Think about it.....fish are under the ice in the water, no place else they can go.  Been that way for ever.  Crappie fishing:  Used to be minnow under a bobber, sometimes fish would take minnow so hard the bobber would go "sploosh" as it went under....then you waited how long before you set the hook?  Bottom of the hole? Further yet?  Then came fish locators, you could see how deep it was, the bottom composition and where the fish were in relation to your bait which no matter how small you could see too...even could tell if your waxie was gone...Now spring bobbers, just the slightest wiggle or pause is a bite. Are fish biting that light or did they always and we just didn't know it?  Now look at your line as it goes down the hole....curls in it, or crinkled where it was knotted up.  Lets' see did I put that on this year or last?  Should hang pretty much straight down shouldn't it?  Now you are out there fishing on a beautiful late winter day.  Sunny, warm, a bit of wind, holes stay open don't freeze up.....but no fish on locator, dead sea in everyones holes, not just you.  Too nice to be in the shack, portable or permanent.  What gives?  Ice is now what, 16 to 20 inches thick.  How dark do you think it is down there?  Pretty dark not?  What do you think it looks like down there when you drill and clean out a hole?  Maybe try drilling hole and not clean out, just drop locator and spoon/Swedish pimple in that will go through the ice chips and see what happens.....they say fish have a brain about the size of a pea.  Well us fishermans brains haven't gotten any bigger either, we need to think and adapt to the conditions to be successful.  Oh and by the way, picking up garbage on the ice or at the landing makes the fish bite better too.  Either way, if it's fishing or catching out there hope you have a good time.  Woody Eckes