Forget the magazine articles, the common sense, conventional wisdom, and what others say...what are some things you are certain of and "know" based on your own experience ice fishing....
Ice Fishing
In my experience....
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In my experience there will always be that first person on the ice when they shouldn't be going out there yet. I couldn't believe I saw someone on the ice already over the weekend in southern Wisconsin! We haven't even had a single day yet where the temperature has stayed below freezing for a high!
I hear ya "Bring on the ice".
Maybe one of these threads can help us get through the summer! I look forward to next ice as well.
Here's one. In my experience, I have to say that it's extremely common for a flag to go up while I'm eating "lunch". I know I alluded to this before, but if I had to graph when flags go up on average....during my lunch would most certainly be near the top. And there really is no reason for this. Just one of those odd things.
1) Running on the ice spooks more fish than augering holes, especially in shallower waters. Seen it on camera with ice 14" thick and the guy running was 100#.
2) Also agree with crappie being spooked by fast falling lures - most of the time they like a slower falling lure. Seen that on camera, too.
3) I prefer spikes over waxies. They stay on the hook so much better than wax worms and are so much more "versatile" in what you can do with your presentation of them, if you know what you're doing....That said, I have a hard time finding spikes in northern WI and have to bring them from northern IL when I go up. And red spikes? Can't remember ever seeing them in Vilas County. No problem finding wax worms up north, though. Maybe I'm just going too late in the season....
n. Pike, between this thread the other one you started (Are you done for the season?), I'm jonesing for more ice. It was a strange ice season this year with the mild weather and then this new "bug." I do love open water fishing, too, but I'm just as ready for December, and so I say...bring on the ice!
Augers and trucks dont make noise underwater like a sled does. I fish clear water pan fish a lot and when a sled goes by 100 yards away you often see a wave of pan fish go through, coming from the direction of the sled path. You can augers a hole, scoop it and look down at fish many times. I've done that in 7' of water when the crappies were no more that 4 feet from the blades on the auger.
Not sure how much noise really plays a factor when fishing. For some fish I'm sure it does, but I've caught panfish while someone is drilling a hole with a power auger right next to me. I've heard guys say if you walk around your tip ups it can trigger fish to bite that are just starring at it.
One time with a group of guys someone brought an air hammer while we were fishing for northern. He hit it on the ice a few times and twice a flag immediately went up. I've caught walleye in 4 fow with a big group of guys and the flags right next to us went up just as much if not more than the ones far away.
This just happened today and I immediately thought of this thread....
If you ice fish really early or really late in the season....expect guys in trucks to drive by and watch you for a while. Some stop. Some just kind of go about 4 MPH and stare. Hey, I've been that guy too, sometimes it's me simply wishing I were out there!
Displaying 1 to 10 of 28 posts
