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I'll start it. I'll give ya the same tip I've been giving you for about 8 years. Don't leave home without em. Cutter bugs, gazillia's and gizzy bugs. The vertigo jig heads and the gizzy bug jig heads that he also has are a must have. I like to fish the gizzy bug on a 14" drop line under a cast master. If you are looking for things to increase your success rate these Jigs are it. This is my go to bait when the fish are finicky. The next thing that I would like to tell you guys about is the New Rad Rod holders being made this year. These are being made by a gentleman who is a BFT member. They come with all the hardware. I just googled his web site and it's under construction. His board name is Rich if you like to send him a PM he will tell ya where he is at. The reason why I like these over making your own with PVC pipe is these LOOK G[shocked][shocked]D. Looks like it's about time for me to go find ice. Good luck, see ya on the hard deck.
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Trigger X plastics for panfish! I've had some amazing results using their plastics. I second the cutter bugs too.
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Here's my shortlist of ice fishing tips:
1. A good sonar or flasher will help you find depth, structure, and fish. Take one you are familiar with.
2. Bring a few different baits to tip your lures with. I've had days where they won't eat wax worms or crawlers but crappie nibbles did the trick. I've had several species eat those so even though they are branded for crappie, other species seem to like the taste as well.
3. Punch a lot of holes and be willing to move around. Don't encroach on someone else's area though.
4. Teeny perch imitation jigs and ice flies seem to work well on a lot of bodies of waters here.
5. I like lures that glow. Seems to help.
6. If you can fish with multiple lures on one line, that can really improve success at times. Yes you may get tangled once in a while. Small snaps and swivels can help here.
7. Cut bait never hurts where legal. I swear most species think yellow perch is candy.
8. Have fun and be nice to others.
There ya go.
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I got one of these last year and it is the most roomiest and easy to setup shelter - says it fishies 5 to 7 but 4 guys with two holes each is perfect on those cold and windy days.
[url "http://clamoutdoors.com/store/clam/shelters/six-pack-1660-mag.html"]http://clamoutdoors.com/store/clam/shelters/six-pack-1660-mag.html[/url]
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In the past, my go to jig was a Radical Glow tube jig. As I fished last year, I found that the cutter bugs were out producing the Radical Glows. By the end of the season, my go to jigs were the either the pink or orange 2.5-inch cutter bugs. (However, I still highly recommend the Radical Glow jigs)
My other tip, your jigs have to hang horizontal in the water. If you get a strike and the fish moves on, you need to pull your jig up and check your knot. Roll it back towards the hook point to get it hang horizontal again. The Maniac jigs have a groove in the top that ensures your jig presentation is horizontal - I like these jigs.
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1. When you get a hit, and miss on the hookset, immediately drop the offering back down to the level the fish bit at without reeling in any line. More often than not, the fish will hit it the second time and often is following the bait following the hookset. Too many guys set the hook, miss, then immediately reel in to check bait, missing opportunities.
2. (This next one only works if you have a fishfinder) If you are in a deep lake and the action is slow, drop your offering fairly deep or on the bottom, then reel it in fairly fast, watching your finder the whole time. frequently, you will see fish chasing it up on your finder. The rapid retrieve stimulates a response and can bring them in from some distance. When you see a fish chasing, stop the retrieve and wait for the fish to catch up. It will usually then bite. (works great at Fish Lake)
3. Don't be afraid to set the hook on the faintest bite. I see too many guys that do poorly on the ice because they either don't recognize bites or they don't act to bites because they are too soft. They usually complain that "the fish is just playing with it" when they are getting good ice bites that a more experienced angler can see from a distance.
4. Spots like humps and structure are awesome, but unless you fish some of these, don't be afraid to get away from the crowds. Often the action is much better on your own.
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[quote doggonefishin]
3. Don't be afraid to set the hook on the faintest bite. I see too many guys that do poorly on the ice because they either don't recognize bites or they don't act to bites because they are too soft.[/quote]
good point because the lightest perch, crappie, and walleye bites are the bigger fish most of the time.
ECho was a good example of that the last few years, barely any movement when they would hit but when you set the hook you knew it was a JUMBO.
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[font "Calibri"]My tip: plan as if you are going to fall through the ice at some point, but don’t do it! It can really put a kink in the fishing plans.[/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Ice picks – carry them at all times at the ready.[/font]
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[font "Calibri"]Keep in mind that wind can open up a pressure ridge or a contraction crack in a hurry. When it refreezes, you may not see much of anything different, yet be walking/riding onto very thin ice. Learn to read the ice! [/font]
[font "Calibri"] [/font]
[font "Calibri"]Bring a change of clothes. [/font]
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Have fun laughing at other people’s experiences going through. Read [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=705063;page=1"]Who's gone thru?[/url] Especially be sure to watch the video that CS posted [url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysnKtuUTt8k"]What to do[/url]. My wife credits having watched that video with saving her life. I tend to agree, as she probably would have panicked uncontrollably and possibly took both of us down when we went in had she not watched it ahead of time.
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Here's my tip: Last year when the bite was really slow I would put on a heavier jig and bounce it on the bottom hard several times then pull it a couple feet off the bottom and let it sit for a bit. The heavy bouncing (to the point where I could feel the hit in my pole) seemed to bring fish in. I would catch 3 or 4 fish to other people's one when I was doing that during slower fishing.
I don't believe it's the right strategy all the time, but it's another thing to try when the fish are harder to catch.
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Here's a sort of reverse tip:
Lots of people use a heavy jig or spoon with a tiny lure on a dropper below. The problem (as I see it) with that approach is that you will never feel or see a bite where a fish moves upwards with the tiny dropper. All you feel is the heavy lure above it.
Reverse the rigging. Tie the heavy jig/spoon in below and have the tiny offering above. You'll fee lthe bite no matter what direction the fish moves. I tie all my terminal rigs drop-shot fashion, with the tearddrop jig or ice fly directly on the line a few inches above my heavier lure.
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Good point about hooksets and light bites. Reminded me of something else. A good spring bobber or ice bobber can make a massive difference. I usually have several different rigs and usually two or three of them have a slip bobber rigged up. Good for getting your offering back into the zone once you find where the fish are holding.
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Good keep em coming guys these are great tips. These make these boards meaningful Thanks
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When drilling multiple holes, especially those 10" holes be sure you and your buddies keep track of where they are. Don't lose track of one that's next to one you're scooping out by covering it in slush or snow.
My son stepped into a 10" hole that I had just drilled while clearing a hole next to it. His boot when through to the bottom of the ice and he couldn't pull it back out. He couldn't pull his foot out of the boot either. It took me reaching in up to my arm pit to pull his boot off so he could get his leg out. I kept a grip on the boot and was able to work it out too. We set the shelter up, cranked up the heater and by the end of the day things were warm and dry for the walk back to the truck.
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[quote wagdog]Good point about hooksets and light bites. Reminded me of something else. A good spring bobber or ice bobber can make a massive difference. I usually have several different rigs and usually two or three of them have a slip bobber rigged up. Good for getting your offering back into the zone once you find where the fish are holding.[/quote]
Here's another tip along those lines. If you are using lightweight jigs with monofilament, copolymer, or fluoro and look carefully at your line, you will see that the memory of the line will cause the line not to hang perfectly straight, but to hang with a little curvature. This can be used to your advantage. If you see the line curvature straightening out, it is a fish biting. Let 'er rip with a hookset and it will be fish on. IMO, the line springiness is even more sensitive than any type of spring or slip bobber around and I rarely use them, even at places like Utah lake for panfish. It does require close attention however.
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#1 The hottest lure/bait in the world won't catch many, if any, fish if it isn't presented correctly. Learn how to fish each lure correctly, the way they are designed. There are some very reputable sources on the web and elsewhere and countless not so great sources.
#2 All fish are not created equal. You may catch the odd trout while fishing for bluegill or perch but if you learn how to target the fish you want you will increase your catch. I almost always catch oddballs but I usually catch mostly what I'm targeting because I'm fishing specific bodies of water, structures, depths, lures/baits, cadence, etc.
#3 Quality gear! That $5 combo may be a great deal for your wallet but it will freeze up and cost you fish and you will say profanities other anglers shouldn't have to endure. There are a ton cheep plastic spooled reels and overly limber or stiff rods packed with garbage 6, 8 or 10 lb mono. Get a good graphite rod with some back bone and sensitive tip ($15-$30), a good inline reel or spinning reel with 2-4+ bearings ($20+) and match it up with quality line that will handle what you are after. 2-4 lb line, maybe 6 lb at the heaviest for the typical rainbow trout or panfish. Learn to tie quality knots.
#4 Pay attention! It's lots of fun hearing, "That *#%@ fish just pulled my rod down the hole!" or "Dang, I think I just missed another bite." What were they doing? Drinking? Eating? Spying on me to find out why I'm catching so many fish? Obviously not watching their rod. Most winter-time fish bite lightly and quickly.
#5 Its got to be said -- With so many people out there catching and many releasing, please remember, if you're going to release the fish release it so it can live to be caught again. Fish skin and eyes can freeze when its cold and windy and/or if the ice is dry and they lay there for more than a few seconds. You should be able to unhook and get plenty of photos and have the fish back down the hole in well under 45 seconds. I "love" seeing people out on the ice or on Youtube step on and/or kick their fish back down the hole. Fish are tough, but really.
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Never, EVER, bring 7 layer bean dip to share with friends in a shanty. At least with my friends in my shanty. Never!
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[#0000FF]Hey Glen I figured it was about time you came out of summer hibernation. Nothing like a couple of ice reports to wake you up and get your motor running.
I put up a couple of posts last year showing how I use those long handled "reach tools"...the ones with a grip handle and closing jaws. Us old fudds, or guys with bad backs, have a tough time bending over to pull larger fish up out of the hole...or to pick up fish and other stuff laying around on the ice. I have been using a couple of different models for about 3 or 4 years and they really are handy when you are all bundled up and already carrying a few extra pounds around your middle.
I am going to also try a snake handling grabber this year. They have more grip than some of the wimpy household picker uppers.
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The best tip I can give anyone...follow Pikeman99 around and do what he does. Glen is a great guy and very generous with his knowledge, lures and sometimes his lunch!
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[#0000FF]Yeah...he's the "salt of the earth"...and ice too.
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Stole my tip so I'll have to settle with backing up your statement. Super great guy and can't wait to run into him again this year on the hard deck.
Did somebody mention butterworms?[:p]
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