Author Topic: I feel left out... (Read 2419 times)

JHFish · « **on:** Oct 02, 2009, 09:59 PM »

Alright guys, so I didn't really have any time to get out last year and post on the site. This year though, things are gonna be different now that I have a license

. Anyways, after extensively browsing around the site, it looks like everyone's got some type of electronics, except me. I don't believe though, that its worth buying a vex before I've even found out if whether or not I like ice fishing. So, should I venture out to the hardwater without electronics, or is it not worth it going?

PS- I'm going to be fishing in the vicinity of Chicago, so I dont think that the lakes are going to be stacked with fish.

mud_n_fun · « **Reply #1 on:** Oct 02, 2009, 10:10 PM »

So you like ice fishing now! You have to have elevtronics. It turns a one fish day into a more fish day. And Chicago is no excuse for not catching fish. I had a friend who have a friend who had to work there one summer and two miles in from the lake he was catching gills through a manhole cover. True Story!

JHFish · « **Reply #2 on:** Oct 02, 2009, 10:29 PM »

Quote from: mud_n_fun on Oct 02, 2009, 10:10 PM

So you like ice fishing now! You have to have elevtronics. It turns a one fish day into a more fish day.

Awwwww, come on man. Thats not the response I was looking for!

Just kidding. I know that it would be helpful to have electronics, but would the fishing be that bad? I'm not looking to catch those monster 10' gills or anything. Besides, I'm pretty sure some of you older guys here would say that "back in the day, we never used electronics and we still caught fish".

mud_n_fun · « **Reply #3 on:** Oct 02, 2009, 10:43 PM »

No realy! with electronics you can find the fish. I have drilled many a hole that i did not fish out f=of beacase it was not deep enough, it was too shallow or there were no fish on the screen. I don't have a vexilar or a marcum. I have a Eagle hooked to a yard tractor battery that does me well. You really need electronics on te ice. You could be jigging 2ft below or above a school of fish and never catch one without it. BTW I catch a ton of 6" gills and just love the fight and release them all.

Ponz mn · « **Reply #4 on:** Oct 02, 2009, 10:44 PM »

Of course it's possible to catch fish, though after getting a flasher i won't go without it. My first year of ice fishing i caught a total of 14 perch without any electronics, first day with it i caught 42

Van_Cleaver · « **Reply #5 on:** Oct 02, 2009, 11:36 PM »

Ok, you should certainly go ice fishing a few times and make sure you enjoy ice fishing before dropping a bundle on electronics. Yes, I managed to catch some nice fish " back in the day", but the fishing is getting more technical all the time, thanks to info on the internet, and increased fishing pressure, and the fact that electronics can greatly increase your productivity while fishing. I don't leave home without the flasher anymore; I feel it helps me find structure, locate fish, and figure out what triggers strikes as well. My advice; try ice fishing, and fish in the proximity of anglers with flashers!

bassrat · « **Reply #6 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 12:40 AM »

back in the day?

? you mean '80's?

i'm in my 30's and remember using the hand over hand on a stick with 2 nails in it for holding 4 pound line for bluegills and crappie...no hut, no heater, ice chisel and if we knew the right people a dull 5" spoon auger...did i fail to mention how much i LOVE my jiffy STX pro, marcum lx-3, aqua-vu with depth, temp, and direction, my eskimo quick-flip 2, my mr. heater, and my jason mitchell and thorne bros rods??? what i'm getting at is that, you don't need all the stuff to catch fish...but it makes it a hell of a lot more comfortable.

mr.clean · « **Reply #7 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 03:26 AM »

JHFish,
I have been ice fishing for twenty years and still do not own electronics. My location in southeast New York state gives me two months of ice in a good year. I get out maybe ten times a season if I'm lucky. also most of the lakes I fish are small under a hundred acres in size . By moving frequently and fishing different depths-lures I can usually find and catch a few fish.
A few suggestions for you find smaller lakes in your area and stay mobile on the ice. Talk with other anglers if they are using electronics ask them questions about their equipment.(good/bad features,etc.) Finally around December when this website starts heating up with activity post a thread asking for fishing partners there are a lot of knowledgeable anglers on this site. If you find you enjoy ice fishing start building your collection of gear.
I must be truthful and say in the future electronics will be on my new gear list, first I want to find out more about them and see various units in operation. I would not recommend fishing on Lake Michagen with out them just based on the lake's size.
Get out on the ice this upcoming season and be a frequent visitor to this site ask questions. there is a ton of information on this site . As they say never stop learning and no questin is a dumb one.
Have a great season ,I hope you enjoy this sport and ice fish for years to come.
Steve

Mainehazmt · « **Reply #8 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 05:05 AM »

aw the heck with it if ya get a cheap finder your gonna want better might just as well go for it get the fl 20 duel ducer the best camera a fantastic shack new sled and 4 wheeler some arctic armor all the chubby darters you can find new 4x4 to haul it all and if ya dont like ice fishing give it all to me

asking these questions now just proves your gonna get hooked / addicted esp with SAFE ice at least 2 mo away lol BTW dont forget your platnum militia package! to support IS!!!

sled-in · « **Reply #9 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 08:32 AM »

As someone who does use a flasher, DON'T BUY ONE, buy two.

You'll end up fishing with a friend and they won't have a flasher, you'll let them use it for like five minutes, then you'll take it back because you were just drilling another hole. Then they will pull up their line and want to go home, but you will have just found fish and its only 8am

Like I said buy TWO

(this is kinda the story that most of us can tell, about the day BEFORE we bought our flasher, just the details were changed to make it more interesting)

SkeeterJeff · « **Reply #10 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 08:41 AM »

I have only been ice fishing for a season and a half. My wife loves to ice fish also. I bought a FL20 Ultra before the season started last year, over the objections of my wife. After the first time out with the flasher, and fighting over it, she wanted her own. Picked up a FL8se Genz pack before the next weekend.

Use on once and you will be hooked. It's like fishing blind without one.

Jeff

iceman10 · « **Reply #11 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 08:56 AM »

Quote from: JHFish on Oct 02, 2009, 10:29 PM

Awwwww, come on man. Thats not the response I was looking for!

Just kidding. I know that it would be helpful to have electronics, but would the fishing be that bad? I'm not looking to catch those monster 10' gills or anything. Besides, I'm pretty sure some of you older guys here would say that "back in the day, we never used electronics and we still caught fish".

The back in the day comment is just that (back in the day).My mom has said my grandfather would have a fit if he saw all the electronics i use for ice fishing & i agreed with her that he would be really p#$% off that he did not get to use them

.You can catch fish without them ,but it is alot more Fun with them

Van_Cleaver · « **Reply #12 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 09:16 AM »

bassrat, 70's, 80's, the good old days, what's the diff? I also had a bad spoon auger, used an axe, no sled, etc. Ice fishing was still great fun, though harder work. As we get older (and presumably smarter) we tend to find ways to make our interests more enjoyable and efficient (read less work). I love the FL-18, but would still ice fish if I didn't have one. That said, I wouldn't be without a flasher for long. As mentioned previously, you can learn a lot by asking questions. Plus, if you get out a few times, someone will surely be happy to show you a flasher in action, helping you with your decision.

Grush · « **Reply #13 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 10:06 AM »

I just started ice fishing last year so I can relate to what you are saying.

I picked up a few used rods, a hand auger and pulled the warmest clothing I could find out of the closet and just got out there. The first day out I got one 4 inch gill and I was hooked (pun intended). Slowly I started building up my equipment. Towards the end of the season I just went to the local Fleet Farm and got myself a flasher on clearance and just picked up a used flip shanty over the summer. I think you should find someone to go out on the ice with and see if you like it first. If you want to drive north a bit I am more than happy to take you out on the ice. I spend some time fishing in Antioch so we could meet up there if you are interested. PM if you want.

Grush.

Doubles Shooter · « **Reply #14 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 12:23 PM »

Quote from: sled-in on Oct 03, 2009, 08:32 AM

As someone who does use a flasher, DON'T BUY ONE, buy two.
You'll end up fishing with a friend and they won't have a flasher, you'll let them use it for like five minutes, then you'll take it back because you were just drilling another hole. Then they will pull up their line and want to go home, but you will have just found fish and its only 8am

Like I said buy TWO

Listen to Sled-in. I'm looking to buy another VX-1 for my wife to use. I made the mistake of letting her fish with it. After I got it back she reeled in and said she would rather watch me fish than fish blind. I know she likes catching fish so I gave it back.

No, you don't need electronics but they are NICE to have. Listen to friends and ice guys someone may be looking to upgrade and sell you the used one cheap.

Hard stuff · « **Reply #15 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 12:56 PM »

Im in the west burbs and there is plenty of fish here ,dont forget about jumbo pech in the harbours ,.I have a few different types of flashers & a camera you can test drive.

PM SENT

JHFish · « **Reply #16 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 07:02 PM »

Thanks for all the responses guys. I got just the info I needed and I think that an old vex or other type of fishfinder is going to be bought next year( if I can save enough money ). As for all the guys that are saying to buy two fishfinders, I'd love to, but at a couple hundred $ each, they're not exactly in my price range, since I'm trying to focus on school, and that means no distractions like work for now.

Hard stuff- I'll give you a call if I've got some free time this winter. Thanks for the offer.

Skipper · « **Reply #17 on:** Oct 03, 2009, 07:24 PM »

Ask your local bait shops if any of them have a flasher to rent. You can use a flasher to get your feet wet and not have to commit to buying one. Most shops around here have augers and flashers to rent, even if they dont, they may be happy to let you test drive a demo unit.

sled-in · « **Reply #18 on:** Oct 04, 2009, 09:11 AM »

I was half kidding in my earlier post, I would say go out and see IF you enjoy ice fishing, BUT start saving for a flasher. If you enjoy icefishing and start to see that a flasher will add to the experience then go buy one, and it does have to be the top of the line (let this be your first one, the one you lend out to your friends for a nominal fee once you have them hooked

) and buy a nicer unit when you have the $$$

IceManBran · « **Reply #19 on:** Oct 06, 2009, 07:02 PM »

I agree with everyone else, they'll help you out in a huge way.

Quick story for ya, I was fishing a very small lake last winter for crappie. Because I had a flasher, I found out that the crappies were suspended only a foot and a half to 2 feet below the ice. Without this knowledge, I wouldn't have caught a single fish that day.

Wiener · « **Reply #20 on:** Oct 07, 2009, 08:47 AM »

Hook up with a couple of guys from the board, that are near you.

You can see the equipment that they have, and "test drive" their electronics.

You'll also get their opinions on what they would have done differently, mistakes that they have made, etc.

This way, you'll get to go fishing with people who can show you what to do, what not to do, and make friends in the process.

Hope this helps,

Wiener

Hollywood703 · « **Reply #21 on:** Nov 05, 2009, 01:37 PM »

Quote from: sled-in on Oct 03, 2009, 08:32 AM

As someone who does use a flasher, DON'T BUY ONE, buy two.
You'll end up fishing with a friend and they won't have a flasher, you'll let them use it for like five minutes, then you'll take it back because you were just drilling another hole. Then they will pull up their line and want to go home, but you will have just found fish and its only 8am

Like I said buy TWO

(this is kinda the story that most of us can tell, about the day BEFORE we bought our flasher, just the details were changed to make it more interesting)

that will teach you to take un-prepared people out fishing with you !!!!

TroutinCO · « **Reply #22 on:** Nov 05, 2009, 01:55 PM »

My experiance:
Had gone many times for a couple of years and never caught anything, no bites, nothing.
Last season I made the decision to invest in some equipment, one piece of equipment in the spending spree was a Vex FL-12. Went out on the ice the next day and I caught my first Lake Trout that was also my first fish through ice!

I thought it was fun before but was really starting to get discouraged on not catching anything. Now I can at least see that there are fish down there, but its still up to me to actually catch them. That is what I'm planning on making the effort for this season is to get my techinques and stuff down so I can now catch more of the fish that swim up and look at my bait.

prchslyr · « **Reply #23 on:** Nov 05, 2009, 02:05 PM »

I was absolutely addicted to ice fishing long before I bought my Marcum. Do I catch more fish with it? Of course but again, it didn't make me decide to enjoy the sport. If you're going to enjoy ice fishing you will. With or without electronics.

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Author Topic: I feel left out... (Read 2419 times)