Water never gets hard on top here in Georgia where I live, so I have never been ice fishing. Why would I want to go? I can fish from my boat every day of the year, so why wish to go stand on ice and try to catch fish? Because it sounds like fun! And there are so many things involved with ice fishing that I am not familiar with, and all the equipment is interesting.
Soon it will be time to go ice fishing in some areas. Do you ice fish? Share your ice fishing tips and information in the comments section.
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Comments
Yes, you’re crazy. If God meant us to fish lakes up north in the winter, he wouldn’t put a lid on them.
I fish 12 months of the year up here, but the only time I set foot on the ice is to push the boat across it to reach open water.
No, there’s nothing wrong with it… I am a charter captain up here in Boston…in November I’m taking people casting at bluefin tuna with spinning gear…and catching 200+ pound fish…after that season, the next thing I catch, and get excited about, is a 12″ perch through the ice… Get lemons, make lemonade. It is a social event up here as much as you want to make it. Some guys are hardcore, some drill their holes, put their traps in, and then sit back and watch for flags to fly.
I gotta try it sometimes, and see if I can stand the cold!
LOL on lid on top. Since our water doesn’t get hard on top and get a lid on it, maybe the imagination of ice fishing is better than the real thing!
I am from the Pacific Northwest and recently moved to WY. I am having a blast with ice fishing and go whenever I can There is nothing else like ice fishing and you will never know what you are missing unless you get out there. We have a public lake close to the house that puts out nontriploid rainbow 10-15 lbs! It is nuts getting one of those through an 8″ hole…
If you are interested in more info my screen name added to gmail.com can get ahold of me!
Ice fishing is a way different game then open water fishing. Your presentation is for the most part confined to vertical. You really need to know your structure, and cover prior to the hard water season. While it is possible to search out your location through the ice, most should be done preseason. I do extensive open water scouting prior to freeze up. You must understand that when the lake freezes it shrinks. A thirty to forty inch cap on top does away with a lot of area you fished during open water. Your searching for substructure instead of structure. Another words, a spot on a spot.
Line, lures, bait, all are downsized to the point of where an eighth ounce jig, seems like a musky lure. Electronics a different too. No side-finders here. Cones are necked down to 9 degrees to enable you to see a 64Th ounce jig in 35-40 feet of water and a small pan-fish 1/2 inch off the bottom.
Ice fishing to open water fishing is like comparing an offensive lineman to a chess player. Personally I enjoy hunkering down in my portable shelter, heater hissing, and playing a game or two.
Find a resort in minnesota and they will teach you ice fishing.
If it was me I would go to the Lake of the Woods, Baudette Mn.
i live mid-state vermont on the boarder with nh. while we love are open water fishing we also live for hard water fishing. early ice finds us on shallow setbacks on the connecticut river jigging for perch, 25 jumbo’s (the limit) usually only takes about 2 hours before work. we set up tipups on weekends for pike and bass or go to a trout lake and set up for trout. our lakes are healthy with large catches of 20 to 30 bass or 15 to 20 pike seen often. trout come a little slower but the quality is rewarding when a 5 lb bow flops out of your hole, our best bass are 8 lb largie 6 3/4 lb smallie and a wopping 19 1/2 lb pike . by january we’re driving to our favorite haunts witch makes fishing so much easier to take everything but the kitchen sink. it’s a total social event most times we fish with a half a dozen or more of us on the ice, gas grills going with venison, burgers,steaks,or anything else you could dream of. and don’t forget the beer. as far as gear goes i can never have enough, can any fisherman ? i carry 8 jig sticks in my rod locker but probably own 30, as far as tipups ??? maybe 40 or more, you have your pike sets, bass sets and trout/perch sets. i own 2 gas augers, chisels, handdrills, sleds, fishfinders, portable shelters, heaters and god only knows what else. if your up in the northcountry drop me a line, like i said it’s a social event. mikefishon@gmail.com