ONEIDA LAKE DIEHARDS THREAD 2013/2014

[SNAGGER]

  My perfect day is finding an hour bite in morning, then another hour in the mid day somewhere, you can get a lot of fish in 2 hours, rest of the day is just filler, got too love that big march sun, I haven't ran a heater in some time now.  Just kick it on too thaw my reels out from time too time.  Enjoy Cheeks!!!!

[SNAGGER]

Very true, those drills are torque monsters, I've had them twist me up quite a few times while drilling thicker steel right before they break through.  Never thought about that with the ice.  Hang on tight!!!

Just curious, why did you go back to drilling by hand?? Noise??  Don't want to get into that debate again, just wondering if this setup works

  Yeah I was doing poorly with power auger, so started hand drilling again... Those drills are sweet, nice and quiet...might have too get mine going again, rotator cuff got twisted the other day moving something heavy.

[jake8484]

My fishing brothers-  can any one tell me if there are any current pressure cracks or gas holes to worry about at either Chapmans on the south shore or at David C Webb  aka Taft Beach on the North side?
can't decide where i want to try but it would be nice to have two choices.
thanks so much for any advice

[Oldtimer]

Notice a big pressure heave on the Bernhards Bay cam.. Didn`t notice it yesterday...

[SNAGGER]

  good crack goes across taft from near dakin point too apps, it meets a much bigger crack that runs south north at apps too 121, I seen wind blowing on open water on that one, taft crack is better, but still respect it.

[hardwater61]

Out here now...slowww!  Crack out from Taft was no problem this morning.

[YaNkEmOuT88]

  good crack goes across taft from near dakin point too apps, it meets a much bigger crack that runs south north at apps too 121, I seen wind blowing on open water on that one, taft crack is better, but still respect it.

PM has been sent found what I could

[pot-belly-perch]

How thick is the ice  on  oneida lake ??\

[315stickbow]

 anywhere from 18-24" my friend

[icecutter2]

How thick is the ice  on  oneida lake ??\

How's Cando treating you Pot-Belly-Perch??  I fished Cleveland yesterday and found 20-22" in the 3 holes I managed to drill. 36 turns on my 6" Nils to get through. Whew. Fishing was slow. Marked fish but all dinks

[PerchEyes]

I don't know about the rest of you, but this past February has been the most humbling month of perch ice fishing on Oneida I've ever had.
In a normal year, when the jigging gets tough you could expect to get a few dead-sticking a minnow or on tip-ups.
Not this year!
I normally put 2-3 tip-ups out and I haven't had a flag in the 4-5 trips!
Anyone dissect the stomachs to see what they're eating?
Must be a lot of red worms as my buddy pulled his jigging rap up to find one hitchhiking on top 

Hoping the warmer weather to come to break this pattern.

[Mr. Jitterbugger]

PerchEyes -

we caught some big female perch on the south shore yesterday. Some were empty but the one that had full stomachs had isopods, amphipods, and digested fish remains.

[Chowdaire]

They were liking these yesterday



But, yeah. Stomachs were FULL of those little brown crunchy isopods (?).

[bcons]

Yes the perch feed changes in the spring.  Apps used to sell wigglers (I haven't asked in a while)
Maki & some other plastics companies make similar baits.
If you can't get them off the bottom a brown or dark red jig head with a plastic or wiggler gently bounced off the bottom can do the trick.  On a windy day if not in shanty dead stick one 4-6" off bottom with rod on 5 gallon bucket.  Just the wind moving the line is often enough.
In another month or at open water when they move shallow the early boat bite big gills and perch smash anything similar to the point you give up using even plastics.  They just get torn up so fast.
At that point a smaller brown bucktail or hair jig does the job.
Right now though more finesse is needed.

[fenwick2010]

Ive been out  a few times out of Constantia this year. I Haven't done that well , A lot of small perch this year, Mostly due to Being restricted to a small area.  My Nills Master auger was stored with out the blade cover, Damaging the blade. I can't drill more than a few holes without killing myself. If anyone knows someone local that knows how to hone a new edge on that blade , PM me please. A New Blade Is Expensive !!!

[minettoman]

Ive been out  a few times out of Constantia this year. I Haven't done that well , A lot of small perch this year, Mostly due to Being restricted to a small area.  My Nills Master auger was stored with out the blade cover, Damaging the blade. I can't drill more than a few holes without killing myself. If anyone knows someone local that knows how to hone a new edge on that blade , PM me please. A New Blade Is Expensive !!!

There is a a gentleman in Saginaw, MN named Frank Deluca who will sharpen your head for roughly $25 total with shipping. He is an factory authorized. He sharpened 2 " heads for me for a total of $50 includes shipping. I contacted him by email. He did a great job!!!

For Nils Master Cutting Head Sharpening Service contact:

Frank Deluca
5382 Jentoft Rd.
Saginaw,  MN   55779
218-729-7941

[email protected]

[Michigander vitreus]

Fished with Mr. Jitterbugger on the South side of Oneida yesterday. Fished from 3:30-6pm and caught 15 keeper perch plus some dinks. Biggest measured a pinch over 13"

[chummer16]

First time out in a month and the dinks were right where I left them.  Moved all over behind Dunhams out to middle and back.  Caught around 50 but only 4 keepers two 9's and two 12's.  Those were the only 4 good marks I had. I can not believe how many dinks there are, I am having Sodus flash backs.  At 130 the screen went blank, I stayed for another hour with out marking any thing.  Going to try deeper at Chapmans tomorrow. I hate bringing my dad when I can't put him on fish. He turns into a kid again and wants to leave for lunch at 10am.  At least it should be warm enough so he can put his tip downs out. 
The last holes I fished were 23" there is 3-4" of packed snow on top of that.  Great day to be out, -17 when I got there but never got cold with that bright sun.

[Cross-Eye-Jig]

Very true, those drills are torque monsters, I've had them twist me up quite a few times while drilling thicker steel right before they break through.  Never thought about that with the ice.  Hang on tight!!!

Just curious, why did you go back to drilling by hand?? Noise??  Don't want to get into that debate again, just wondering if this setup works

If you use a Nils master auger with the power point tip or the new Nils Master auger bit that's made for cordless drills, it'll never bind up on you and bust up your wrist or arms !
   The same characteristic that all hand augers have when drilling by hand are still present when using a cordless drill.   Strikemasters and Mora's stick at the bottom of the holes and Mora's stick on the way down as well.
  Go Nils...Be happy !

[SNAGGER]

  just loaded the 2013 navionics chip in my lowrance, oh man I can see what everyone else sees now, good bye 2008 chip..    this is gonna be fun.

[SNAGGER]

  my walleye have been chuck full of the Michigan burrowing mayfly larvas, the infamous "wiggler, perch have been wigglers and zebbies.

[YaNkEmOuT88]

  my walleye have been chuck full of the Michigan burrowing mayfly larvas, the infamous "wiggler, perch have been wigglers and zebbies.

Last weekend I caught a few perch and one I grabbed to take ho ok out and it  just spilled wigglers out of its mouth...  Snag did you very PM?

[Chowdaire]

If you use a Nils master auger with the power point tip or the new Nils Master auger bit that's made for cordless drills, it'll never bind up on you and bust up your wrist or arms !
   The same characteristic that all hand augers have when drilling by hand are still present when using a cordless drill.   Strikemasters and Mora's stick at the bottom of the holes and Mora's stick on the way down as well.
  Go Nils...Be happy !

My Nils was complete garbage. Think they charged me $190 for a refurbished cutting head (it had older chipped paint under the top layer of paint). Last Saturday it stopped cutting about 18" into my 6th hole. Just started skipping on the ice. Tried it on fresh spots, same thing. I read on some of the forums in the midwest of guys having the exact same experience with the 8" Nils.

It cut like butter when it was working but I'm done with them now. Knowing that their product does that, and especially if they're shipping refurbs as new, I can find more dependable augers a lot cheaper. I'd rather use one that takes a little more effort but I can count on to finish the day.

[Cross-Eye-Jig]

  just loaded the 2013 navionics chip in my lowrance, oh man I can see what everyone else sees now, good bye 2008 chip..    this is gonna be fun.

Your in box is full again !
  I'm interested in that 2008 chip if you're going to sell it !

[RTXGuy]

If you use a Nils master auger with the power point tip or the new Nils Master auger bit that's made for cordless drills, it'll never bind up on you and bust up your wrist or arms !
   The same characteristic that all hand augers have when drilling by hand are still present when using a cordless drill.   Strikemasters and Mora's stick at the bottom of the holes and Mora's stick on the way down as well.
  Go Nils...Be happy !

If you read back in my post I stated I have an old mora in my garage. Certainly not going to go buy a nils just for this.  Already have an 8" electra lazer that works great.

Was just thinking for the cost of the adapter and getting my blades freshened up I got a nice light setup as well.  I agree the nils are nice but not on my radar at this point.

[315stickbow]

Looking forward to getting out on Saturday. Guessing it's going to be a zoo but it's the only day j can fish till next week. Been a month since I've had a successful day on Oneida. Still gonna take a crack at it

[bcons]

For all those looking at the drills.  I have one.  Just used it in front of a couple other members.
First off its brand new 2weeks old.  (Needed new for work)
The 18volt rigid hammer that retailed for $300.  Same specs as milw.m18.  Depot was out of m18 & had to have one.  Yes I have the 4ah batteries.
(Also watch the m-18, its sold for 2-230 with the smaller batteries the $300 one is the big batteries)

1st 5&6" it runs like beast chews great punch 12-20 holes in 22-24" of ice no problem 1 battery.
8" not so much.  It struggles a bit.

Batteries I take from warm house to warm truck in cooler with hand warmers.
Works great when 1st on ice.  Just the cold from being out drilling 1st holes then going back into cooler in warm shanty.  Couple hours later they're moody,  midday nearly done.

Bring a hand crank too if you plan to move

[pa ice swimmer]

I use Rigid hand tools everyday, my experience with them is great until it comes to drilling holes on ice, my Nils hand auger is the shnizzle but my new nils auger powered by Rigid don't cut the mustard, going to explore other means of power.

[H.T.]

i am buying a new gas auger next year dont like or have the time for dead batteries

[pa ice swimmer]

Where's the like button?