Keyhole ice walleye 2014-15

[David Sawyer]

Been doing well on  keyhole this winter
This 30" lifetimer is going on the wall.
Released a 26" also and keeping the eaters.

[David Sawyer]

Here is all the pics so far this year, I've got a pretty interesting method on catching them...

[zjlooney]

Well lets hear it!

[WYOBEAR]

Great job!  Sounds like your doing better then most

[David Sawyer]

It's quite the slick method, I'll submit more pics after work and explain it, today!
Check this post later today and I'll get you dialed in on limiting out on keyhole.

[David Sawyer]

Hopefully this video turns out, you'll want to watch it

I'm running anywhere on the lake where there's no people
1) 28-41 feet seems best
2) any bottom changes nearby help, points, ridges that drop steep
3) glow jig (red/pink seems best) tipped with minnow head.
4) !!** Attach a "standoff hook" 1 ft above your jig, VERY important, it catches 90% of the fish, the glow jig just strikes their curiosity.  Tip the standoff with a live minnow. (I'll attach a pic of the rig)
5) it is important to charge glow with high lumen light or black light, you really want it shining
6) best bite is from sun down on horizon to 9am, pressure and moon phase don't seem to matter as much but clouds and overcast produce 20-30 fish versus 10-20 fish on clear days
7) drill all your holes and run a line at 30 to 35 ft with your auto sets.

[David Sawyer]

[David Sawyer]

This was Friday night / west arm, we threw back 6 decent hens.

[David Sawyer]

Here's the 26" I released

[Lakerslayer69]

I agree, thanks for sharing those tips.  looks a lot like I fish with the 2 hood set up.  Using just minnow heads or whole minnows?

[WYOBEAR]

That's pretty cool.  What size of stand off hooks do you use?

[David Sawyer]

Yeah, I try to toss some of the skinny ones back if I can get my son to reel them up slow enough. If they don't immediately haul to bottom. I grab'em and eat'em.

Ill try to start getting pics of the Hens Im throwing back, but I like to get em back in as soon as possible.

The stand off hooks are something I used to use for jigging lake trout, you can buy a 44 pc kit online; Search: "Walleye Stand out hook Kit" Youll find it, Comes in 4 assorted hook sizes, 12,10,8,6 I think.
The two mid sizes are doing best depending on minnow size.

Im using a Head on the Jig and a 2-3 incher on the stand-off, I tried larger minnows and got plenty of bites but it seems I lose more bait and get less hook-ups.

Early Ice, was on a mid-lake ridge in the westa arm with a small isliand ridge that came up to 28' It was hot for a while, but the fish moved off for now.....
Lateley ive been out of Hobo Point on a 30-34' drop shelf to 40' picking up mostly bucks that seem to be staging quite early with this warm weather we have had the last few days, Ill hit the island again in a couple weeks then back to the shelf in 24' during late ice to try for a mounter female

I have no problem sharing, everyone can park right next to me if they want...theres plenty of eaters....and the method I use seems to be fine tuned, id be happy to share more, and if anyone comes to keyhole, id be happy to share the methods, thanks

[David Sawyer]

I forgot to mention, ive tried a lot of things and it has been made very aware to me that my odds increase heavily on presentations in the water and jig size.

1) I know it can take some time to hit bottom with a smaller jig and minnow with a stand off but its worth the wait, the fish are much more eager to mouth the bait and move off with the lighter jig dangling down, 90% of the time you'll catch them with the stand off hook.

2) On keyhole we can use 6 lines, I have 2 hooks on each (that's 12 presentations) I use them all with auto-set releases on my poles that I fabricated myself. definitely worth it!

[icingeyes]

I forgot to mention, ive tried a lot of things and it has been made very aware to me that my odds increase heavily on presentations in the water and jig size.

1) I know it can take some time to hit bottom with a smaller jig and minnow with a stand off but its worth the wait, the fish are much more eager to mouth the bait and move off with the lighter jig dangling down, 90% of the time you'll catch them with the stand off hook.

2) On keyhole we can use 6 lines, I have 2 hooks on each (that's 12 presentations) I use them all with auto-set releases on my poles that I fabricated myself. definitely worth it!

Hate to break it to you, but using 2 hooks per line is against the law. Thats 6 hooks too many. Just got off phone with
Game & Fish

[David Sawyer]

Wow! Thanks for the heads up. That it a very interesting topic, I searched the regulations again and numerous times in the past and have only found that 6 lines can be used in my location during ice up. Nowhere have I found in the regulations how many hooks per line can be used. I would be interested to see where this law or definition is stated?

In the meantime, Ill switch my Jigs out for Glow Bell weights! Most all the eyes are caught on the standout hook anyways, I just need the glow to get their attention.

Thanks Again

[David Sawyer]

Oh Ya! I just found it in the "Special Ice Fishing Provisions" Section. They really should add that little bit of info to the regs you pick up at the store or make it more noticeable?

Nonetheless..Easy fix and much thanks on catching that for me

[Elkhnter]

It says in the Wyoming Fishing regulations on Page 6:
Except as otherwise provided, fish shall be taken or fished for with a maximum of two rods or poles, with lines and hooks attached and the angler in attendance. No line may have more than three (3) single hooked devices attached. it is legal to use hand lines, set lines, poles, or tip ups when fishing thru the ice and the angler is in attendance..

So if I read that right. You can have 3 hooks per line!!!!!

[Dirty P]

the regs used to read, when using more that 2 rods each rod could only have one hook but the 2015 regs say unless otherwise provided each line shall have no more than 3 hooking devises. that said i would keep using your set up. if ever ticketed you have the regs to prove you've been fishing legally. its b.s to expect everyone to know the laws if its not in the reg. just my opinion

[Dirty P]

before i could even type someone else thought the same thing

[Elkhnter]

Yeah what I posted came right out of the Game and Fish's 2014-2015 Regulations: So yeah 3 hooks are permitted per line in their booklet?

And under the special Ice fishing regulations: You may fish with up to 6 Lines on special waters under the ice fishing regulations.

6 lines with up to 3 hooks.

[Dirty P]

the regs used to say more than 2 line, 1 hook per line. ive talked to lots of game wardens and more times then not they had to look in the booklets to check so even they dont really know

[Dirty P]

by the way david awesome job on the fish and gear and thanks for sharing

[David Sawyer]

I heard the new Reg's were out with amendments from just a couple weeks ago, im gonna have to go pick up a copy. Which page did you find that on Elkhntr?

[WyoIceFisher]

Nice fish my friend. My brother and I were thinking about coming up this weekend. Have anymore pointers? We have fished keyhole in the summer but are yet to ice fish it. Are you going to be out there this coming weekend? If so would you mind if we met up and got a few pointers from you?

[WyoIceFisher]

ya he is right. 6 poles. numerous hooks per line.

[David Sawyer]

I'll be there Friday night/evening.
It's a 3/4 mile across lake
Get me on email and I'll meet you sometime Friday
I'll be there till 9am

[WGFFishBio]

You guys are correct.  Waters under the Special Ice Fishing Provisions, you may use up to 6 lines and up to 3 hooked devices. Waters not under the provision are still 2 rods and up to 3 hooked devices per rod.  The old regulation was based on hooked devices, with no more than 6 (i.e., a water not under the provision, 2 lines up to 3 hooks for a total of 6 hooks, or under the provision up to 6 lines with one hook for a total of 6 hooks). I had to look this one up and unbeknownst to me, this reg was actually eliminated starting in the 2012 fishing year.  Hope this helps and sorry that we aren't very good at letting folks know exactly what has changed.

[Fryinpan]

Thank you WGF FISHBio

[David Sawyer]

Here are pics of the setup I've been using. I saw some pics of some homemade stuff and designed my own system with many alteration to perfect this one.

I welded up 6 of these, there is a lag bolt on the bottom. You can use the t-handle to sink em into the ice, but I prefer attaching my electric drill to the top.

I call them my "fish-n-buddy's" because it's like having 6 guys out there with me!

No jigging needed for the walleye, the minnow on the stand out hook does all the work keeping my glowing jig moving a bit.

If anyone knows how to patent these things... I'd like some royalties!!

When the trigger releases it puts that standout clean through the top lip, all I need to do is walk over and reel the fish in.....my 7yr old son just leaves the pole in the holder and reels...lol

[big_Zway]

Newbie here, Decided to join after trying to get into ice fishing for the last couple years and mostly just getting more fresh air than fish. Awesome pics. Hoping to hit Keyhole more in the future, and I sure appreciate the tips. Hope I can share a few pics of my own after I get the fishing figured out a little more.