First Ice/Sculpins

[bullhead bandit]

Got out last Saturday and found some ice.  Fish, not so much.  5" - 6" of ice.  Fished all afternoon and were constantly teased by sculpins.  Lived here 11 years and had only seen two pulled through the ice, but landed 3 this trip.  The lake used to have lunker rainbows, but I assume they're gone and these guys are the apex predators now.

[Brochet]

wow, you are so lucky to be on ice already !  Here in VT the water is about 50F at the surface and ice is ~2 months ahead 

I've never caught a sculpin but down here they are considered a key food fish for lake trout and other game fish so hopefully its good news that you've got sculpins, the fish you want to catch should have plenty of forage !

Did you catch that sculpin just with the jig (no live bait on it ) ??

[mr.clean]

Congratulations Bullhead bandit believe you are the first I.S. member this season to post photos of an ice fishing trip.Hopefully there are still rainbows in the lake. I'm located in south eastern NY. if the weather gets cold enough should be able to ice fish on some smaller lakes around Christmas time.
 Steve

[Seamonkey84]

Wow, not even Halloween yet and your on ice. Hell, I’d downsize and fill a bucket with those sculpins just to be ice fishing and pulling out some invasives. 

[dntbeamenace4031]

great scenery there bullhead, even if the fish weren't huge.  you beat us in the lower 48 by a soild week...and i dare say we didnt have quite 5-6 inches of ice yet

 

[bullhead bandit]

Caught the sculpins on jigs tipped with raw shrimp from the seafood dept.  Works well for rainbows and char.  Sculpins are native, rainbows are the "invasives" up here.  They're native to the southern part of the state, but not the interior and are stocked sterile.  Might be a few old grizzled ones left in the lake, but it's probably done for a few years until it gets re-stocked with some time to grow.  Going to try to get out this weekend and do a little more prospecting.

[Brochet]

Great post, thanks for the info - I've learned a few new things !

Might try jigging for sculpin using raw shrimp just to try catching a species I've never caught before.

I've never heard of stocking sterile fish, must be good job security for the hatchery employees !  Bummer they haven't been keeping up w/ stocking and the lunker rainbows are disappearing 

[Water Wolf]

Hi bullhead bandit.
Neat catch, I have never seen anyone catch a sculpin before.
Nice scenery also.

WW