Author Topic: Personal Best day on the ice!! (Read 5862 times)

Nutsicles · « **on:** Dec 18, 2013, 11:33 PM »

After many mediocre seasons on the ice, (I've whined on here before

) I finally had an awesome day!!

I got off work early and was on the ice at 1 p.m. Just hit a local lake that has previously only produced dink perch. I catch nice fish in the open water season here, but not through the ice.

I was sight fishing in 5-7 fow. Started slow, with a diamond jig and red spikes. Landed a few small keeper gills (7" ers), at about 20 minutes in, I see a bucketmouth slide in and just sip my jig in. Set the hook and landed a respectable 15 inch bass. Gills started to get smaller and smaller, so I switched to a buckshot spoon to see if I could lure another bass in.

First drop in with the buckshot and a big crappie darts in and just smashes the spoon!! Didn't get the hook in him, but now I was focused on the crappies and switching gears. Had to switch lures a few times to get dialed in. Couple styles of spoons, jigging rap, all caught a fish or two, but a lot would dart in and not commit. Switched back to the diamond jig with a bright chartreuse/glitter plastic tail and it was GAME OVER!!!!

They were very aggressive, and would dart in and crush it as soon as the bait got down. Would catch a few fish in a hole, and it would slow down, switch holes, and bam!! I was jumping between three holes about 3 feet from each other, and killed them.

Ended up with 25 crappie, biggest was 11.5", smallest was 7", with most in the 8-10" range. And the 7 gills and bass I caught before switching tactics. As soon as the sun went down it just died.

I normally never get out before the first of the year due to ice conditions, and this is the earliest I've ever been out. Hopefully this winter is a long and cold one! Tight lines out there, and stay topside.

mark4493 · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 11:35 PM »

jealous

sihlms391 · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 11:36 PM »

Nice crappie. Great way to start the year out!

NEZ · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 11:38 PM »

Good for you. We are just getting started here in pa

jumbo chaser · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 11:39 PM »

Nice job

slabhappy56 · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 11:42 PM »

nice fish!..if you think you can't sleep because it's a short season...Try living in south central pa,we haven't even begun ours yet

...Slabhappy56

Nutsicles · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 18, 2013, 11:54 PM »

Quote from: slabhappy56 on Dec 18, 2013, 11:42 PM

nice fish!..if you think you can't sleep because it's a short season...Try living in south central pa,we haven't even begun ours yet ...Slabhappy56

I feel ya. I normally can't get out until after the first of the year.

twincities86 · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 12:09 AM »

Very nice. Our bag limit for crappie in mn is 10.

SeisMec · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 01:24 AM »

Looks like fun was had by all!

Whopper Stopper · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 03:37 AM »

Quote from: SeisMec on Dec 19, 2013, 01:24 AM

Looks like fun was had by all!

And for all a big fish fry!

WS

pastaboy · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 05:01 AM »

Awesome! Looks like a darn good day. I have not been out yet, not enough decent ice around me yet....

Thanks for the pic's, nice to see them "fishcicles"!

Jig4M · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 05:30 AM »

That's awesome! I hope you get many more of those days this season! I'm looking to.get out for the first time on Saturday. It's not often I can get on the ice early, especially before Christmas. I hope I do as well as you, if not it'll still be great to be ice fishing again!

P Meyette · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 05:57 AM »

will be good eating

GCD · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 06:08 AM »

Looks like a slaughter on the hard water to me!

... and I see a very tasty fish fry in your future!

Don'tcha just love it when a plan comes together?

33Canuck · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 07:00 AM »

Awesome, those are the best days!

fish4ice · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 07:49 AM »

Way to go!!!

paullo19 · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 07:54 AM »

Nice report. BUT, I hope you were fishing with someone else. You are over the daily limit for panfish in Wisconsin,which is 25 total. I would be cautious,I know the wardens "patrol" these boards and have given fines... Just sayin... Not putting you down at all, giving you a heads up...

slipsinker · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 08:23 AM »

Nice day on the ice! what size diamond jig were you using?

Nutsicles · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 08:43 AM »

Quote from: paullo19 on Dec 19, 2013, 07:54 AM

Nice report. BUT, I hope you were fishing with someone else. You are over the daily limit for panfish in Wisconsin,which is 25 total. I would be cautious,I know the wardens "patrol" these boards and have given fines... Just sayin... Not putting you down at all, giving you a heads up...

Thanks for looking out, but this was Illinois. I live right on the border. Illinois doesn't have a limit on panfish, unless it's in the site specific regulations. Which I don't agree with, the limit should be 25 for all bodies of water. I fish the fox chain of lakes in Illinois a few times a year and have seen people literally fill buckets, then start tossing them in the sled.

Had I known the crappie were going to turn on, I wouldn't have kept the gills I caught before. I normally don't keep more than 10-15 fish, it's a pita cleaning that many fish, but I wasn't going to let a good bite go to waste.

smitty0312 · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 08:45 AM »

Nice crappies!!

paullo19 · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 11:26 AM »

I did not know you fished in Illinois and I have no idea what any regulations are. Thanks for the info!!! I hope you can do a repeat next time out! Good Luck,Paul

Walleyeslayer306 · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 19, 2013, 07:24 PM »

Awesome!!!

reddog11 · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 24, 2013, 05:47 PM »

coldhand · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 24, 2013, 11:09 PM »

hope a man wasn't drinking that.

waltman · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 24, 2013, 11:18 PM »

nice cali crappies calico's nice pic good job

CavScout · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 24, 2013, 11:27 PM »

Time for a fish fry. Good Job!!

jigumup · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 25, 2013, 01:37 PM »

Looks like a great afternoon

Nutsicles · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 26, 2013, 09:58 PM »

Quote from: coldhand on Dec 24, 2013, 11:09 PM

hope a man wasn't drinking that.

Oh god no. That was the wife's, I was out and just threw that in there for size comparison.

ice tripper · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 27, 2013, 06:49 AM »

Nice pile of pannies

Ny Ice Fisher · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 28, 2013, 01:07 PM »

Good haul! Can't wait to jig up some crappies this season

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Author Topic: Personal Best day on the ice!! (Read 5862 times)

sihlms391

coldhand