Author Topic: what did you learn last ice fishing season?  (Read 9822 times)

Offline woodyeckes

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what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« on: May 22, 2021, 08:49 PM »
Last year I learned that you could not hook panfish all the time with a spring bobber but the line movement under the water in the hole signalled a fish biting or moving the bait.  I also found out that if you stood directly over the hole and held onto the line ...>005" sewing thread you could feel the weight of the jig and sometines a bite was either absence of the weight or a slight tug...smaller baits and very small pieces of plastic would sometimes get fish to bite over live bait (waxworm, minnow or spike)....your turn to reply.

Offline lefty2053

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2021, 06:34 AM »
I learned I am getting old. Harder to get up and out. But I also learned there are fish in places I didn't think there were. Killed it on the Small perch for the first time. But then again I think that is because that lake is full of them.
<===Lefty===

Offline vanhln

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2021, 07:58 AM »
I learned that driving 70 miles then 70 back and getting one bite sucks....

Offline Drifter_016

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2021, 08:27 AM »
I learned you don't catch any fish if you don't drill any holes. :'(

Offline badbrad2186

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2021, 08:30 AM »
I learned that the fish are still in my spots and that I can out fish the best of them. Last 2 days I fished I got out late the first day and my ice fishing  Partner was already out there he had 12 in the bucket ended the day he had 25 I had 34. Last day I had 18 buddy had 12.
If you sit around all day and do nothing your a bum, but if you sit in a boat all day or in a shanty and do nothing they call you a fisherman

Offline skifisher

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2021, 10:26 AM »
I learned that “solitude” is fast becoming a thing of the past, and that I need to set up much farther away from people than I used to! Not complaining, I just find it harder for this old guy to get away from it all! >:(
"Ice fishing...ah, the anticipation! 🎣”

Offline Buckshots

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2021, 10:27 AM »
I learned that BadBrad is pretty tough. Don’t mess with him or he will beat you up.

I also learned that the new SM 24v sucks.

In fact, most ice gear these days just don’t have the quality they used to. My Otter X over was far from quality. I’ve had every new model in the last ten years and they’ve all been top notch but not these new ones. Many cosmetic and factory flaws. But they’ve warranted it all.

Offline Buckshots

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2021, 10:28 AM »
I learned that “solitude” is fast becoming a thing of the past, and that I need to set up much farther away from people than I used to! Not complaining, I just find it harder for this old guy to get away from it all! >:(
The problem with that, at least around my neck of the woods, is that if you set up far from anyone else, someone will come find you and set up.

Online hardwater diehard

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2021, 12:38 PM »
Learned that after  letting fellow anglers use my cordless drill they converted quite easily .. help two of them with getting started with with Milwaukee drills and Eskimo/ION drill units ..3 with Clam Plates as well . Also learned that the Eskimo/ION drill unit is my preferred auger...those units cut like no buddies business will be adding one to my arsenal .
Give a man a fish he eats for a day .Teach a man to ice fish he has an obsession for a lifetime

Offline WARRIOR_ON_ICE

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2021, 08:17 PM »
I did not learn anything new, but I validated my need to always do this activity, and also validated again that it is the best way to bond with my kids. They are 16 now ( twins ) and I am proud to say that they can outfish me any time they want to. We are old school with mostly tipups and rods but no electronics, I have taught them that it is not the gear that will get you success, but rather the hard-earned knowledge of the locations and seasonal fishing patterns on specific lakes that give you the edge on the fish. If I could ask for the ideal way to die, it would be on the ice fishing with my family but many years from now.
The Ultimate Warrior is possessed with great power from the heavens above ! Against the mighty lake trout and pike and schools of crappie, the power of the WARRIOR will always ......... PREVAIL !!!

Offline badbrad2186

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2021, 08:43 PM »
I learned that “solitude” is fast becoming a thing of the past, and that I need to set up much farther away from people than I used to! Not complaining, I just find it harder for this old guy to get away from it all! >:(


I always go out farther than anyone else and  no one crowds around
If you sit around all day and do nothing your a bum, but if you sit in a boat all day or in a shanty and do nothing they call you a fisherman

Offline badbrad2186

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2021, 08:45 PM »
I learned that BadBrad is pretty tough. Don’t mess with him or he will beat you up.

I also learned that the new SM 24v sucks.

In fact, most ice gear these days just don’t have the quality they used to. My Otter X over was far from quality. I’ve had every new model in the last ten years and they’ve all been top notch but not these new ones. Many cosmetic and factory flaws. But they’ve warranted it all.


You must have been in one of the many heated topics I was in this winter
If you sit around all day and do nothing your a bum, but if you sit in a boat all day or in a shanty and do nothing they call you a fisherman

Offline Buckshots

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2021, 09:54 PM »

I always go out farther than anyone else and  no one crowds around

Just wait. Someday someone will wonder why that shack keeps going out there to that same spot and they’ll come see what your catching by plopping down 30 foot from ya and you’ll be the only two shacks around for a long ways. It will probably end like that fight scene did our on the ice in the movie Four Brothers.

Offline badbrad2186

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2021, 04:51 AM »
Just wait. Someday someone will wonder why that shack keeps going out there to that same spot and they’ll come see what your catching by plopping down 30 foot from ya and you’ll be the only two shacks around for a long ways. It will probably end like that fight scene did our on the ice in the movie Four Brothers.


Nah no one is coming out there and if they do fine and dandy 2 years ago some guys came out set up 30-50 feet from us. We spanked the fish and they couldn't catch them. I also never use the same shack 2 days in a row or even to weekends in a row
If you sit around all day and do nothing your a bum, but if you sit in a boat all day or in a shanty and do nothing they call you a fisherman

Offline missoulafish

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2021, 02:43 PM »
that people are still getting lazier and lazier and they  really want to pass begging for where to fish on FB, as effort.

Offline Rowdie

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #15 on: May 24, 2021, 09:31 PM »
I learned about this site and joined it.  My 20 + year old auger still works.  Learning to haul my flipover shack around on my little trailer.
"Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy"  Dan Gable

Offline Walted

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #16 on: May 24, 2021, 11:37 PM »
that people are still getting lazier and lazier and they  really want to pass begging for where to fish on FB, as effort.
That's not true. You learned that several seasons ago.

Offline Mac47

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #17 on: May 25, 2021, 05:46 AM »
Sight Fishing the first time with the use of plastics and how to jig for the best presentation. 


Offline zcm_82

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #18 on: May 25, 2021, 06:58 AM »
Sight Fishing the first time with the use of plastics and how to jig for the best presentation. 

Same here. I had sight fished a bit here and there in the past, but this season I ended up catching a lot of my fish on plastics sighting over 3-4' of water. Live bait was pretty much unobtanium locally all winter, so I had to switch up tactics out of necessity, and it worked out fairly well.


I learned that “solitude” is fast becoming a thing of the past, and that I need to set up much farther away from people than I used to! Not complaining, I just find it harder for this old guy to get away from it all! >:(

That's no joke. Several ponds I normally have to myself all winter got absolutely carpet bombed with holes this season. I have never seen anywhere near so many other people out on the ice around here as I did this winter.

Offline waterlike

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #19 on: May 25, 2021, 10:58 AM »
I learned that although I love camping on ice, sleeping in my subaru is about 5 times easier.  Way less gear needed, and overall dry.  I use to want to haul my on ice camping gear everytime, but its just not worth the work when theres all those fish to catch.  If I have a bunch of days in a row I might still camp on ice, but on a evening then morning trip, im just gonna sleep in the car. 

Offline guardbr8kr

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #20 on: May 27, 2021, 04:17 PM »
I learned ,that breaking your leg and crawling on your belly back towards my dock a quarter mile before the wife found me, is still doable at 53 years old. Haven't walked since early March  :)

Offline meandcuznalfy

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #21 on: May 27, 2021, 06:47 PM »
I learned that making my own lures really paid off,  all the hours spent making swedish pimple and jigging raps was well worth the effort, caught lots of fish on them this winter.

Offline Old Goat

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #22 on: Jun 06, 2021, 12:05 PM »
I learned I should stay on a bite when I'm on it. I also need to keep learning; I'm not as good as I think I am.

Online KatJohn7

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #23 on: Jun 06, 2021, 08:41 PM »
The older my kids get the more I enjoy it. I have always enjoyed it but it makes me dam proud to watch them get a fish on there own.

Offline FishGut

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #24 on: Jun 06, 2021, 09:27 PM »
I learned my "fishin' buddy" ain't. Wouldn't find time to go with me but a few times, but hauled his friend and family out to my scouted spots time and again.

P*sses me off. I'm tired of being burned trying to make strangers into neighbors, and neighbors into friends.

Nebraska certified Fishing Instructor

Offline zcm_82

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #25 on: Jun 07, 2021, 07:07 AM »
I learned my "fishin' buddy" ain't. Wouldn't find time to go with me but a few times, but hauled his friend and family out to my scouted spots time and again.

P*sses me off. I'm tired of being burned trying to make strangers into neighbors, and neighbors into friends.

Hunting and fishing alone makes life simpler... also quieter, which is a bonus in my book.  ;D

Offline AcezHi

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #26 on: Jun 08, 2021, 01:06 PM »
If it looks like slush don't try to cross it!

Offline rdhammah

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #27 on: Jun 08, 2021, 04:15 PM »
learned that I need to get out more often

Offline rdhammah

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #28 on: Jun 08, 2021, 04:18 PM »
I learned ,that breaking your leg and crawling on your belly back towards my dock a quarter mile before the wife found me, is still doable at 53 years old. Haven't walked since early March  :s
doesn't sound like much fun. how the hell did you break your leg? What was you're wife's first comment?

Offline Adironzach

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Re: what did you learn last ice fishing season?
« Reply #29 on: Jun 09, 2021, 05:31 AM »
I finally dialed in my bottom bounce technique for lakers. Also got a live camera that i am looking forward to dedicating more learning time towards.

 



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