Ice Quest for Onieda Walleye

[snakeriver]

I think It's high time someone figures out walleye fishing at Oneida through the ice. I see shows in other parts of the country and guys catch em through the ice so why not here.What are the guys on this forums opinions?Are there problems with the place as a ice fishing local or do most just head for more established waters. I've got 20 bucks for the first one here to pull off a walleye catch this winter at oneida res. [sly] So let the games begin.
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[sten668]

Onieda walleye is one of my goals this winter. I read that the ice can be flakey. Any word on the ice conditions now? What is the best access? I've never been there?
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[windriver]

I think Walleye are just tough to catch without live bait. Most of the walleye states allow the use of live minnows.

I am not an expert, but that might be a factor.

Windriver
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[Belasko]

I wonder how a paddle bug would work on an eye. It sure looks like a wounded minnow when jigging it. Could work
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[MMDon]

Maybe a dead minnow and a Paddle Bug Jig. If it's moving they should hit it!
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[snakeriver]

I saw a show the other day where they were fishing plastic 5 inch worms with a stinger hook behind a 1/2 once jig head. They were vertical jigging for walleye, granted it wasn't through the ice it was from a boat. I wonder if one of the 50,000 walleye a year they plant in onieda would fall for this. It just seems like we should know more about how to catch the buggers. They have been planting them there since the 70's. Who is gonna go forth and claim my 20.00 bucks.
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[MMDon]

I see them fish with those gulp leeches in a jar for Eyes as well. I hope someone takes your twenty. I have a cabinet contract in that area in about a month. I may have to see if a Jackson wants to come home with me!
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[prettyfish]

Last winter I was living close to Oakley so I decided to figure out those walleye through the ice. I had about ten years of experience fishing it and three days to figure them out. Well long story short i fished long and hard for three days all over that lake and caught everything there was to catch but walleye. A friend of mine told me that there was an old timer that would catch them using live bait and would just pay the two to three tickets he would get every year. I however was not willing to pay a fine but I did throw every thing at them that I had and bought some stuff that I saw on video for them.
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[jigs]

i would imagine a 1 inch curly tail tipped with worm would work just like it does in the warmer months. i would jigg it slowly but constant so the tail has some movment. i will be giving it a try in january i imagine.
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[MMDon]

[quote jigs]i would imagine a 1 inch curly tail tipped with worm would work just like it does in the warmer months. i would jigg it slowly but constant so the tail has some movment. i will be giving it a try in january i imagine.[/quote]

I'm with you Jigs! They gotta eat and with cold water they have to be taking easy targets that don't spend much on the metabolism counter. I'm thinking a Pearl Curly Tail with a Gulp Leach might just bring home the 2x10 bill. [cool]
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[jigs]

anyone know if you can use a live leach in idaho? if i remember right its a no, but i think it would work maybe even a dead one jigged slightly. anyone done much with those gulp baits i have wanted to try them but havnt got around to it yet. maybe this is the place and time
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[MMDon]

[quote jigs]anyone know if you can use a live leach in idaho? if i remember right its a no, but i think it would work maybe even a dead one jigged slightly. anyone done much with those gulp baits i have wanted to try them but havnt got around to it yet. maybe this is the place and time[/quote]
A leech is an invertebrate the same as a night crawler. Fair game! I'm thinking the gulp baits would be easier to come by! Importing leaches from the east coast would probably be illegal (invasive species) and I'm not aware of any licensed leach bait dealers in Idaho. [laugh]
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[Got_Bait]

I've caught a bunch of walleyes through the ice at Oneida, but it was back in 1999-2000. Does that count for the $20?? My buddy almost sunk a snowmobile there one time, so I don't think I would plan on driving any machines out there. Walking out onto the ice you should be fine. It was just that one occasion that the ice was goofy and I think it was cuz it had been very warm: lots of melting and the ice had kinda turned to slush. Every other time I have been the ice was just like any other reservoir, nothing like any of these crazy gap stories you hear.

Here's the problem I have with ice fishing Oneida: I drive from Logan/Smithfield up to Preston and through the Narrows and there is this grumpy guy that works for Pacificorp that thinks he is the boss of the whole wide world. On more than one occasion he has denied me from driving any further than the red point campground. One time we had actually made it all the way up to the reservoir and were loading up the sled on our way out onto the ice and he comes bombing up there all pissed off and made us go back down to the river, telling us we were lucky to be able to come up that far. We tried to get him to let us off the hook since we only had ice gear and since we were already up there, but he was having none of it. So we went back down to the river and tried fishing it with ice rods. Luckily the fish were really biting and we had some fun. I even caught a 20" brown swimming a 1/4 oz jig.

Anyways, I look at it as a bit of a gamble to drive that far when I don't know if that turkey is going to let me drive to the rezy or not.
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[CROSSINEYES]

use sweedish pimples and jigging rapalas tipped with minnow heads. i recomend buy some infisherman ice walleye videos as well. they show everything about winter eyes. well worth 10 bucks eatch.[]
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[kochanut]

doesent someone live up that road? what would give him the right to do that? ill be hard pressed to let him stop me, unless hes obviously just looking out for my safety
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[jigs]

there are some houses at maple grove hotsprings but the plow it from the back side. from the grace side to the homes. which is probly the way to go if you wanted to try.
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[dma_ayotte]

Yes, there are houses there and ppl live there yr round. They are the ones who plow that section of the road only from the hotsprings to the highway by grace side. The narrows side is only plowed to the dam.
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[dma_ayotte]

They have a "road closed" sign there at the redrock camp ground. When its over the road YES no one can go up there. if it is laid aside on the snow then its open to the public. They do this cuz of all the locals who bomb up there mudding up there trucks and digging ruts in the roads and trying to see who gets the most mud on the tires.... The Pacificorp ppl are the one who does the roads, so they think they have the right to say no or yes to access the roads.
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[snakeriver]

Got bait, while your previous success doesn't count for this years contest what you have is valuable information. Would you mind educating the rest of us as to the technique and general area you had success? If you are within striking distance good luck and I will happily send you the 20 bucks if you catch the first walleye posted this year from oneida through the ice.Your report at least proves it can and has been done. Lets go after em boys, Those walleye are just a waiting.
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[kochanut]

a reliable source has told me (this could be smack talk, i will have to confirm later this afternoon) that a double digit wall eye was pulled out of Onieda within the past week. more to come.
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