secret to catching

[thewoodall]

This year I have caught 4 little gills and one bass.I've gone over ten times. I have tried shallow, deep, bottom and everything in between. I have used tubes, rattle traps, jigs, flys, spoons, waxies, spikes, mousies, fat head and suckers. I've dead sticked, jigged aggressive, jigged slight. I just can't seem to catch anything when it comes too hardwater.so I ask in desperation what is the secret to catching hardwater fish?

[trout chaser]

nightcrawlers,     huge  minnows

[Madpuppy]

The main thing is don't give up the fight, I go for the relaxation fishing offers #1. #2 if I catch fish it's a bonus.
If you're targeting Gills how big of hook are you using? Go small!

[thewoodall]

I've read in these post people use 5in plus minnows but in Illinois I can't get them that big. I will try night crawlers I didn't know if they had a place in hardwater fishing.

[thewoodall]

Don't get me wrong I enjoy the peace of fishing, and being out in the elements. I use a number 12 or smaller for the gills and just can't find a bite. I would like to target other fish but I can't even get the ever abundant blue gill to bite. Not giving up just hoping there may be more lures or baits to try to get a tight line going more often.

[Madpuppy]

Do you use a fishfinder or vex?

[thewoodall]

I do not have one and it seems that will be my next purchase. I read a lot that people see the fish with their cameras or vexs or marcs. They seem worth their money its just not going to be an option this year unless I could find good quality under 100 dollars. I also know nothing about them. What's a good starter one?

[Madpuppy]

I just use a regular fishfinder myself. Just bought another one for my boat and made the old boat finder into a portable for the ice. I got a Hummingbird for the boat and I use an old Eagle Supra ProID for the portable. I mounted it in an old tackle box and bought a small Zues 12 volt battery to run it. Bass Pro sells the Eagle Cuda242 or the old Eagle Cuda 168 for $79.99 and I think I paid $28 for the battery which comes with it's own charger. I like the fish finder myself for a couple of reasons #1 being cost, they will tell you water depth and temp and if you're fishing where the fish are. They also tell you fish depth and size. It a good way to get an entry level system cheap. Eventually I'd like to try a Vex if I get to a point when I can go a little more.

[thewoodall]

Ill try to get one before seasons end do you just drill your hole stick the ff downs there and if you see no fish move on?

[Madpuppy]

Yeh, I'll drill some test holes and drop the ducer down and see what's swimming, if I don't see anything I'll move 50-100' and try again. Once I find some fish I'll set up and if I don't get a bite in the first 15-20 minutes I start all over in a different spot. Main thing is don't beat a dead horse, if they ain't there, move.

[Melbs7]

For jigs, a couple of my favorites are Marmooskas or Gill Pills in a size 12 or 14. My favorite bait are red colored spikes. Keep moving around.... keep trying. It took me a long time before I felt like I could "consistantly" catch fish through the ice. A lot of trial and error, and a lot of feeling like you should give up.... just don't give up... it WILL get better... ESPECIALLY once you get a Vex. Go with the fish finder idea if you have to for money purposes, but upgrade to a vex as soon as possible. They have factory reconditioned ones that still have the regular 2 year factory warranty, and I have heard they look like brand new units when you get them. Go with the best quality unit that you can afford when you do buy it.

http://www.vexilar.com/pages/products/products_outlet.html

Give it a try and good luck!!

[Lobes]

Sounds like you may be fishing without electronics if so try this (copied from one of my previous posts -
First of all try your presentations the exact opposite way you are now. Start your jigging near the surface and work your way down. If you were using a flasher you would want to your presentation just above the fish to bring the active fish up. You essentially want to skim the fish off the top of the pile and work your way down.
Next, if you have two or three rods, set them up with your top lures and I'd go 5 - 10 cycles each and then move on to another hole.
Remember, watch your line. Sometimes as I have seen so often on my camera, fish will take your lure and actually lift up a fraction of an inch. The majority of the time fish don't slam your presentation. Look for your line to go ever so slightly slack. And when you set the hook don't rip their lips off. Raise up quickly and reel at the same time. If your hooks are good and sharp it won't take a lot to get a good hookset.

Detecting the strike is the ultimate "trick". Master that and you're on your way. Most bites are very subtle so watch very closely.

                                             
NBG

[wildRed]

find a good pond.

[thewoodall]

The pond I've done over half my ice fishing at is a great 3acre little pond I have fished it many years, spring summer and fall. I know all the ins and out of it. I just can't produce on the ice.thanks for little help with find a good pond. I was looking more for advice once on the ice and new techniques to try.

[fiesty]

I'm pretty sure about a half a dozen sticks of dyno could clean up a 3 acre pond...whatever ice is left get out of the water, then siene the sob....

[JT]

Be mobile and keep changing  your set ups til you dial it in. Go to a lake that does produce and get on em'!
Use tip ups, jig and or tip downs and figure it out,nothing but actually spending the time in different areas til you produce is the answer.

[thewoodall]

Thanks for all the help guys, went out today and tripled my catch for the year! Caught 6 gills 2 crappie and a small eye. Nothing was outlandishly big but I was catching. I kept switching up lures and jigging presentation until I got a bite, then I just kept replicating what I did for the first bite. Had to drill a lot of holes but it was worth it! Thanks again everyone

[Madpuppy]

Glad to hear it Buddy!!! I know I have my good days and bad days, oh heck I guess there all good days if you're fishin' Have a good one

[Seedtree]

I would talk to locals who icefish that lake, also check with your state's fish and wildlife folks, many times there is a wealth of info if you just ask.  Most states have a biologist in charge of an area or an individual lake.  You should strive to talk to this person.  Do online searches, you'll find info sometimes in strange places (I recall finding some decent info on ESPN once as a result of an online search using the waterbodies name). 

Survey the lake for where others fish.  Lots of holes in one area suggest productivity, whereas a few scattered holes indicate desperation.  Sometimes you should observe and perhaps mosy over to offer a cagy veteran a beer or coffee.  Fish in prime times, early and late, and give likely spots multiple shots to pay off.  Often, fish may be off their feed for one reason or another, but if you keep fishing in good areas you will eventually start catching fish.

Learn the forage base for the local lake and match the hatch.

Remember the Infishermen tool to fishing success anywhere and anytime: FLiPS.  F- learn about the FISH you seek, read up on their basic nature; L - learn about the LOCATION you can expect to find them for the season in question; P - learn what PRESENTATION to use; and S = SUCCESS if you do the first 3.

Each time you go out, try to learn something.  Even if you catch nothing, you have learned something to help you narrow down future options.  Negative results are still valid results.

Use good equipment and maintain it.  Sharpen your hooks often (my personal pet peeve).  Try to develop a predatory frame of mind when you are fishing - remain focused on the task at hand.  Little things matter.  I've seen the difference between 2 lb test mono and 4 lb test mono make the difference between nailing fish left and right, or nothing, even switching hot and cold adjacent holes (I believe the light jig fell more naturally with the lighter line).  Use fresh quality fishing line.  Trim up 5 feet or so on a regular basis as icy edges of auger holes can do bad things to light mono, or any mono for that matter.  Avoid noise and don't drop stuff on the ice.  If your serious about catching fish, especially big fish, leave the kids and dogs at home.

Read up on icefishing.  This site is an excellent resource.  Keep a log of your outings, note field conditions and what happened (don't need to be fancy, just something usable to you).  You will find, after a year or two, that fish are creatures of habit, much like us.

I like to approach fishing as a scientist.  Do your research and treat each outing as an experiment.  Focus on success and you'll find its fun and a challenge.  You'll also never stop learning what fish are trying to tell you.

My .02s.

[slipperybob]

Ditch the small ponds and shallow lakes...low oxygen will shut the fish down.

[Wiener]

I'm with slippery Bob on this one.

Try a larger lake, or one that is spring fed for good oxygen.

Go with people that ice fish alot.
You can see what equipment they have, and judge for yourself if it is worth the money.

The best thing about a vexilar, (or Marcum) is that they get you ready to set the hook.
You see the fish coming up to your bait, you get ready and watch your rod tip, there's a little dip and you set the hook.  Without some form of electronics, your fishing blind.

Wiener

[BlueDuck]

Go where you know....  Or fish it until you know it.   Takes a little time ane effort but local experience is hard to beat.  A flasher helps alot.  If your fishing the bottom and the fish are suspended your not going to catch them.

[hounds]

seedtree makes a lot of sense to me.  Good Advice

[Mudpout]

As far as electronics go i would suggest checking out the Lowrance X67C ice machine.  Since you arent a hardcore icefisherman you will most likely get alot more of your moneys worth using a dual purpose unit like the x67c.  I'm not saying vex and marcum arent great units, but the x67 doesnt get put away for 9 months a year.   just my 2 cents.

[bigeddydynamite]

As far as electronics go i would suggest checking out the Lowrance X67C ice machine.  Since you arent a hardcore icefisherman you will most likely get alot more of your moneys worth using a dual purpose unit like the x67c.  I'm not saying vex and marcum arent great units, but the x67 doesnt get put away for 9 months a year.   just my 2 cents.

I bought one of these this year, I love it! Very much worth the money!

[MT-Ed]

When I lived in the mid west I fished an old stone quarry. There was a saddle in the middle of the lake where the water depth was only about 6 ft. This spot had lots of weeds. My buddy and I discovered, quite by accident, that we would outfish everyone if we laid down on the ice, over the hole and lower our mini jigs w/ spikes on them down into the weeds, and then slowly twitch them as we would raise them up towards the surface. All of a sudden, the weeds would start to waver and then they would part as these huge gills would emerge "stalking" our jigs. We would then keep them twitching, but stop the upward climb. And then.......and here's the important thing.......those suckers would come up, suck in the maggot, mouth it for a few seconds, and then spit it back out!!! Since we were seeing this, we would just set the hook when the spike dissappeared and whamo.....we had 'em.  After the first time, we returned with frig boxes and sight fished. No one else was catching anything.......althoug h I'm sure it was because the gills refused to take the bait and run. If you know you have gills in the lake, search for some weeds and try sight fishing..........or if you have a camera........I've used that on perch at much deeper areas, but they were doing the same thing as the gills!!!! FWIW

[Nutsicles]

I just use a regular fishfinder myself. Just bought another one for my boat and made the old boat finder into a portable for the ice. I got a Hummingbird for the boat and I use an old Eagle Supra ProID for the portable. I mounted it in an old tackle box and bought a small Zues 12 volt battery to run it. Bass Pro sells the Eagle Cuda242 or the old Eagle Cuda 168 for $79.99 and I think I paid $28 for the battery which comes with it's own charger. I like the fish finder myself for a couple of reasons #1 being cost, they will tell you water depth and temp and if you're fishing where the fish are. They also tell you fish depth and size. It a good way to get an entry level system cheap. Eventually I'd like to try a Vex if I get to a point when I can go a little more.

I use a eagle cuda 168, and it works well. Basically a x67 ice machine. It just doesn't have as many features and it's grey scale. I took a piece of a pool noodle and rigged up a float for the ducer. I can see a 3mm fiska in 20 fow. Watch fish come off the bottom, suspend, pretty much anything I need it to do. Ill eventually get a flasher, but I'm not going to break the bank, when my normal fishfinder works. I'll actually probably get a camera before a flasher since my fishfinder works so well.

[siyakadog]

I usually take as many as 8 rods with me, rigged with the top jigs/lures that you can get off each forum(perch, gill crappie ect forums).  I find the fishing village then set up 50-100yds away from them, get maps of your lake to see what kind of bottom you got.  Then drill a bunch of holes, make Swiss cheese out of the ice if need be.  I set the timer on my phone for 10-15 minutes, if Im not getting any hits then move to the next hole.  I just got a showdown this year and it helps.  Another thing that helps is ultralight tackle for the light biters, spring bobbers 2lb test ultralight poles have made a world of difference for me.  I have been a self taught icefisherman for 20 yrs, then came the internet!!!  Dont be afraid to change lures constantly, many times I have found perch will bite one jig and catch 2 or 3 then nothing again until I change colors or jig, then catch another 2 or 3.  Same hole but they want the buffet handed to them.  If you have a buddy fish different holes make sure you are using different jigs, but communicate w each other to find what they prefer, it saves you alot of time.  Also work a series of holes separatley, drill a line of holes, he starts on one end then I start on the other.  When you find an area where they are then move closer, or if the bite is hot in one hole fish together. 
Last July I researched every forum going back until 2003, looking at top jigs and presentations. It helped tremendously.

Hope it helps good luck!!!

[Townie]

Lotta good tips posted; but some waters just don't produce during winter. I'd seek out another pond with active fish.

I fished a winter-killed pond last year and wasted 6 trips w/out a bite. Previously it was my top producer, a shallow pond which I sight-fished w/ Aqua-Vu. I'm giving it  a season or two to recover...

[Booppr]

My biggest problem was not seeing the bite. I solved it with a spring bobber on the end of my pole, when the pole was at rest, the jig would "load" the bobber so I could see a fish take the bait and rise, or they would pull the bobber down. If you didn't have a spring bobber, 90% of the time you would miss the bite because you can't even feel it if you had your finger on the line in front of the pole. Another thing is stay mobile. Keep an open mind too, I just started pike fishing last year and the first pike I caught was in a place where I never expected any fish to be (3 feet of water). Since you don't have a fish finder, sight fishing down the hole is a good start and if there is no lake map, look at the shore contour to get an idea of what your fishing. Find the places you think might hold fish, a weed line, a point, a steep drop off, a hump, a channel... All good places to look. Get you a clip on depth finder to (sinker with an alagator clip) it helped me tons when someone would tell you "fish at such and such depth" with no elctronics. And look at the species board on this site..... I could keep going but then you would be as confused about not catching fish just as much as I am lol