tired of buying fish sticks

[stonecat76]

everybody has a story here's mine. i moved to igl area in 05 after always living in fort madison. I had no problem catching fish on the river but am tired of staring at an empty bucket. I would like some guidance not any secrets,just a place to start. I would be much appreciative for help with locating and techniques for catching them little *****. I hear of people icing northern,walleye,and crappies but i"ve never pulled any through the ice. I trudge out at least once every weekend and during the week when work allow.

The indian say that vegetarian is another name for bad fisherman does this mean i'm a vegetarian

[slammin slabs]

havent been up to igl this year im from algona but start by going to walmart and get a iowa sportsmans atlas. it will give you a rough idea of where to go than its all about the search mode.  hopefully you have a hand held gps like a lowrance i finder or something so you can mark the good spots once you find them.  next i would go out and talk to the guys on the ice and see whats biting on what if they will share info most are pretty nice.  try a frostie chandleer for crappies and perch at first or maybe a rap with minow head or waxies.  make sure you are useing small diam line maybe 2lb or 4 lb vanish water is very clear there.  hope that will help a little good luck

[stonecat76]

i have a sportsman atlas and a Magellan gps. I have tried talking to people on the ice and they act as if you were trying to fish out of there shack or holes. Maybe I'm just reading to much into it. down on the river fishermen share whats biting, what bait, and what area without having to have there ego stroked when. When i started fishing up here hell I pulled my buddies shack and all the equipment to and from just to go fishing for 2 years until I could buy my own. He is one great guy just can't fish (more interested in finding the bottom of the bottle).

[fireball122809]

 Do you use electronics at all as in a depth finder? If  not  your are wasting time if i was i rather forget my poles at home than my vexilar.

[stonecat76]

Here is a list of what i have
1 fl-8 with puck style transducer 9 deg.
1 fish-tv
1 frabill ranger xlt
1 mora 6"
1 magnum 3 plus auger
1 magellan gps
1 iowa sportsman atlas

[Mr.Seaguar]

Here is a list of what i have
1 fl-8 with puck style transducer 9 deg.
1 fish-tv
1 frabill ranger xlt
1 mora 6"
1 magnum 3 plus auger
1 magellan gps
1 iowa sportsman atlas

I can see the problem right now. You got no rods, hooks or string! Lol, Stonecat I sent you a PM.

[fireball122809]

Where do you go mostly ? Try to get on ponds in the area most land owners will let you on .That's where i have the most luck  . An plat book is very helpful in finding out who owns what

[tyson457]

good idea fireball by the way we killed the catfish again lastnight bro. i was also gonna say he is missing rods no wonder he isnt catching anything lol

[stonecat76]

i do have line and hooks i just tie them to my finger only my toes were getting to cold
 

[esox_magnum]

I have experienced the greatest fishing of my life in the last 5 years since I moved to the IGL's. I knew nobody when I moved here, in fact while I have been ice fishing 20 years already I only did it 2-3 times a year. I spend alot of hours both summer and winter on the lakes up here, they can humble a guy thats for sure. I don't consider myself a great fisherman but I have only been skunked twice up here both times last winter. My ice fishing starts in Oct/Nov while still muskie fishing. I watch the weeds, where they still are what ones are in better shape than others and so forth. These get marked on the Expedition for use in Dec/Jan. I primarily fish West in the winter, while most days you work for them some days it's just plain fantastic.  Heres a little list of what works for us.......


 Panfish:
 
 24" UL rods with 300U Cardinal reels spooled with 2# test Trilene, Ratsos, 2-3mm Fiskas, Guppies, Mamoskas (sp) catch alot of fish. Hard to beat gold,firetiger,pink,purples. Tip with plastics, gulp products or waxies/spikes

Perch:

 24-28" UL-L rods same 300U's or Shimano 500 series reels with 2-4# Trilene, same baits as panfish but add a few Shucks Jiggers, 1/8oz Go Devils in perch, gold, glow red, firetiger, blue/silver tipped with a minnow head or waxie.

 Locations:
 On West find the weeds, not just any weeds the greenest thickest will produce, Sight fishing rules here no real need for electronics just look down your holes.


 On Spirit mobility is key to fishing the basin for perch, keep moving till you start catching fish. Use the camera on Spirit it will catch you more fish. 20' is where you want to be most days. I'd stay on the Northern 1/3 of the lake historicly it does better. Right now being mobile means having a snowmobile or being in great shape.

 1 little thing I always do is keep a minnow down on a deadstick no matter what I'm targeting. These lakes are tough to fish and only time on the water will make you a better angler on these waters.

[slammin slabs]

you got that right igl is one of the toughest lakes in iowa to catch fish on in winter.  i have made many trips up there in the past and been humbled more than caught fish.  but when you get on them on a hot bite theres nothing like igl.  if it wasnt for the snow i would go there this weekend but no snowmobile and not enough ambition to pull sled all over. 

[esox_magnum]

Pick a bay or lake and stick with that untill you learn it, then take what you learn and move to the next bay or lake. West can take years to learn, I'm on it 75-100 days a year and still learning. Spirit is the easier to fish they are either in the basin or on structure. Put the camera down or sight fish and learn from the fish.

[stonecat76]

    
This the jigs and spoons i have
My rods are
28"light sheels rod
24"ultra light berkley cherrywood
24" light ht
24" med/med-hv berkley roughneck
all rods have from 3# to 6#
Any holes in my equipment please point them out

[esox_magnum]

Looks good to me, you even have 1 of my super secret Spirit perch baits in the mix. Just gotta get you on some active fish and boost your confidence. If your interested I can take you out Sunday morn but Vikes play at noon and I will be home to watch them. Shoot me a PM if your interested.

[Mr.Seaguar]

Looks good to me, you even have 1 of my super secret Spirit perch baits in the mix. Just gotta get you on some active fish and boost your confidence. If your interested I can take you out Sunday morn but Vikes play at noon and I will be home to watch them. Shoot me a PM if your interested.

Now thats neighborly of ya. You`ll learn something there. I cant figure out why a guy would quit fishing to watch his team lose, but hey we all have priorities.

[esox_magnum]

Thats cold Seag, cold indeed. 42 years of hope, someday it has to come true.

[c.r.rick]

hey stonecat where do you live maybe we can hit the ice together some time im in central iowa.  i got a private pond we can hit

[jjslipNfall]

I suck at this too but I have a good feeling about today.  The fish are going to fill our buckets.  Good luck to you and all.

[stonecat76]

I'd like to thank everyone for there help.
Any further help would be greatly appreciated.

[CrappieBuster]

I seen a pilkie in there 2.

Ive been digging the small new glow marmooskas.  Theyve been working for me well.