Nebraska ice fishing

[Copanfisher]

Hey guys, I'm new on here but not new to ice fishing. I'm in Colorado wanting to go to Nebraska for an ice trip for about 5-7 days at the end of january. We are lookin at the Valentine Refuge and Merritt as the 2 destinations. Just wondering how well the fishing is, what to use, and how thick the ice on average is. Any info is a plus, thanks guys and tight lines!

[sandhillguy]

looks like your post got moved bud, lol, thought id post so you knew how to get ahold of me

[Copanfisher]

I messaged ya. It didn't get moved, I just reposted it myself lol

[sandhillguy]

lol i gotcha, still groggy from wakin up to come into work.

[Copanfisher]

Workin 3rd shift or somethin? Lol

[sandhillguy]

Ugh yeah, im over it haha.

[Copanfisher]

If you wanna, just PM me

[whitetips]

Hey guys, I'm new on here but not new to ice fishing. I'm in Colorado wanting to go to Nebraska for an ice trip for about 5-7 days at the end of january. We are lookin at the Valentine Refuge and Merritt as the 2 destinations. Just wondering how well the fishing is, what to use, and how thick the ice on average is. Any info is a plus, thanks guys and tight lines!

Excellent choice.  You tell me what kind of winter we will have, and I will tell you how much ice to expect.  You should not have a problem, and there should be anywhere from 6 inches to a couple feet of ice, but in a mild winter it can be a lot less than that.

What do you usually use for panfish, pike, bass?  They'll work.

NO baitfish of any kind allowed on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.  You can bring and use frozen smelt on the refuge and that is it.

Fishing the natural sandhill lakes on the Valentine Refuge and Merritt Reservoir are night and day different.  On the refuge you will rarely fish more than 6 feet deep, usually 4 feet and less.  On Merritt you could fish as deep as 40, 50 feet.  If you fish both on a trip, make sure you are prepared for those extremes.

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/category/barbs-and-backlashes/

[Copanfisher]

We will be fishing both. So you can use live smelt or minnows on Merritt? I usually use drop jigs, spoons with chains, Dynamic Lure HD Ice, ratfinkees, ratsos, and tear drop jigs. The last 3 are usually tipped with waxies. When it comes to bass, I've never ice fished them and pike I've always used live water dogs under a tip up so I'm not too sure on lures to use

[Copanfisher]

Oh and when it comes to perch, we don't have a huge population of them here, so I haven't really ice fished them.

[WalleyePatrol987]

Watch the board the gentleman that runs Merritt trading post gives good updates and what to use

[Copanfisher]

Thanks

[whitetips]

We will be fishing both. So you can use live smelt or minnows on Merritt? I usually use drop jigs, spoons with chains, Dynamic Lure HD Ice, ratfinkees, ratsos, and tear drop jigs. The last 3 are usually tipped with waxies. When it comes to bass, I've never ice fished them and pike I've always used live water dogs under a tip up so I'm not too sure on lures to use

Yes, you can use live baitfish at Merritt, that will NOT include live smelt as there are no smelt in Nebraska and none can be legally imported alive.

Make sure to take some time to review our Fishing Guide, http://outdoornebraska.org/fishing/guides/fishguide/pdf/FishGuide.pdf.

Daryl B.

[Copanfisher]

Ok cool again thanks. What are the typical lures for pike, musky, cats, and bass out there?

[whitetips]

Ok cool again thanks. What are the typical lures for pike, musky, cats, and bass out there?

For ice-fishing, most of our pike are caught on tip-ups and smelt or live bait.  That will work for muskies too.

Most of the channel cats I have caught through the ice have been on the same jigging baits tipped with wax worms that I use for panfish.  If you want to target the cats, a jig with some fresh cut-bait or freshly dead minnows would be a good option.

Likewise most of the largemouth bass I have caught through the ice have been on the same jigging baits tipped with wax worms.  However, if I want to be more selective for bass I will jump to small jigging spoons like "Pimples" or jigging lures like jigging Raps and Chubby Darters.

My $0.02-worth,

Daryl B.

[Copanfisher]

Thanks man. I really appreciate all the help I've received on here