Changing spots

[stripernut]

I use a hand auger and have many days with over 50 holes. When the ice gets over 18" then the number goes down, but I am more likely to refish holes that I have already cut... The better the fishing the fewer the hole!

[fishermantim]

The bottom line is : "How badly do you want to catch fish, and what are you willing to do to get them?"

[falconcg]

The bottom line is : "How badly do you want to catch fish, and what are you willing to do to get them?"

Well that why you guys are there...to help me find the best possible solution .  The weather will not be too good here in Gatineau, QC this week, over the freezing point all week .

[eriksat1]

If you are setting up tip ups you can do the leap frog thing, works best with 2 or 3 people. Set all your tip up's if no flags by the time the last one is set leap frog the first one in front of the rest and keep going like that until you start getting flags. You can cover a lot of water like that and keep everyone busy. One guy stays out ahead drilling holes, one guy cleans the holes, one guy moves the tip ups. If you have 9 tip ups out that gives about 20 mins per hole to try and get a flag.

[falconcg]

If you are setting up tip ups you can do the leap frog thing, works best with 2 or 3 people. Set all your tip up's if no flags by the time the last one is set leap frog the first one in front of the rest and keep going like that until you start getting flags. You can cover a lot of water like that and keep everyone busy. One guy stays out ahead drilling holes, one guy cleans the holes, one guy moves the tip ups. If you have 9 tip ups out that gives about 20 mins per hole to try and get a flag.

I mostly jig.  Since I put back everything back, it's just to fish and to try to find fish on my sonar/flasher that I like.  It's not to get 50 fishes, espicially if I put them all back.  I have no problem with people keeping there fish.  I am allergic to fish so I don't eat it.

[Kilbourn]

I mostly jig.  Since I put back everything back, it's just to fish and to try to find fish on my sonar/flasher that I like.  It's not to get 50 fishes, espicially if I put them all back.  I have no problem with people keeping there fish.  I am allergic to fish so I don't eat it.

I'm sorry to hear you're allergic to fish but think it's awesome that you're still able to enjoy the sport of it! I think most would just avoid it all together and be missing out on a life time of fun. 

[falconcg]

I'm sorry to hear you're allergic to fish but think it's awesome that you're still able to enjoy the sport of it! I think most would just avoid it all together and be missing out on a life time of fun. 

And that's the reason that I started fishing at age 38 (now 40).  I didn't really  know it was a sport until a friend of mine told me that he did Bass Tournaments and that they didn't keep the fishes.  So since then (2011), I bought a new boat 16', got tendinites in both elbows for too much fishing .  Let's say that I am pretty hardcore.  For a guy that as been fishing for only two, let's say that I have A LOT of equipment .  I posted tonnes of pics on my facebook profile (chris l'apprenti pêcheur).  I always try to understand how the fishes behave, in what environment that they live...I never ask for spots or stuff like that.  Ice fishing got me back outside.  Was kinda staying inside in the winter months.

[icefishnaddct]

it's really situational for me. weather? species? water body (familiar or not)? time of year? i own a few ice houses but tend to fish outside of them more than inside as of recently. only because if i'm outside i don't have a problem moving around to find fish and i can stay pretty warm down to -10. but if i set up the house and get nice and toasty and take some layers off i am more likey to not wanna step back outside and deal with tear down. i also do alot of walleye fishing and if the fish are moving then i am not, i'll just sit with a call lure (zipper's are my favorite) in one hole and a stationary rod (ready and available to jig if needed) in another right beside it. i think it's better to sit and call in moving fish than to try and jump around and intercept them, not right or wrong just what works for me. however if the eyes aren't moving then i am, i rip my zipper 50-100 times in a hole and if nothing comes in then i'm onto the next hole. just as a tip in the dead of winter when fish are slugish and sticking tight to the bottom, don't drill a bunch of holes to start with, drill 10-15 holes, fish them, then drill more fish them and circle back to your old holes. drilling holes will move fish around that otherwise wouldn't move and by drilling them in sets like that it could move them back underneath your previously drilled holes. as opposed to drilling a crap ton of holes right off the bat and moving fish completely out of the area. it doesn't always work but on really slow biting days it could be the difference between a limit of fish or an empty bucket.

[bassbull]

I fish for bluegills and crappies and use a flasher and a flip over (commando). If I don't mark fish in 5 min. I'm moving to a new hole. I LIKE A LOT OF BITES IN A DAY!! That doesn't mean that I move to the other side of the lake now. I've seen a lot of times where a small move of 30 ft. is all it took to be on the hot spot. It all boils down to what YOU want and like. Every one is out there for a lot of different reason. You have to decide if its numbers of fish you want our just a lot of fresh air. Either way its good. STEVE

[hnd]

  Let's say that I am pretty hardcore.

sitting on a spot with no activity for an hour before you move is hardly hardcore.

[falconcg]

sitting on a spot with no activity for an hour before you move is hardly hardcore.

That's why the celebrities do not like to do interviews, they are mis-quoted

[hnd]

That's why the celebrities do not like to do interviews, they are mis-quoted

just giving you the business. 

for most ice fishing applications, mobility is the key.  alot of times fish that stay put are negative fish.

[Ironeagle]

I move constantly until I am on consistent bite, then I will set up tipups. If your using a pop up I recommend not setting up shop until your on fish.  Before I had a flip over that's what I did. Or save up, sell the pop up and get a flip over. You will love it!

[falconcg]

I move constantly until I am on consistent bite, then I will set up tipups. If your using a pop up I recommend not setting up shop until your on fish.  Before I had a flip over that's what I did. Or save up, sell the pop up and get a flip over. You will love it!

I think that I might get a flip when I get an ATV because they are a bit tougher to move around than a pop up.  With all the replies I got, for sure I will be changing my strategy.  And the bays that I know very well, I might put the pop up so when I want to go relax et warm-up and move around and dig holes. 

Do any of you install tip-ups or tip-downs with a rod and when you get a hit, then you start to jig the hole?

[Ironeagle]

No. I jig until I find area I like. Then I will set tip ups. If you want you can always drill a hole close by the tip up that keeps going off and jig it. That's what I would do set up your camp a d fish around till you find the hot holes then move camp over it. I'm sure your going to be real close the place your fishing. Our lakes are not that big. A big move for me is 200 yards or so

[stripernut]

I often, when I get a flag bring the Jigging rod. When the line is up, I drop the jig. I have landed some nice small mouth, then drop a jig and get another!

[michlw39]

For gills and other panfish, sometimes moving just 10 feet makes a big difference. I like to have a dozen or so holes drilled in a relatively small area and hole hop. If I find a hot hole that's pretty steady, I'll move my cabin-style shanty over it. I like the cabin-style shanties with the floors because you can pull them around fairly easily (within reason) without tearing them down and setting them back up again.

[Handy]

This always cross's my mind as I have fished a spot and nothing has come through. I cant fathom moving every few minutes. I ice fish for fun and moving that often for me means allot of work and I am not looking for more of that. I do move occasionally but I will sit for some time before the desire to move hits me. It also depends on what the weather is like and which shelter I am using that day. If I took the Clam guide I definitely move way more than when I take my Eskimo qf3. I am looking at a different shelter that is light and can move easily when setup, maybe the Shappell dx3000. I do move allot when its sunny and warm with calm winds as I don't even need a shelter, I am all over the place drillin lots of holes.


Paul

[fiesty]

We move all day...drill holes, catch active fish till they slow down then move to find more activity...we fish outside all the time....no shanties for us....we move from pond to pond if need be...today two ponds...

[falconcg]

Can't wait for my next full day to move a lot more.  Tonight I went to a close bay near my house (only had about 30 min for fishing) so I went in my good hole (GPS) and there was lots of action (on the flasher anyways) but was not able to get them to bite.  I tried about 4 different lures but with no good results.  Only 3-4 bites but couldn't hook them .  I know it's perches but I read that when the sun goes down, perches don't have that good of a sight at night so the fishing is not as good.  There were all over my sonar but didn't bite.

[zooplankton]

I often, when I get a flag bring the Jigging rod. When the line is up, I drop the jig. I have landed some nice small mouth, then drop a jig and get another!

                                                   I like the way you think there "SN", your words are wise.......
            You have probably caught a fish or two in your time......Zoo.

[stripernut]

Thanks ZOO for the kind words... I still have so much to learn, so many fish to catch, places to fish and people to fish with!!!!!!!!!!!! If I live to 200 it still won't be enough time!

Just a couple weeks ago I was watching some cool underwater video some one posted of some brook trout swimming around their jig. The angler would drop the jig to the bottom and the brookies would rush to the jig and before the fish got to the jig, it was lifted from the bottom and the fish would turn away... I kept talking to the computer screen for him to leave the jig on the bottom! A week later I was out on some first / thin ice on a local trout pond in 4 ft of clear water and I had a brooky swimming around my jig and not taking it. I remembered the video, dropped the jig to the bottom and bang! You never know were you will learn the "Trick" that gets you your next fish!

[Kilbourn]

                                                   I like the way you think there "SN", your words are wise.......
            You have probably caught a fish or two in your time......Zoo.

X2 agreed!