Crystal Lake (near Kinmount) Ice Fishing Tips

[Mike33]

Spent the weekend on the ice at Crystal. Beautiful weather both days, easy treading on the ice. Still about 8” of ice, 4-5” of black.

Didn’t manage to catch any of the species I was targeting. Caught 5 smallmouth bass somehow fishing in 45’-75’ fow. Mostly along shoals or drop offs in the main basin of the lake.

Marked the most fish near the portion of the lake where Clear Bay opens up into the main lake at 50’-65’.

[jameso]

have you been up this year? thinking of heading up this weekend. Tried Jan 2nd but not much luck. On west end so not really the best ice fishing spots.

[Fenelon]

The lake gets fished pretty hard these days. Several cottagers now run downriggers in the summer. It's nothing like it was 25-35 yrs ago. Never got whitefish but have caught cisco up to 1.8lbs. Some of the best eating lake trout I've ever had, as the lake used to have a good population of Mysids in it. Flesh was carrot orange on the fish due to the shrimp. IMO they should close it completely in the winter now. Too small a lake. It gets pounded now.

[jameso]

The lake gets fished pretty hard these days. Several cottagers now run downriggers in the summer. It's nothing like it was 25-35 yrs ago. Never got whitefish but have caught cisco up to 1.8lbs. Some of the best eating lake trout I've ever had, as the lake used to have a good population of Mysids in it. Flesh was carrot orange on the fish due to the shrimp. IMO they should close it completely in the winter now. Too small a lake. It gets pounded now.

Really? Never saw any downriggers but you would have to fish a lot to kill it. Plan to fish lake trout this weekend. I dont find too many people fishing in the winter. Probably try the black bays with minnows.

[Mike33]

Really? Never saw any downriggers but you would have to fish a lot to kill it. Plan to fish lake trout this weekend. I dont find too many people fishing in the winter. Probably try the black bays with minnows.

Any luck jameso?

[Mike33]

The lake gets fished pretty hard these days. Several cottagers now run downriggers in the summer. It's nothing like it was 25-35 yrs ago. Never got whitefish but have caught cisco up to 1.8lbs. Some of the best eating lake trout I've ever had, as the lake used to have a good population of Mysids in it. Flesh was carrot orange on the fish due to the shrimp. IMO they should close it completely in the winter now. Too small a lake. It gets pounded now.

I noticed some scuds swimming up around my whole last winter. It's too bad about the lake trout, I have a feeling the only remaining ones may be due to stocking. My grandfather hooked into a nice lake trout vertical jigging on a hot summer day years ago but we lost it at the boat. Have you caught any cisco recently?

[redd foxx]

Years ago we used to fish by the dam off Crystal Lake Road in winter. Fished right on the bottom with whitefish spreaders and small dace or salted minnows. Caught lots of lakers and herring. The herring were large.

[Mike33]

Years ago we used to fish by the dam off Crystal Lake Road in winter. Fished right on the bottom with whitefish spreaders and small dace or salted minnows. Caught lots of lakers and herring. The herring were large.

Bittersweet hearing old stories like this redd foxx, I'll have to keep at it and see if there are any lake herring remaining. I think the lake trout are still there...