I'm mostly an offshore fisherman off the coast of MD and De but I'll be up at Deep Creek from this coming up Thursday to Tuesday...Just wanted to ask you professionals whats my best bet to get a few bites...I've never fished the ice before but have a few friends who have given me the basics...Also, how long will the ice be safe???Thanks in advance!!!
Hopefully you found some info. I would have responded earlier but family health problems have limited my internet time and shut down my ice fishing season. There are lots of good topics in the tips section, but basically equipment is relatively inexpensive at least until you get hooked and begin purchasing electronics, a shanty, and a power auger. My advice is to begin with larger glow lures tipped with waxworms or maggots (buy both, some days each works better). Size 8 to 10 Marmooskas, Fat Boys, Rat Finkees or Genz Worms are a good bet for horizontal presentations and for verticle presentations the same size in Demons or Foxee Jigs work well. Also, for bigger presentations try Nils Master Hali Jigs, Buckshot Rattle Spoons, Swedish Pimples or Jigging Rapalas, for these you can tip them with anything including pieces of minnows. When fish get finicky, down size in the same lures. My favorite when that happens is a size 16 Marmooska (I prefer the bright colors in those such as chartreuse or orange). Experiment with the number of maggots or waxworms, when a small presentation is in order, often one or two maggots will be enough and too many will turn them off. At other times, piling maggots or waxworms on will be the ticket. Use as light of line as possible. For detecting bites, you can use a sensitive ice rod or use bobbers and experiment with the depth, start a foot off the bottom and then work up as needed. Spring bobbers also work well especially for the tiny jigs. Each lake is different as far as where you will find fish. Don't be afraid to check out shallow weedy areas especially on a drop off where weed lines may be. A good rule of thumb is that you can find fish in the same areas that they frequent during the heat of summer, but that is only a guide. If you cut a hole and fish 10 minutes without a bite, move and cut another hole. Keep cutting and searching until you find fish. If you aren't happy with the size of the fish you are catching, then keep moving until you find a larger class of fish in the species that you're after. Learn where to find each species and it will cut down your search time. Think about structure, etc., as in any type of fishing. Lake contour maps help to find that as well as a good flasher (electronics such as a Vexilar or Marcum, actually, I think these are well worth the investment).
Explore this site and you'll find plenty of good tips from lots of experienced folks! Good luck and sorry I was so late...
