No Ice, So need tips for fishing COLD water for Gills/Crappies

[Kelsey1]

Due to my lake having ZERO ice I am getting the boat out today.
I have never fished when surface water this cold (33 Degrees), should you drift or anchor with similar jigs/baits as ice fishing or what. Experience tells me to slow everything down but thought I would ask the question.

289 acre Lake has typical layout with max depth 70' known for big Crappie/Gills and gets very little fishing pressure
Any tips appreciated.
 
Frustrated ice fisherman with a new Frabill ultralite and X67C Lowarance icemachine sitting in the garage

Can I use my Lowarance with transducer hanging over side? I am Jonesn to use this new toy.

[chilly feet]

i have had good luck in cold water with light
line and small fathead minnows on a small hook.
you just have to find the right depth.lots of luck
and cress warm.lol

[Kelsey1]

i have had good luck in cold water with light
line and small fathead minnows on a small hook.
you just have to find the right depth.lots of luck
and cress warm.lol

Thanks Chilly
Thats exactly what I am going to do for crappies.

How about "Gills"?

I just wish my Frabill would fit on the front of my bass boat - hey! I never thought about using the pontoon , maybe take the front railing off and put it up there. HMMMMM maybe there is  patent potential,

[chilly feet]

not to sure for gills.usually use mousies or wax worms on a
jig when on the ice.good luck.

[taxi1]

Thanks Chilly
Thats exactly what I am going to do for crappies.

How about "Gills"?

I just wish my Frabill would fit on the front of my bass boat - hey! I never thought about using the pontoon , maybe take the front railing off and put it up there. HMMMMM maybe there is  patent potential,

How about this? 

[reelbigfish]

Kelsey1,
  I hear ya bud.  No ice here in SE Mi either.  Besides using the ice baits and jigs
I'd try a slipbobber.  I fished off our raft this fall with icepoles and did real well on
walleyes.  If it wasn't put up in storage I'd be on it today.  Remember to wear a
lifejacket. 






Ted

[Kelsey1]

How about this? 

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=30280.30

Yea I saw that taxi - no mobility though got to do that run and gun thing ya know 8).

I will post some pix next year with my swimraft ala trolling motor and ice shanty cruisn my bay before 1st ice

[fishingking]

hahah u guys are too funny  that shanty pic is funny just dont lean over too far to grab a fish  or you'll be swimming. I ahve tried to jig like i was icefishing the only thing that really pisses me off is the darn wind. I was out on  October 29th  jigging up gills in 30 fow with a small leadhead jig and crawlers the water temp on the bottom at that time was 45 -47 faren. I would def. try jigging them up jsut like ice fishing justfrom the boat. if its windy then its very annoying to stay over your jig so you can read it from the flasher.

good luck when u go

[wyogator]

I agree with fishingking. I have done the same thing out of a canoe during that horrible January thaw. Just set the anchor, and pretend you are ice fishing. The x67 works great on a boat. I think that is the one advantage it has over Vexilar. If you are sitting still, you can use the transducer it comes with. If you are moving, you may need a transom or trolling motor transducer.

[taxi1]

Well apparently the fact that I am not sitting over any weeds with the ice shanty mounted to the pier has made that particular spot unproductive for large fish. Other than an occasional bass I'm only getting small fish. Therefore I changed to plan B. Plan B involves staying in the Shack-on-a-track to stay warm but now I'm casting out of one open end facing the end of the pier. I rigged up two spinning rods with slip bobbers, and commenced to casting to different spots on the pond, I have taken good size fish before on the ice. Caught and released 6 perch and 2 bass but no bluegills. One pole was rigged with waxworms the other with fatheads. I think the problem is bluegills are notorisously light biters in this cold of water as we all know. Trying to detect these light bites in choppy water over 30 feet away is hard to do.

Come on ice! I heard the reason for the abnormally mild temps is a weather pattern near the Phillipines that is an anomoly. It's apparently knocked the jet stream, weather patterns etc. out of whack from there to the west coat and to the midwest and beyond. Maybe a couple of weeks and it will change?