so to do some ice fishing. Any tips for that? Thanks

[RalphH]

Can't tell you anything about the ice fishing there but having been up there last summer my impression was the lake suffered a substantial partial winter kill last winter.

[DragonSpeed]

Thank you, i definitely want to head there for a weekend in the summer but i was planning on doing a day trip there in the next week or so to do some ice fishing. Any tips for that? Thanks

It was 10C at the lake, yesterday.  I'm not sure how comfy I'd be on that ice.

You probably would have success with deli shrimp or worms.  I caught a little one off of lone duck campground using a hand line and bit of raw bacon a few years back.

[DragonSpeed]

Can't tell you anything about the ice fishing there but having been up there last summer my impression was the lake suffered a substantial partial winter kill last winter.

So, they are down to 4" fish instead of 6" now? 

[SuperBobby]

Thank you, i definitely want to head there for a weekend in the summer but i was planning on doing a day trip there in the next week or so to do some ice fishing. Any tips for that? Thanks

Yeah....I was trying to coax you away from the ice fishing and wait until the water is open in probably 5 weeks depending on weather.
Out of all the ice fishing options, lightning lake is about the last one I'd choose right now.
It's still mostly a 'coastal range' lake....and these lakes usually have anywhere from 4-15 feet of snow on top of the ice in March. This year it's probably 2 feet or less, but still....with this crazy spring weather, most coastal lakes with any snowpack on them are getting very slushy on top....some may even have standing water soon. Pretty sure you wouldn't fall through the ice at Lightning Lake right now, but it really is a poor choice this late in the season for ice fishing.

[RalphH]

So, they are down to 4" fish instead of 6" now? 

Partial kills usually lead to larger average fish for year or 2 for a  as there is less competition for food. FWIW back in the 70s I caught fish in the 11 to 14 inch range off the grass to the right of the boat launch.

[Bavarian Raven]

Last year it didnt suffer any winter kill IMHO? I fished it several times, and got many fish between 8 and 14 inches, plus one 16 incher too  But you have to (mostly) hit the upper lake if you want the bigger fish 

[RalphH]

Last year it didnt suffer any winter kill IMHO? I fished it several times, and got many fish between 8 and 14 inches, plus one 16 incher too  But you have to (mostly) hit the upper lake if you want the bigger fish 

Oh it wasn't winter kill ! You caught them all! 

[DragonSpeed]

Last year it didnt suffer any winter kill IMHO? I fished it several times, and got many fish between 8 and 14 inches, plus one 16 incher too  But you have to (mostly) hit the upper lake if you want the bigger fish 

Water flows from Highway, DOWN toward Rainbow bridge.... Upper lake would be the part NORTH of Rainbow bridge?

[RalphH]

technically (or by map) it is all one lake though the channel will sometimes be a stream when the water level is low enough. The lake itself was formed by the earthen dam at the east end.

[DragonSpeed]

technically (or by map) it is all one lake though the channel will sometimes be a stream when the water level is low enough. The lake itself was formed by the earthen dam at the east end.

The Damn on the EAST end still always confuses me.  Because things definitely seem to flow from that end DOWN into the other 3 lakes.

[RalphH]

The Damn on the EAST end still always confuses me.  Because things definitely seem to flow from that end DOWN into the other 3 lakes.

some lakes do that - Erroch Lake has an outflow at both ends.

[canucksfan233]

Would highly recommend bringing a kayak if you have one. A lot more access to the lakes. Just fish wherever you see fish jumping.

Easy 20+ fish day last time I was there in the summer (July), fishing black midges.