LOCALadk Magazine

Rich Ortiz on Catching Big Adirondack Predators Northern Pike and Lake Trout I have always been captivated by ice fishing in the Adirondacks. e scene of a freshly frozen lake nestled by a glaciar-cut shoreline makes me feel like an early pioneer hunting for a fish dinner. en, only aer I open my Navionics app on my cell phone and start drilling with my lithium battery–powered auger and setting my Magnum Polar Pop-ups along the contour edge, do I realize that I'm a modern ice angler fully equipped for battle against any species the Adirondacks has to offer. Setting the Trap: I use HT Magnum Polar Pop-ups when targeting big predator fish. I'm a big fan of the large spool capacity and the whole cover built in to help prevent ice build-up. ey also are a bit more inconspicuous and won't draw as much attention as a flag will. I equip them with 36-lb. black braided nylon backing and 17-20-lb. fluorocarbon line. e black backing line reflects the least amount of sunlight and the fluorocarbon is mostly invisible. is is very important when fishing the gin-clear lakes found in the Adirondack Park. e fluorocarbon leader line should be 4-6 feet when fishing deeper waters, and when fishing shallow, the fluorocarbon should always be below the ice in the bottom of your hole. For example, in 6 feet of water, use a 2-foot leader with swivel from backing to leader below the ice. When fishing with live bait, a good barrel swivel for backing the leader is important to prevent line twist. When choosing bait, there are many factors to consider, but to keep it simple, consider matching the hatch early season. e fish are still active early ice, and lively bait brings much success first ice. As I get past the first few weeks of safe ice, I transition to big dead bait, oen suspended just above the weed bed, or when fishing clean bottom, sometimes directly on the bottom. ere are some fantastic opportunities to catch pike and lake trout all throughout the Adirondack region. I try to find lakes that have a history of producing giant trophy fish. I recommend Lake George, Lake Champlain, Schroon Lake, and Tupper Lake. ese lakes offer healthy populations of both northern pike and lake trout. Embrace the technology of modern ice fishing, but don't forget to smell the roses. Use your time on the hard water to observe not just the fish but also the wildlife, the sun and the moon, and all else that God's country has to offer. is will teach you a lot, and you will build your fishing intuition. It will take you from catching just a few fish to catching the fish that become the milestones of your ice-fishing adventure. LOCALadk 39 Rich Ortiz and Mike Iaconelli

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