IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Bass => Topic started by: fish_finder on Dec 19, 2006, 08:42 PM
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Hey guys got a question for ya....theres a huge old strip mine pond near where i live that was stocked with smallmouth way back when. Anyways now the pond holds some fish of pretty decent size, i got a 3-4 pounder there this summer, but they are crazy hard to catch, harder then the ones in the lakes and river. How would you go about trying to catch them through the ice? The pond is REALLY deep and pretty clear.
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i catch them on medium shiners ;)
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switch to 10-12 lb mono and play them easy!!!!!!!! works on clear lakes when I fish for big perch and ive gotten a 3lb smallie ....snapped a few times though
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use light line long leader on a tipup if it is pullin really hard let line slip through your fingers like drag
small maybe 2-4 inch shiners near the bottom over rock piles
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I watched an In-fisherman ice show on them the other day. They were using Demon Jigging Spoons from custom jigs and spins in the #4 and #2 size.
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Targetting smallies thru the ice can be difficult , they winter in groups in roughly 30-40 feet of water and are almost impossible to git them to bite-unless weather has been stable/warmer for 3-5 days in a row-They might move up into fall feeding areas in 10-20feet of water- Bear in mind ya should catch and release em and dont set traps or jig below 17 feet- Doing so is signing the fishes death warrant. Barotruama=the bends for fish. Once you do find them mark them on yout GPS and return when it is warm and stable and they will be there. Just release them because a few harvest-oriented ice fishermen can deplete a school rather quicky if they tell 2 freinds and so on... Do the work-find em -enjoy em release em and mums the word. Big pig smallies??!? not me!!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/DasRottweiler/Pics013.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/DasRottweiler/Pics007.jpg)
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6# yo zuri hybrid flourocarbon/nylon line, or even 4# Fireline (0.75 lb diameter). size 12 trebles. just play em out.
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I catch a lot of smallies jigging a northland forage minnow tipped with a piece of smelt. Usually about 6 feet below the ice.
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i catch them on normal walleye set ups with clear 6lb line with a 4'' sucker or shiner. thinner and longer the mono leader the better. And fish 1 to 3 feet above the bottom on a tip up. if thin ice walk really slow and carefully they are really sensative. Generally you catch one you will catch more... Ive usually caught them in rocky areas and they were in with the walleyes...During the winter if caught them from 5 feet deep to 40 just all depends where you find them
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I don't target them because they are very inactive during the winter but I have seen people catch them before.
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Slayed them Sunday (Released) 8ft of water, tip ups and jigging (aggressive). In years past I have watch them below the ice, very aggressive, we would pull one up on a tip up and there would be another one trying to steal the shiner...
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i catch them regularly on my bluegill set up with waxis/wigs/minnow heads...they hit hard and are tons of fun...lose a few jigs...but thats okay i guess.