weather??

[pinche]

do most think weather changes will slow the fish biting or do the fish move to another location? ( shallower or deeper?) one more,do most people think the color of a jig has as much to do with bites as presentation? thanks in advance

[walleyechaser]

I think weather changes kill the fishing.  Usually after a cold front the fish will move deeper or bury into the weeds.  High pressure also makes them deeper.  Low pressure brings them up shallow.
Fishing is supposed to be the best right before a front comes in (in theory)

I think the color of a jig especially through the ice makes a huge difference.  Summer time maybe not so much.

Since our weather has just changed like 4 times the fishing is probably going to suck for a while.

[pinche]

Yeah I went out last night crappie fishing till 9 pm and came home with an empty bucket. what do you think about the moon phases effecting the bite?

[flockshot]

all i know is that fish are hard in the winter already..and frontal days suck that much worse..but dont be distracted...i remember all who post on my reports thread last weekend doing exelent suprisingly...includin g myself....and that was a for more powerful front...so if you've got time..go...you might not catch as many fish..but hard days make you a better fishermen.

[walleyechaser]

What were you using for the crappie?  With ice fishing location is probably the biggest factor.
Just because its so precise

[flockshot]

it was probably not the weather...fishing was incredible last night...very active fish the last couple days...

if you know what your doing..you can catch fish in any weather at any time at any season..the trick is going out chasing any fish at anytime in any weather at any season...and patterning your lake...and the species in your lake..my pike lake fires up right after cold fronts..defies all logic but its true... and i catch more walleyes at my spot during a cloudy day ..then i do at night...you just have to listen to alot of tips..use them ..prepare to be frustrated to high hell..and have an open mind..you'll find with time your confidence and fishing ability goes up greatly..also...think outside the box..im sure everyone hear as at least one handicaping bad habit..if you follow us word for word it may hurt you..take some advice ..and ad your own flare...dont follow the crowd so to speak

[pinche]

What were you using for the crappie?  With ice fishing location is probably the biggest factor.
Just because its so precise

last night i was trying numerous combonations from a sweedish pimple w a shiner to a glow jig w waxies to a plain gold jig w both shiner then waxie. i did get out late and didnt want to start drilling a bunch of holes at 6- 630 pm. there were still a few other guys out.

also do crappie stay in the same general area that they spawn in, in early spring ? i did real well last spring as soon as the ice broke for a few weeks but only in select spots.

[walleyechaser]

flockshot speaks like a true fisherman.

You were probably in a bad spot.  I know nothing about the lake you are fishing but it sounds like you had the presentation right.  Crappie typically are only a few feet below the ice after dark. 
did you try jigging up high?  Also they are very light biters so you may have gotten bit and not known.
They move quite a bit depending on the season.  Breaks are always a good place to look any time of the year.

The don't follow the crowd advice is probably the best advice you can get.  All we can do here is offer up knowledge based on our own experiences.

[flockshot]

ive fished the long lake your on for crappie..and its pretty darn good...i found out there that you fish the drop offs...put one man on the deep side(12ish-18ish.) and another on the shallow end 4-8ish...fish one rod high...and one mid to low...both places...about an hour before dark...what ever side has produced the first two crappies of the night...concentrate there...canal mouths are another prime location...find were the flat platue from the canal drops to a depth at least 6 feet deeper...you'll find a few..

and remember..in a boat you would move after a few minutes of non action..and the ice is one hell of a big boat ..so move ..alot..swiss cheese

good luck and lots of "thump thumps" on the rod

[pinche]

ive fished the long lake your on for crappie..and its pretty darn good...i found out there that you fish the drop offs...put one man on the deep side(12ish-18ish.) and another on the shallow end 4-8ish...fish one rod high...and one mid to low...both places...about an hour before dark...what ever side has produced the first two crappies of the night...concentrate there...canal mouths are another prime location...find were the flat platue from the canal drops to a depth at least 6 feet deeper...you'll find a few..

and remember..in a boat you would move after a few minutes of non action..and the ice is one hell of a big boat ..so move ..alot..swiss cheese

good luck and lots of "thump thumps" on the rod

yeah like i said i got out late and dindt want to upset anyone by drilling 8-10 holes. i usually fish twords the other end for pearch and do well but this year theyve been all small. thanks for the advice though

[reelbigfish]

Welcome to The Shanty Pinche,  Good questions deserve a good answer.  Fish live
in water and are affected by the gravitational pull of the moon which causes the tides.  In their environment a change in barometric pressure can effect the way that
they act in a big way.  There is no bad time (weather wise) to go fishing, it just takes a different approach some days.  Some days fish become more inactive and
want a smaller bait, lighter line, and they move deeper or sometimes shallower and
are harder to catch.  The key is to stay mobile and try different things until you find
out what they want.  As to those winter crappies, they often hang out in front of
their spring spawning beds around the dropoff.  If you head out at sunset take a Coleman lantern and let it shine down the holes.  I like a bobber rig with minnows
around 3' to 5' under the ice.  Try one pole with a tiny treble hook or around a #6
tru-turn thin wire hook and a small splitshot as crappies sometimes perfer this over
a jig.

Ted