Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! > Crappies
Difficult crappies. Hundreds of fish without mouths
Chris338378:
Use 2 to 4 pound line max, try going smaller such as a size 12 or 14 jig with a waxie or a spike, try different colored jigs (I'd start with a red glow), as others have said set up a tip-down or if you can't do that lay your rod on a bucket with a good spring bobber. Also make sure your jig isn't spinning by using a barrel swivel with a six inch leader.
hnd:
i would guess they aren't crappies but baitfish. see it a hundred times. if i could have back all the time i've spent jigging schools of baitfish, i'd have at least a week of time on my hands.
HardH20Fishin:
Great tips...thanks.
Sylvanboat:
--- Quote from: hnd on Dec 14, 2016, 01:27 PM ---i would guess they aren't crappies but baitfish. see it a hundred times. if i could have back all the time i've spent jigging schools of baitfish, i'd have at least a week of time on my hands.
--- End quote ---
Perfect time for a camera.
Agronomist_at_IA:
--- Quote from: hnd on Dec 14, 2016, 01:27 PM ---i would guess they aren't crappies but baitfish. see it a hundred times. if i could have back all the time i've spent jigging schools of baitfish, i'd have at least a week of time on my hands.
--- End quote ---
hnd is correct. Unless you have a camera.....you will never know. I've spent countless hours fishing picking off a fish here or there because we had "fish" all over the vexilar. Sure we had/have fish.....but it's 95%+ small bait fish and the one or two fish we caught had came in to feed on the baitfish.
When it is dark or not good enough conditions for checking with a camera....here is how you tell. Find the smallest tungsten jig you can put on and still feel the line with a single small spike. Keep a finger on the line to feel the bite. If you are feeling small hits/nibbles/light bites, but can actually hook the fish......it's more then likely a bunch of bait fish. They just bite the small spike, but the hook isn't small enough to fit in there mouth. Even a perch the size of your pinky finger can be caught on a small tungsten with a spike....baitfish..... I never was able to actually hook one.
Once you establish that your on baitfish.....you need to decide.....do I stay and fish in them waiting for fish......if so watching the size of Mark on the sonar will tell you which Mark is an acceptable size fish to try and jig for...
Overall for what I've experianced fishing in bait fish schools isn't worth the time.....to much forage for the fish to choose over your presentation & your catch rate sucks.....
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