Ice fishing?

[Bassboss]

Who ice fishes? Just went out with a bud for an hour or so. Got a little taste, but we're planning to but the shack out next week some time... already a couple out there.

So for bream, crappies, norther, and perch, what's a fella looking for?

Lake is generally pretty shallow and very weedy.

Here's a topo.

http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/maps/DNR/0329900a.pdf

That 15' hole looks pretty good to me, find where the weeds stop, and fish the weed line seems like a sure bet to me (but I really have no idea, lol)!

Thanks for any help guys! I'll be throwing some pics up later. Got a water proof camera for Christmas, so I'll probably take a couple of pics in the ice!

[joedog]

I've done a little hard water fishing.

The spot you see is great. Should produce best in the 5'-10' band. If bream is the target.
Looks a little shallow for any crappie numbers. But whats in the water? Bass, Pike, Bream, crappie? Are you targeting anything in particular or just want to enjoy a day on the ice?
Buddie got electronics? Seems that a large majority of anglers with shacks and tents do now days. If you thinking Bass and want artificials try a small 'darter' style lure. Easy to jig. Lots of action. Bait Fish shaped. Pull up hard and let flutter down. Then just dead sticking after fall. Change frequency and pauses as you see fit. Bass eat all winter long...they're just not willing to work for it. There is a cold water die off in any northern body of water. Hence the flutter drop. ANY ice fishing bait shop will have 'darters'.
Pike have ABSOLUTLY NO respect for water temps. They bite ALL year long aggressively. But they love dead sticked chubs!

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by joedog

I've done a little hard water fishing.

The spot you see is great. Should produce best in the 5'-10' band. If bream is the target.
Looks a little shallow for any crappie numbers. But whats in the water? Bass, Pike, Bream, crappie? Are you targeting anything in particular or just want to enjoy a day on the ice?
Buddie got electronics? Seems that a large majority of anglers with shacks and tents do now days. If you thinking Bass and want artificials try a small 'darter' style lure. Easy to jig. Lots of action. Bait Fish shaped. Pull up hard and let flutter down. Then just dead sticking after fall. Change frequency and pauses as you see fit. Bass eat all winter long...they're just not willing to work for it. There is a cold water die off in any northern body of water. Hence the flutter drop. ANY ice fishing bait shop will have 'darters'.
Pike have ABSOLUTLY NO respect for water temps. They bite ALL year long aggressively. But they love dead sticked chubs!

Thanks for the pointers Joe, sounds good! I'll have to me onea them darters.

[BigBassin144]

We usually ice fish for stuff you can eat. And remember you're in the north now, you don't have to settle for crappie; there's much better eating fish up here. If the lake has perch, that's what I'd be targeting. We use live shiners for them. If there's crappie around, you'll catch them too on shiners.

If you can get on a lake for walleye, give that a try too.

BB

[nofearengineer]

And Anthony takes his obligatory shot at Crappie....

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

And Anthony takes his obligatory shot at Crappie....

I guess I just don't see what's so great about them.

I will admit, the best crappie you'll ever eat will be straight out of the ice and into a frying pan.

BB

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

We usually ice fish for stuff you can eat. And remember you're in the north now, you don't have to settle for crappie; there's much better eating fish up here. If the lake has perch, that's what I'd be targeting. We use live shiners for them. If there's crappie around, you'll catch them too on shiners.

If you can get on a lake for walleye, give that a try too.

BB

The lake has very few perch. Good numbers of bream, crappies, and northern pike though!

We got a lake not to far that has a couple walleye, but to many. And besides, the shack isn't going there, lol.

[joedog]

So take a tip up for outside the shack. Put a chub on it and let it sit.
Jig inside the shack. You MAY just find yourself outside the shack more than in it.
Like I said, northerns thru the ice is active ALL winter and alot of folks will tell you that winter is the time for trophy pike.
I've seen guys catch pike too big to get through the ice hole.
Bottom line...HAVE FUN!

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by joedog

So take a tip up for outside the shack. Put a chub on it and let it sit.
Jig inside the shack. You MAY just find yourself outside the shack more than in it.
Like I said, northerns thru the ice is active ALL winter and alot of folks will tell you that winter is the time for trophy pike.
I've seen guys catch pike too big to get through the ice hole.
Bottom line...HAVE FUN!

Yeah, we plan on bringing several tip ups and tip downs. Should be pretty fun!

It kinda reminds me of salt water fishing with having so many lines in the water, lol.

[BigBassin144]

Just check local regulations on how many lines/tip-ups you can have per person. I don't know about up there, but the DNR seems to really step up their watch on inland water during the winter here.

BB

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

Yeah, we plan on bringing several tip ups and tip downs. Should be pretty fun!

It kinda reminds me of salt water fishing with having so many lines in the water, lol.

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

Just check local regulations on how many lines/tip-ups you can have per person. I don't know about up there, but the DNR seems to really step up their watch on inland water during the winter here.

BB

I will echo what Anthony said. Don't end up being one of the subjects of these reports.

Like this, for example... "Warden Lance Burns, of Gordon, received a compliant about a subject ice fishing with unattended lines. The subject also was using four lines and was cited for the violation."

There are always some real clowns to read about each week in the MN Outdoor News "cuffs and collars" report.

[joedog]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

Just check local regulations on how many lines/tip-ups you can have per person. I don't know about up there, but the DNR seems to really step up their watch on inland water during the winter here.

BB

Three line/lure state.
DNR in Wi. think they walk on water all year.
But the 'icers' really get the tickets.
Around here and more so in LaCrosse they count the fish in each and every bucket. There can be as many as 50 shacks and portables in a quarter acre plot.
I've seen the 'icers' DESTROY ponds due to over harvest.
Caught a group of four from Chicago staying in a resort for 3 days and had like a thousand sunnies. All cleaned and cooler-ed. Actually that's how they got caught...someone saw all the fish they were cleaning outside their cabin. And ya, the dummies were to lazy to clean up the 'innards'.
Fined them something like $100 per fish over possession limit of 50. Now four anglers, 200 legal...$80,000

Now thats JUSTICE!
Oh ya, one was cited for no licsense.

[keithdog]

This is why I don't ice fish.

[joedog]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNethv0-W-w

Forget the electronics...no problem!
http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/...igr=11rde3h68&

Ice too thick...no problem!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y-k-...layer_embedded

Or you can let the LADIES do the heavy work!
http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/...igr=11a2rtm4m&



http://bikiniicefishing.com/?page_id=36