Ice Season?

[Snapper]

We are getting to the end of another short but exciting ice season.  I'm not saying that it is over tomorrow but the days are longer than the nights and the temperatures are on the rise.  With spring time walleye, crappie, and perch around the corner some of the best is still to come.  I managed to fish four days a week.  Once I retire I'll try to bump that up a bit but that is not in the foreseeable future. I managed to fish a bunch of different local lakes this season.  Spent some qaulity time fishing with friends creating memories.  We made a trip to New York to fish for a weekend.  We got on a great pan fish bite there.  We are going to try and get one more road-trip to Maryland this weekend.  All and all, pretty much an average ice season for me.  Nothing to write home about but nothing to complain about either.  We managed to stay on the fish/bite most days or figured out to work them into a bite or two.  With such a short season we did not make it on any big water walleye adventures that requires machines to get out and fish.  Possibly maybe next year or maybe we have to look at a longer drive.

Where did you go, any exciting adventures?  Any firsts (something exciting that never happened before)?               

[Arkansaspete2]

Great post snapper live it now when you do retire you may not have the drive and ability to do what you do now. Stay safe and always stay on top. A/P 

[Snapper]

I'm 47 and the older I get the less I have that drive to run and gun like I used too.  I fished from 5 Am to 630 Pm Saturday then I got up at 330 Am and fished until dark on Sunday and my back is killing me today.... Oddly enough I met a young man ice fishing and starting chatting through this place about 6 years ago.  He is 20 years younger than me and we are now besties.  He keep me chasing it and we are off.       

[jaeger80]

That's good to hear Snapper.   It also kills my knees...I need to get some pads in my striker bibs or something.

[PennAngler]

My son caught his first Northern Pike this weekend! We tried a small motel in Vermont that people on this site suggested. I think any motel that sells bait is my kind of place! My wife and daughter had fund slaying perch as well, and we were well into triple digits. That's probably the highlight of our season. We managed 10 trips this year in the Pocono area, which is pretty good considering that both my kids play hockey and that can sometimes get in the way of fishing!

[Drillin-n-Chillin]

Awesome yeah! I never get out as much as I want to but still mange enough days to make a good season. My highlight was watching my buddies and their kids from 5-8 years old having a blast chasing flags all day until they ran out of minnows.
They even managed to land a pickerel that was the biggest of the year (so far).

And God shined down on me cause we are truly blessed to be outdoors.

[TIME2FISH]

I can't even explain how good it feels to get out to do any kind of fishing. The last time out doing any kind of fishing was 1-26-2018. The past two Sundays, with my son, went to a small lake and caught and released a bunch of panfish. I believe that will be the impetus to get me going for the future. Weather-wise, the hard water season may be coming to a close but I'm looking forward to the soft water season once again.

[Captn66]

Well - took a week long trip to the UP this year.  Its the 3rd time I've been up there for ice season, but made the decision I was going back this year after the incredibly short season we had here last year.  Managed my walleyes through the ice up there this year so that was cool.  And the pike there always keep things interesting.  My middle son (16) decided he likes ice fishing now ... so it looks like I'll be looking for a bigger shelter for the next trip.

Fished a new lake here for the first time (Laurel Hill SP) and didn't get skunked so that's always good. 

With the temps on the rise, and other commitments this coming weekend - I'm starting to slowly pack stuff away.  Looking forward to open water (trying to find a new motor for the boat).  I'll take another trip to the UP this June and a buddy & I always do a spring trout / turkey weekend at camp in McKean County. 

[Jonebo]

I only got out once this year. Hoping to get out once more this week. I'm 66 and have enjoyed ice fishing for many years. It's true as you get older, things change. I'm taking care of my 90 yr. old mother who still lives in her house that my dad built 67 years ago. It's been almost a full time job in itself. Leaves little time for anything else. It felt soo good to get out when I did. Hoping to retire soon and hoping to get out for all kinds fishing more. Enjoy it when you can, as AP said, the time and drive change.

[theTUGistheDRUG]

So far, made one trip to Oneida with limited success.  Got a bunch of short walleyes and 1 keeper with a few perch mixed in.  Locally, checked some new places and played C&R with a bunch of different species.  Might have been one of my best crappie years, as far as number go.  Still hoping to get up to CNY one or two more times while we can but the sun and all this snow have not been playing well together....  Bought a clamshell trailer, which has made NY travel a breeze.  Now looking for a nice(ly priced) sled to add to the collection.  I have the Expedition Anoraak bibs and they have built in kneepads.  They are very nice even though I am not too old yet.  I am already feeling the years of competitive sports/weightlifting and expect to earn my old man pains a bit sooner than most.

[Snapper]

We have hit Saginaw Bay (unguided) a few times on the ice chasing walleyes.  Those were great trips with a good group of guys.  We wanted to get back there this season it was simply to short of a season for us.  We talked about hitting the UP but never made it happen.

Anyplace that you can catch a bunch of walleyes through the ice under size or not sign me up.   

   

[theTUGistheDRUG]

Yup, for me walleyes and lake trout spoil most other species. Lots of fun!

[fatboy8]

Made my first trip to Oneida and had a blast with jumbos and walleye. Other then that had success on lakes I've fished before but also a few good trips on new waters. Only killer for me was the slush. Bought an eskimo quickflip 2 and honestly might sell all of my tip ups. I've been way more mobile and I credit that to my added success. Guess the only other downside I'm having is my garmin ice transducer is starting to take a crap. Very finiky now and keeps reading its disconnected when I touch it. Currently saving my pennies for a panoptix unit.

[pjpb]

Fatboy, you start selling those tip ups, let me know lol.

[jaeger80]

Better sell a lot of tip ups to pay for panoptix! 

[MumbleSEED]

My brother keeps saying let’s sell most gear but some rods and go panoptix?!?

[Snapper]

Those folks running the panoptix units are crushing it all over the place.  People are fishing schools of fish and targeting specific fish in the schools.  So much of the brush that get sunk is found within a season.  It is a pile of money but whats a Vexilar now over 700?  One may very well be in my near future. I just struggle with that price tag.  Hummingbird & Lowrance both have versions of it out now.  Maybe that will bring the price down a bit, cause people to switch brands and sell used, or push the market forward to the next generation of them come out so that last years deal is not as pricey.         

[jaeger80]

Its just new technology and it will be 50% cheaper in a year or two I feel.  Snapper are you talking about the Humminbird Mega 360?  Its not really quite the same...  its basically side imaging that swirls around in a circle but its not real time...at least not in the same league as panoptix. 

[beavercountybob]

You might wanna wait a little while before buying the garmin. Supposedly hummingbird is working on a mega livescope unit. I've heard it will be available this spring. I was going to buy the panoptics but I think I'll wait and see how their unit compares in price and quality compared to the garmin.

[Fishhog1]

Hoping for a bit more, but just hit the river post work because I feel it misses me. I still remember how to cast, it's been a good season for me though I had hoped for a large pike, still gonna give it a try. Managed to get a half dozen on Black Lake NY on a 3day trip in the upper 20's. I've not done the usual traveling I do other than the pike trip, and though I've been twice a week on ice, I've stayed more local focusing on the larger fish. Some nice walleyes on two different lakes multiple times gives a fellow confidence he's learned something. Channel cats, pike and walleye have been the target and I've just realized with that effort, I've not caught many quality panfish. That's alright though, there's always spring on the kayak. Focusing on particular goals and being successful is very satisfying. But there's always an excess of goals and a shortage of time. That ice-musky still evades me.

[fatboy8]

Those folks running the panoptix units are crushing it all over the place.  People are fishing schools of fish and targeting specific fish in the schools.  So much of the brush that get sunk is found within a season.  It is a pile of money but whats a Vexilar now over 700?  One may very well be in my near future. I just struggle with that price tag.  Hummingbird & Lowrance both have versions of it out now.  Maybe that will bring the price down a bit, cause people to switch brands and sell used, or push the market forward to the next generation of them come out so that last years deal is not as pricey.       

I've heard mixed reviews about how its not super easy to find bottom hugging fish like perch and walleye, the weight, and you have to upgrade the battery. To me benefits outweigh the drawbacks. As a primary saltwater angler I live by electronics making or breaking days. For the Garmin p22 unit on sale I'm looking between 1,500-1,799.  But not only do you get the panoptix you also get a normal ducer so its almost like buying 2 units in one. Have plans to use it year round on the freshwater.

[Mr. Charlie]

I’m also super interested in Livescope or Panoptix. They look like a ton of fun. Hoping for a trip tonight. I feel that this weekend weather is gonna hurt a lot of our local ice. I had a great season. I got back to targeting some walleyes and had some success so no complaints here. Soon it’ll be boats and stripers !

[tentwiststhick]

Yup, It's all over for SEPA and I don't think there's any sub freezing weather headed this way until next year. I hope. It wasn't much of a season to begin with.

[FISHHUNTER80]

Great post snapper! Had 2 firsts this year actually. 43 now & been ice fishing since I was 5 so firsts are harder to come by. Last week out in the middle beyond the maples I got there early. Drilled & cleaned the holes and started measuring depth on the tipdowns. I like to measure them all and then bait them all. I miss too many bites doing one at a time. I made it to the last tip down when the 2nd one I did was in the hole with nothing but a small red hook. It was still dark and all I heard was about 5 seconds of drag running like a Striper in summer. I reeled in 40 feet of line before the little line marker showed up. I think a large fish swimming through just ran right into my hook. He was in a hurry to get somewhere that's for sure. I think if he actually ate the hook I probably would have at least fought him for a bit. The other first is I had a flag go off. Line was straight down. I brought it up and checked the bait. It was good so I started lowering it in when all the sudden the line took off to one side. I pulled up a 17" bass that took the bait about 3 foot under the ice in 8 foot of water. 4 days of fishing a week is a blessing. To me that's enjoying life for sure. I've been averaging 3 trips per week, but I start at 6am and have to leave at 11am to open my store. Gives me time with dad and I can help him get all set up early. By 11am when I leave we've usually got them figured out and he gets to move his tipups or rods around to the best holes to finish out his day around 3pm. If I get out tomorrow that will be the first 4 days in a row of fishing I've had since my 20's. Knees are a little sore. Shoulders from drilling holes are worse. Lol!! Was a great year though. Only had one short 4 hour fishing trip that resulted in 0 fish. That was more of an exploration adventure to a place that was great in the early 90's that just has never been good since.

[MumbleSEED]

It's truly always a bittersweet end to a great season any year I get to go ice fishing.  This year was no different!

I believe that I finalized my PA Ice Fishing for this season.  I think I have one more trip out of state left for the weekend and then I'll put the gear away.  Another great season had even though my catching was not as plentiful, I'll blame that on my pregnant wife because she doesn't have an account on IceShanty.  I always venture to new water which I was able to do once again always a great blessing and adventure.  Something about the build up of a new body of water and the expectation of "killing em" just drives me to explore new places to fish.  I was even able to venture into some new water on some old water?!?

I took a newbie out this year who caught more fish than me and had a sweeter ice fishing pole than me.  I will never do that again but it was a great time.  IF you are the guy who made the deer rack rod for my Buddy Brando

I got to meet a few new IceShanty members out there this year which is a pleasure.  I only had to deal with one grumpy guy this year.

I got to take my son out which is fun.  At 7 years old I learned to keep him busy by having him pull himself around on his belly with ice picks to practice ice rescue.  Taking the kiddos out is fun just wish the fisheries around here provided some great days or consistent catching days.  Kids are great but not easily entertained by the scenery and need fun tasks.   

Sunrises, Sunsets, Bald Eagles, Coyotes howling, lost an auger down a hole, cooked some food, talked some smack, got into a lure exchange for the Super Bowl on this site, learned some new techniques and approaches to catching/fishing, prayed to God and thanked Him for all His Blessings this season! 

I haven't been at it as long as some around here but 14 seasons later I can't wait for the next.  Thanks to all who provide input on this site your contribution is extremely helpful and appreciated. 

[theTUGistheDRUG]

Was up at Lake George this past weekend.  BEAUTIFUL as always and lake trout are so much fun to catch through the ice.  Probably headed up to Tioga this weekend for some C&R fun on Nessmuk and then it might be time to pack it in.  Excited to try out the new flip hut this weekend.  Should be great for run and gun.

[fatboy8]

Was up at Lake George this past weekend.  BEAUTIFUL as always and lake trout are so much fun to catch through the ice.  Probably headed up to Tioga this weekend for some C&R fun on Nessmuk and then it might be time to pack it in.  Excited to try out the new flip hut this weekend.  Should be great for run and gun.

Got a flip over this year and it is a gamechanger for running and gunning. Worth its weight in gold.

[Jiggerdoodle]

Went out and bought a pop up this year figuring I needed something lighter than my old suitcase shanty.  Only used it one time when it was 8 below zero one morning.  Fished the rest of the season outside and enjoyed it.  Got to fish 42 days this year.  Never left the state.  Banner year for jumbo perch.  Down year for crappies.

Have moved into the old timer range.  Have a lot of guys coming over and ask how I catch fish when no else is catching them.  Always try to be helpful.  If I’m still around next season I will go out And buying  me one of those new fangled  drills since the old Mora is taking a toll on my body.  Only drill about 10 holes a day now.  I’ll hang it up Monday for this season.

[Snapper]

Those drills are they way to go...

I think I'm going to make one more trip to NY to fish this weekend then I'll call it a wrap and get the boat ready to fish.