Haliburton Gold, First lake trout of 2025

Late post, quick report from an outing 2 days ago with fellow board member mykola. Launch point had firmed up, shoreline no issue. Good 6"-7". Set up in a location we have caught lake trout in the past.



A few marks with mild interest came by but nothing overly aggressive. Small perch mixed in on bottom. Decided a dead stick presentation might be more effective. I prepared a set-line on my bell tip-up, leader with a small Williams Wabler as an "in-line flasher" with a large emerald shiner rigged a few inches below. Suspended ~20' over 65'.





As we were preparing lunch on the ice, Nick yelled over to me that my tip-up had been triggered. I quickly ran over and after a short struggle at the hole with frozen hands, landed an over slot lake trout. A very satisfying catch, the first fish caught on my homemade tip-up.



Certainly not our most productive day on this lake but it was great to be out and hear the ice growing!

Looks like you two had a good day and I'm sure the laker on a hand line was a lot of fun.. minus the frozen hands.
Nice report and beauty lake trout.

Yeah she was cold and windy I missed my opportunities the fish were a little shy that day.

Great report. Thanks for sharing

Always great when you can catch a laker

Nice report, Mike; thanks for posting!

Very nice start...and for sure it's nice to catch things on contraptions you make yourself.

Catching fish, always seems to warm you up.

The fillets:

Man they’re so friggin good outta that lake it’s wild.

Wow! Great job fileting those beauties...

Very Nice Congrats

Nice healthy looking laker i like the A-Frame hut

Great.
Do you find the blue foam doesn’t stick to the ice?

nice fish, sure looks nice out there. we might even get ice down here