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Maine => Ice Fishing Maine => Topic started by: oldskidoo on Mar 11, 2022, 06:04 PM

Title: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: oldskidoo on Mar 11, 2022, 06:04 PM
A week ago I decided to fish a local pond for bass and crappie. The plan was to set 4 traps and try to learn something about jigging. It was so cold that I didn't get out of the cab of the SxS and still froze my hands and feet. Just 2 flags and no fish.
Decided to try again and what a difference a week made. Started catching crappie by the time I had 3 traps out and caught several out of 1 hole. This time I didn't get to jigging for a while because I was too busy with 4 traps. Ended up with 12 crappie and the local eagle got 1. Probably 8 or 9 bass, mostly largemouth, too.
I did jig a few bass and got to see what it looks like on the depth sounder. Also did not freeze this time. So about 20 fish and didn't freeze, it doesn't get much better.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: Jim_C. on Mar 11, 2022, 06:56 PM
Congrats on a great day @)   The warmth of March is nice.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: hardwatergrampa on Mar 11, 2022, 07:13 PM
Congrats on a great day @)   The warmth of March is nice.
yes but the ice is going fast
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: Linedogg104 on Mar 11, 2022, 07:18 PM
Nice job! Always nice to fish and NOT freeze
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: PenguinIII on Mar 12, 2022, 05:01 AM
Well done oldskidoo, Yes March fishing can be challenging with air temps and ice conditions. Stay safe and enjoy it while it lasts.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: bee on Mar 12, 2022, 05:41 AM
Sounds like a nice time. If you want to get more crappie do away with the traps and use a flasher and jig rod. Also no bait needed.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: Fish Wayniac on Mar 12, 2022, 06:39 AM
I’m glad the bite turned on for you with the second try. Awesome!
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: franklin fisher on Mar 12, 2022, 07:35 AM
Awesome. Glad you caught a few. Fish fry time!
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: oldskidoo on Mar 12, 2022, 08:57 AM
Filets in the fridge but going to a bean suppah tonight.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: oldskidoo on Mar 12, 2022, 09:04 AM
Sounds like a nice time. If you want to get more crappie do away with the traps and use a flasher and jig rod. Also no bait needed.

I need to understand better if when jigging it is better to hunt around to find fish on the flasher then jig or cut a few holes and jig till the fish come.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: oldskidoo on Mar 12, 2022, 09:06 AM
Sounds like a nice time. If you want to get more crappie do away with the traps and use a flasher and jig rod. Also no bait needed.

I need to understand better if when jigging it is better to hunt around to find fish on the flasher then jig or cut a few holes and jig till the fish come.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: Bourbon and Bass on Mar 15, 2022, 12:44 PM
yes but the ice is going fast
My home water is already clear, probably gonna hit it on the kayak after work one day this week (dang thunderstorms/gales this weekend)
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: Fishin_Addiction on Mar 15, 2022, 01:47 PM
Where is there open water? The entire body of water or just the first areas that usually open up?
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: woodchip on Mar 15, 2022, 04:15 PM
I fished a lake in Cumberland County and access out to middle of Little Sebago was the best walking I've seen all winter.  18" of solid ice areas near moving water are starting to open up.
Title: Re: Maybe best day ever.
Post by: Bourbon and Bass on Mar 16, 2022, 07:03 AM
Where is there open water? The entire body of water or just the first areas that usually open up?
A local warmwater place down here in the Greater Portland area. It's almost always the first pond/lake to completely ice out due to the water temps (Sebago sometimes comes first when its been an extra mild winter or it doesn't lock). Usually is my first non-trout softwater fish of the year every March.