Finding Chain Pickeral First Ice

[NSYakfisher]

We have always targetted chain pickeral later in the season and never at first ice....however this year are only water that has safe ice right now is chain pickeral lakes.

Fished today in similiar spots as we would later in the season and couldn't find any.  Where they are very similiar to pike I thought some may have some tips on where to concentrate on in general terms.  The laskes we fish have mostly just yellow perch and smallmouths along with the chain pickeral.  Not much other than perch and younger chains for food.

In NS we are only aloud one rod at this point so I normally don't do tip ups and todays tried Lindy Darters and Rattl'n flyer spoons with no luck.

Thanks

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Here in Maine, I catch pickeral all season long over, in, or next to weed beds. They tend to stay in these areas all year up my way. So thats where I awways start.

[pikeaddict]

Weed beds, most of them I find are in less than 10 fow.  Damn things always take the biggest shiners I have in the bait bucket.

[vicegripkiller]

id love to never catch one again!

[NSYakfisher]

Been having great luck now in 5 or 6 feet of water using Chubby Darters, Jiggin rap type lures and spoons... most tipped with a small minnow head and fished within 20 yards of shallow weed beds.