In ice fishing, normally at what depth did you catch fish?

[khtwo]

This is my first year ice fishing, so far going well. I caught crappie, big mouth bass, pike. Most of my fish were caught at around 1-2 feet of the bottom, no matter how deep the water is. I have fished from 5 to 30 feet depth of water. Recently, someone tell me that I can ice fish crappie just 2-3 feet under the ice, for shallow water that's 15 feet or less. I tried for 2 hours, but didn't get any success.

So how about your ice fishing experience? Normally at what depth did you catch fish? Thanks for your answer and help.

[3300]

most times about one foot off of bottom unless they are suspended.

[Baconator]

Here anyway, trout are usually midway down or so, and crappie are anywhere from bottom to top- they suspend alot.

[khtwo]

Here anyway, trout are usually midway down or so, and crappie are anywhere from bottom to top- they suspend alot.

Is there any pattern, such as weather, temperature, ect, when will crappie suspend, when will they stay at bottom? Do crappie suspend at night as well?

[docbas]

This is where electronics make fishing so much easier.... it tells you where the fish are, then it's your turn to figure out how to make them bite.  In my experience, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to where the fish are hanging out.  Some days the bottom, others somewhere else.  But yes, at night I have found that crappies are usually higher up in the water column.

[PikeChaser198]

Two years ago was my rookie year and I have learned a good bit since and caught a lot more since. My best piece of advice is if you have the money buy a flasher. Increased my bite x10

[deadsmelthead]

Really depends on what you are targeting..And some species act completely different from one body of water to the next...

[RyanW]

Usually somewhere between the surface and bottom...

Mostly bottom<5'

[1750outfiterss]

The fish usually tell you what they want all you have to do is listen to them. Depends on water depth gills usually bottom 1/3 rd  crappie top 3/4 if aggressive for me anyway

[Dave R]

most times about one foot off of bottom unless they are suspended.

X2

[khtwo]

This is where electronics make fishing so much easier.... it tells you where the fish are, then it's your turn to figure out how to make them bite.  In my experience, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to where the fish are hanging out.  Some days the bottom, others somewhere else.  But yes, at night I have found that crappies are usually higher up in the water column.

Thanks for the info. Talking about the flasher, I do have a vexilar flx 28 with pro view ducer. The 9 degree cone make the detection of fish difficult in shallow water such as 10 feet or less. I don't like the idea of tune up the gain to get wider angle, that really make my lure exaggerated. I don't know if there's anyway to get the 40 degree angle while still make the lure just visible.

Other than that, some one said the flasher sound can make the fish hesitate to bite in such shallow water. I do use low power when in shallow water, don't know if this still irritate the fish when they get close to the ducer.

[wyogator]

The best day ice fishing of my entire life, as far as the number of fish caught, two buddies and I limited out on walleye, plus caught several northern and just one or two perch.  The three of us caught over 20 fish with some of those walleye being pretty sizable.  The water was two feet deep and the color of chocolate milk.  It was on a mud flat where the mouth of a river empties into a reservoir.  I was jigging up walleye in two feet of water with a Lowrance fishfinder.  the fish weren't scared of the sonar.  Other than that, I try to fish in 30-40 feet of water during mid winter around a foot or two off of the bottom.  If I see fish suspended on the sonar, I reel up.  During first and last ice, I fish shallower.

[missoulafish]

One lake I've fished we catch fish 240' deep.

[rdhammah]

on a pond that I recently fished, I found crappie 1/2 way down. try that and adjust as needed. if the fish are not there, drill more holes. Electronics are your best friend. I set my tipups about 2 feet off the bottom. I will have one of them set about 5 feet off bottom in the deeper water.  if I find the crappie, I will dead stick a small live shiner with a float about 2' from where I am jigging. 

[Spider1]

ok, first off... no, the sound of your flasher won't scare the fish... no matter how shallow you are. unless there's something wrong with it and it's floppin around on the ice with bells and gongs and screeching sirens.

ok, that being said. For most fishing I drop my jig to the bottom and keep it about a foot above the bottom. Sometimes you can't see the jig because of weeds and junk so I often will bring it just a bit above the weeds. You only use the narrow beam in deep water. Sometimes I use it in shallow water, say 10' give or take, but only if it's real weedy and I need to get past some weeds to spot my jig. Otherwise if I'm on water that's less than 30 ft I use the wide beam. Turning up the gain won't help you see more area, it'll just help you see more stuff. I turn my gain down until my jig is just a green line.

[fishermantim]

What depth?

They could be near the bottom, unless they're not.
They could be near the sauce, unless they're not.
They could be suspended at any depth in between, unless they aren't.

Does that make it simpler?

To put in terms like the great Yogi Berra "the fish are where you find them."

With a fish finder, you can see where the fish are at that particular time, date and location.
Without one, you will have to take time to fish at different levels to see where you get hits.
Takes longer, but can produce fish, and you will be pleased to know how to go at it "old school" should the need arise.

[dgb]

This is my first year ice fishing, so far going well. I caught crappie, big mouth bass, pike. Most of my fish were caught at around 1-2 feet of the bottom, no matter how deep the water is. I have fished from 5 to 30 feet depth of water. Recently, someone tell me that I can ice fish crappie just 2-3 feet under the ice, for shallow water that's 15 feet or less. I tried for 2 hours, but didn't get any success.

So how about your ice fishing experience? Normally at what depth did you catch fish? Thanks for your answer and help.

Get a good flasher and drill holes. Will tell you if there are fish down the hole and at what depth. I have caught crappies 1 ft under the ice in 30 fow water at last ice for the year.

[slipperybob]

With smelt fishing, anywhere from five feet below you to 100 feet.  I usually ignore the ones really deep past 80 feet, cuz it's hard to detect the bite.

[Lobes]

Welcome to the sport of ice fishing!
Use your Vexilar whenever you go. Make sure to recharge it often. Don't worry about having to turn up the gain very much unless you're fishing very deep waters (over 50 feet). Catching fish 1 or 2 feet from bottom can be common. The more time you spend ice fishing you'll learn there are days when fish bite differently and at different depths of water.
Visit this site often.
Most of us old timers will be more than glad to help!

                                                                             
Lobes

[khtwo]

Welcome to the sport of ice fishing!
Use your Vexilar whenever you go. Make sure to recharge it often. Don't worry about having to turn up the gain very much unless you're fishing very deep waters (over 50 feet). Catching fish 1 or 2 feet from bottom can be common. The more time you spend ice fishing you'll learn there are days when fish bite differently and at different depths of water.
Visit this site often.
Most of us old timers will be more than glad to help!

                                                                             
Lobes

Thanks! Very glad to find this forum. Already got a tons of useful information.

[Nomack001]

I tend to catch trout in shallower waters so near the bottom for me

[khtwo]

I tend to catch trout in shallower waters so near the bottom for me

How shallow can that be? 5 feet or less?

[nocod]

Feeding fish are generally on bottom imo.

[Flint]

14 foot is the magic depth in my area. That's the normal depth bush is placed for crappies.

[Preacher_man]

 Your right on the money Flint! Last nite I was out fishing and I was all over the lake and never marked any fish until I got to the 15 ft. range! I have found that to be true on a lot of lakes!