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Nothing. I read a few posts here and went with it. I got out on the ice at around 1800 and saw some gents heading back in and of course I asked, "any luck?" The look on the guys face said enough...
I jigged at about 40' with a small glow ratso tipped with wax worm for a bit. Tried a couple other options... not a bite. I was using a tip as well for those light bites. The fish just weren't around at the time. I will be trying again.
I don't have a flasher or anything and was wondering the level of recommendation? I cant afford a new one, Uncle Sam doesn't pay me enough. Is there a good place to get a used one and a brand that's dependable?
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Ray,[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Your best bet for a used flasher would probably be KSL Classifieds or Craigs List. Google them and you'll probably find something you can use & afford.[/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Without some kind of sonar, you are truly fishing blind. If you can't see the fish, it's very hard to catch them.[/#800000][/font]
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Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 83 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
"Free men do not ask permission to bear arms."
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Roger that Hicks.
I am going to look into it. I will find the fish! I appreciate the feedback.
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Back in the day when I started to do a lot of ice fishing, I didn't have a flasher or finder, still caught plenty of fish. Yes, a sonar is a good tool, it does help but there are other ways to catch without one, it just takes a little more time to find the fish. I use to drop the lure to the bottom and reel up a turn of the handle, wait, if nothing, then another reel until I started to get bites. I would put a little action on the jig, other times I would dead stick. I caught a lot of fish back then.
I do use a sonar now, it does take a lot of guessing out of it but I do catch just as many fish. There have been times that my battery has died so I am blinded, no sense to quit fishing, it is always a good thing to have a couple of techniques under your belt. If you have the money to get one, by all means, get one. The sonars will also teach you the behavior of the fish, it is fun to see what the fish are doing and how they react to different movements of your lure.
I do a lot of bass fishing, I use my sonar to look for structure and depth, not so much for fish.
There are a lot of sonars on the market, It depends on how much you want to spend. Educate yourself on what the different enhancements do. I think the most important thing is the pixels, that is the separation of the bottom and the fish, even between the fish. The lower the pixel, the more of a "glob" the fish will be or will not be able to differentiate the fish from the bottom. Like Dubob said, you might be able to find a used one but be careful, know what you are buying, know what the transducers do and test one out. Fill up a 5 gallon bucket with water, put something that will sink to the bottom that is a couple of inches, put the transducer in and see if it will read it. It is not a guarantee, but it will give you an idea.
Good luck to you!
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We hit N. Cemetery on Saturday at about 6:00 AM. We found holes that some night fisherman must have been using and when we kicked them open, three live crappie popped out, no joke. I put the finder in and marked about 15 fish with crappie-looking signatures on the display and we tried to get those rascals to bite for about two hours until they just sort of meandered away without even asking to be excused.
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Did you keep those three you had jump out of the hole? Sounds like they were volunteering to be run through some hot grease! [cool][cool]
Crappie are a weird bunch. They love structure, suspend, need minnows to get big, etc. I swear, sometimes you have to put a jig right in front of their nose. And EVEN THEN they may not bite. They seem to be more affected by weather changes than some species but it could be that is just what I experienced in the past. In Texas we would fish the fronts. It seemed like when the barometric pressure would change, it would trigger crappie (and probably other species too) to put the feed sack on.
The most annoying thing is what you just described. You are marking fish. You are putting it right in front of them and they sit and stare with closed mouths. What a bunch of jerks! Don't they realize they taste better rolled in cornmeal and bathed in 350 degree oil? [  ]
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Have you fished for crappie using your mentioned methods?? If so I would like to see pictures of your success. [ ]
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You could probably find a flasher on KSL Classifieds. I really don't know anything about them to give advice on which kind to get.
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You can by a Lowrance Elite3 on line at Glens Army Navy store for $88 no shipping or sales tax, I just ordered one to have as an extra It's by no means a top of the line Lowrance but it is in color and I think it should do the job you want.
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Yep, I buy a lot from These guys and they have always treated me good.
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I just checked it out, I will definitely put some cash aside for it. That's really all I need, small enough to fit in my pack, I carry everything and would have no room for one of the bigger models.
Thanks for all the feedback fellas.
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Pookiebar, yes, I have fished for crappie with these methods, and yes, I have caught fish. I have no pictures to prove it, nor having pictures will do any good to prove it. Catching crappie without a sonar is more difficult, especially when they start suspending but it is achievable. The crappie, for the most part, are not suspending right now so they are easier to catch by reeling up a turn or 2 and then remembering what you did when you start catching fish. One can also catch perch by this method which I think is better tasting anyway so I didn't mind catching those instead.
When we went for crappie without a sonar, we fished by the trees along the narrows years ago, we did alright for them. Once you find them, you can catch quite a few, they might move off the hole but most likely stay at that depth.
The only thing I was saying was there are other ways to catch fish, not as easy without all these tools but it can be done.
Not sure how to do the y emoticon, maybe this will do.
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Well just wasn't sure how well that would work with the crappie. I know doing that works for perch, and for trout, especially if they aren't suspended. But I personally would not even try fro crappie if I didn't have a fish finder of some kind. But to each their own I guess. [fishin]
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You will have to get one of the 12 volt dry cell batteries to power it, I think Sportsman's sells them.
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I fished there last night, we went to the north of cemetery point and then west almost to the end of it. We did better with meal worms than wax worms. All the fish were 2 to 3 cranks off the bottom I had a fish finder but next time I wouldn't need one all the fish that bit were within 6' of the bottom. I used a small glow teardrop with a swedish pipple about a foot above it. We did ok. I will be going back to the same spot.
Jim
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Crappie caught at 40' depth are keepers by default...the 3 that popped up through the holes were surely catch and release attempts. They are unable to reverse the air buildup from the pressure change.
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Without sonar the best approach is hit hole after hole and drill, drill, drill, until you find a bite.
I don't have a sonar, but do fine on both perch and crappie just by not sitting long at a hole where you aren't getting bit. 5 minutes maximum. Then drill all around you and move to a different, but close hole when the action slows.
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