Author Topic: Learning the ropes (Read 1686 times)

winterfish · « **on:** Dec 11, 2011, 07:04 PM »

Was wondering is anyone out there can point me in the right direction ice fishing Keyhole State Park. I am not having much luck in catching Walleye. If anyone would be willing the help with tips and tactics, Much appreciated.

doublehaul · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 11, 2011, 07:49 PM »

It will be the most frustrating body of water you've ever fished. Try to fish as many days as possible during peak period times (first light, Last light) to increase your odds.

budlit714 · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 11, 2011, 09:08 PM »

Yea me too. Fished from 2 till dark tonight with nothing. First time out for the year though, I'll keep trying different depths, areas, baits, and time of days. Eventually will catch something and start narrowing it down so that I can have a chance at success, then it will be too late and the ice will be gone. Then I can start all over again on open water. Wife keeps telling me it's alot cheaper just to but the fish. Oh well, I'll keep trying.

DeadSeaFisher · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 11, 2011, 10:36 PM »

Its brutal!! But i have had similar crappy days at boysen. Tipups hardly do squat!! However, frozen smelt has produced pretty nice pike over the last few years for me. Crappies move so much its hard to get on them and stay on em. Drill lots of holes and use rattling buckshot jigs and rattlin spoons tipped with minnow heads. I just got word that my father caught 3 eyes TONIGHT all in about 45 of dark. Just gotta put in your time. Good luck its a beautifull lake.

jasonfishn · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 06:41 AM »

I say bahumbug on keyhole lol it is just like pouring 90 weight when its -30 very slow LOL it seems the fish do move alot in that lake even with good structure nothing is consistent seems. it would really really help if we had decent size bait that way a guy could give a big or small minnow depending on the bite but I think until that happens and we just have small fat heads it will continue to be slow.

wyoutdoors · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 07:54 AM »

Should be heading out to KH a little after noon today with the plans of drilling a ton of holes and prospecting until dusk. KH is like any other lake, you need to learn the key to it. It's a tough lake to fish and I never fish it in the summer so I don't know any good structure, basins, points, drops, etc. except the standard few "spots" everyone likes to fish. And if the fish happen to not be there, you hear how tough the lake is to fish lol

Before last year I only had the hand auger and would grind a small number of holes where others had been or congregated. Last season I had the Strike-Lite II and began in earnest to learn the lake, but the snows and drifts eventually kept me of and I would fish elsewhere. Keyhole is the closest walleye, crappie water to me and I'd like to unlock the puzzle. I guess the big moon doesn't help much either but... If you see a blue suit pulling a clam give a holler!

DeadSeaFisher · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 09:24 AM »

You are right about that, WYO. Last year there was way too much snow on the ice to move around the ice alot. Definately needed trax or snow machine to get around, and they almost cancelled the derby there due to bad ice last couple years. Gonna have to sneak a trip with DoubleHaul to find those pike...

FireonIce · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 02:43 PM »

I agree with all that has been said above. One thing to remember and it is something I have found out the tough way is that you have to put your time in..... With that you are going to have days that you wonder why you ice fish. Keyhole is a very very tough lake to fish. I have been at it for three years now and still get skunked quite often. I by no means have any idea of what I'm doing half the time but I get lucky just like everyone else can. With this being said you need to just spend time fishing..... moving around..... trying new spots... and drilling a bunch of holes. On an average day at Keyhole I drill probably a hundred holes. Fishing is like hunting and any other outdoor hobby.... nobody tells of their "honey holes" but they will give you some helpful hints. From what I have read the best place to start is with the jigs mentioned above.... We will do what we can to get you started in the right direction and if I can help give some pointers I am more than happy to! P.S. if you think Keyhole is difficult try Boysen!!!!

338edge · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 04:24 PM »

I do quite well at Keyhole, just have to keep drilling holes until u find them. Once you find the crappie they will usauly be there for the rest of good ice. I usauly find them in 30 Plus feet of water and the are suspended 15 to 20 feet from surface. Walleyes will be right under them and as it gets darker start getting a little shallower. Try and find the smallest minnows you can.

DeadSeaFisher · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 04:41 PM »

338's spot on! Several times on Wind creek we have been hammering the crappie, then a couple of minutes of nothingness, then catch a nice pike. When the crappie suddenly shut off, i would jig like a wildman cause there is prob a pike around.

338edge · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 04:57 PM »

Yeah the pike can really shut down the crappies.

winterfish · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 09:10 PM »

I want to Thank everyone that has posted. I will take your advice and see how it goes. I will see you on the ice. Keep posting, and let me know how well you are all doing with the fishing.

wyoutdoors · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 09:25 PM »

Quote from: winterfish on Dec 12, 2011, 09:10 PM

I want to Thank everyone that has posted. I will take your advice and see how it goes. I will see you on the ice. Keep posting, and let me know how well you are all doing with the fishing.

Found some of these this afternoon with a 1/8oz PK Lure Flutterfish, copper and the firetiger glow - 38fow

appleye · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 12, 2011, 11:27 PM »

I've been catching some good ones in the open water. Hoping to find a mess that size here in a day or two when I can look around on the ATV!

DeadSeaFisher · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 13, 2011, 09:41 AM »

Man that is awfully deep for my liking, but gotta go where they are hangin.

winterfish · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 18, 2011, 07:26 PM »

The wife and I went out Saturday to fish at Keyhole. We drilled some holes sat down starting fishing. My wife moved to the next hole, and a 4 wheeler with a sled came on ran over two of our holes with his sled. A little Courtesy goes a long way

wyoutdoors · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 18, 2011, 07:34 PM »

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience out there. I've had people come up to me and leave their sleds a short distance away and walk up, but never had a 4-wheeler run over my holes yet.

wyofly99 · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 18, 2011, 08:17 PM »

If you really want to catch more fish and change the way you fish, Think about getting a flasher!!! It has increased my fish on the ice and lets you know where the fish are hanging out.... Happy fishing!!!! Good Luck!!!!!

budlit714 · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 18, 2011, 09:07 PM »

how was the fishing winter fish? uncalled for to run over your holes, sorry to hear that. I always try to side on the side of caution not to be rude to others when fishing but have found that when your dragging a heavy sled is it impolite to go through a persons grid of 100 holes covering 200 feet of ice? Not at all speaking of this situtation but I have run into my own situation and I welcome people to come through and BS about how its going but some don't. I guess the question is it ok to pass through though the grid or not. I welcome it as long as they dont fly through or run my stuff over.

westtoeast · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 24, 2011, 04:46 PM »

Do they make a paper map of the under water topo for Keyhole; like you can see on fishfinder?

Wyofarmer · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 24, 2011, 05:01 PM »

Quote from: westtoeast on Dec 24, 2011, 04:46 PM

Do they make a paper map of the under water topo for Keyhole; like you can see on fishfinder?

I just picked one up for Boysen so i'm sure they make one.

eyewinder · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 25, 2011, 08:40 AM »

Good topic budlit714 -- possibly for another thread? We do tend to become a bit territorial when on the ice (or water)--sometime justifiably so, sometimes not.

jasonfishn · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 25, 2011, 09:36 AM »

do you have an atv ? I have my lowrance 522c mounted on mine with gps and navionics chip shows all the depth and contours of all the lakes. if you dont you should invest in a unit with gps it will really help you on most all the big lakes around here.

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Author Topic: Learning the ropes (Read 1686 times)