Don’t expect a 3/8-ounce spoon to drop straight down any ice hole in the Great Lakes. Instead, everything tends to move off to the side until your line looks to be positioned at about a 45-degree angle. It’s an unsettling scene for first-timers on any of the big Lakes.

But anglers who habitually fish the Great Lakes know that current under the ice is naturally part of the deal—and a big piece of the fishing equation. Starting near the end of December (when ice generally forms on the bay), Lake Superior guides Jim Hudson and Chris Beeksma tirelessly chase browns, steelhead, lakers, and splake all over the Chequemegon Bay area of Lake Superior until the ice is gone in April. Both deem water movements a primary force that drives trout and salmon.

“Current is always a factor in our success,” says Hudson. “For instance, brown trout really react positively when the current shifts. You can watch the current shift the angle of your line to a different part of your hole. A vertical line signifies your window of opportunity. When your line moves from diagonal to hanging directly below, get ready, because that’s when browns make their move.”

Due to varying climatic conditions and lake topography, currents play against different structural elements that can be difficult to predict. It’s why Hudson looks for certain key structural features and then learns how current affects each spot. “I key on two select areas for brown trout,” he says. “Flats with a mud bottom in 20 to 35 feet attract a lot of fish right away in the winter. These fish often are trailing schools of smelt, lake shiners, or perch, so they’re willing biters, but you have to move continually to stay on fish.

“I also consistently catch browns near sharp edges that transition from sand to rock. Look for these spots off rocky points and islands. Here, you’re targeting roughly 10 to 30 feet of water where trout are feeding on invertebrates and smaller baitfish. Of course, with the kick of a fin, browns can move off these breaks over 30 to 50 feet to feed on suspended smelt that travel just outside the edge.

“Subtle jigging with orange and gold spoons rules for browns on Superior,” Hudson says. “A lure called the Zitz (ficiousjigs.com), which is a spoon a friend of mine makes for fishing Lake St. Clair, was hot this past season. But classics like the Bay de Noc Swedish Pimple and Acme Kastmaster always produce.

“Curiously, rattle spoons don’t work for browns,” he says. “In fact, I believe rattles in some spoons actually spook browns. We’ve seen this by watching browns on the Aqua-Vu,” he says. “By the way, not only is it a lot of fun to downview browns with an underwater camera, but it allows you to see how fish are reacting to your lure and the way you’re jigging, good or bad.”

Lure weight should match current and depth. For instance, fishing over 35 feet of water (with active current) likely calls for a 1/2-ounce spoon. For jigging, Hudson tips his spoons with the head of a lake shiner. And when brown get spooky, few things beat soaking lively lake shiners on a deadstick rod or below a tip-up, he says.

Moderately fast-action rods in the 29- to 42-inch-long class, teamed with reels built with quality drags (big browns are famous for their power runs), are mandatory. “I keep it simple with 8-pound Trilene XL. And despite the clear water of Superior, I’ve haven’t seen any difference when using fluorocarbon,” Hudson reports. “We regularly tussle with browns in the 8- to 12-pound range, so it’s silly to rely on inferior tackle.”

Even more amazing, perhaps, is that few anglers realize such an ice-fishing experience exists. From Lake Superior to Michigan, Huron to Ontario, untold bays and shallow estuaries harbor big numbers of wintertime trout and salmon. As Hudson and Beeksma might say, you haven’t really ice-fished until you’ve tussled with a sturdy Great Lakes trout.

*Cory Schmidt is a freelance writer living in Brainerd, Minnesota. Captain Chris Beeksma (715/292-4410), Delta, Wisconsin, has 20 years of guiding experience on Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior. Jim Hudson (715/779-5833) is a noted ice-fishing guide and police officer in Bayfield, Wisconsin.