Help novice getting kids on a fish

[Windzilla]

Greetings!

I am looking for some pointers on how to get my kids on a fish a Wallum Lake. We have access to a house there, and my 5 yo is an absolute nut about fishing. I feel he is old enough to brave the cold a little this next holiday weekend when we will have near freezing temps after a little thaw. That and access to a warm cabin, mean i will be on the ice for the first time since i was a boy myself, and on a lake i have never ice fished.

I have 3 tip ups, an auger, and lots of little kids rods that can be used for jigging until we know what we are doing and upgrade.
I also have a little portable fish finder

So, my questions are
What is the best way to get something, anything, out of the water on a rod, and also on a tip up

Where are the fish in the winter? Wallum has two deep holes and a pretty deep drop off to begin with, where on the lake should we target for some bites, and how deep?

Hopefully i am not asking for a spot burn, so to speak, since it is a pretty heavily fished water way, at least in the warm months.

If i was to go after trout, would I be using completely different tactics? Some of what i have read seems to say that it is less about targeting species with ice fishing, than it is when the water melts. Would i fish the deepest holes or look for other things.

Lots of questions i know, but if you forget about the trout, my question is really, how do i fish wallum to get my five year old as excited about ice fishing as they are about open water?

Cheers and tight lines!

[halfhooked]

/w.wikihow.com/Set-Up-an-Ice-Fishing-Tip-Upww    check this out

[Brendog9]

Windzilla, make more posts so you can receive PMs. I was going to send this via a message, but I don't think this is really a spot burn since I've never fished Wallum either.

Any time I go on a new body of water I vary the depth of my tipups. I'll put a few within a foot or two of the bottom, a couple just under the ice or only put the leader out (I usually put a 6' mono leader on my tipups).

For the kids you could probably try a jigged with a piece of a nightcrawler on them.

I think the structure you mentioned might be good to target. I'd also check out any points and if you know of any weedlines that might be good too. There's probably some bass hanging out on those.

[Windzilla]

Halfhooked- Thanks for the nice little summary it is appreciated.

they say you should use a swivel for the leader on a tip up.

I am just curious if there is a reason for that, vs my usual splice with a bloodknot or similar? not a big deal, just curious, always good to know the reason i am doing something.

Brendog:

thanks for the tip on how to get more tips through the site, I will try to post aplenty.

I started to learn the lake a little this summer and have a few areas i will try the description you said, there is also a floating dock that is part of the property we are at, i was thinking trying that area would not be any good because the fish would have moved down deeper, but perhaps i should try what worked in the summer for structure as well?

thanks again, I appreciate the tips as i learn and prepare for the weekend.

[stinkycoat06]

swivel will prevent line from twisting. Shiners will sometimes swim in circles and twist the hell out of your line. Run tip-up line through small egg sinker, tie on swivel then flourocarbon leader. 12lb should be good for Wallum.  A small button on main line always helps to keep bait at correct depth. Hope this helps.

[Brendog9]

swivel will prevent line from twisting. Shiners will sometimes swim in circles and twist the hell out of your line. Run tip-up line through small egg sinker, tie on swivel then flourocarbon leader. 12lb should be good for Wallum.  A small button on main line always helps to keep bait at correct depth. Hope this helps.

I'm a button guy too!

[Stickhick86]

I use real small spitshot

[Frigid Finz]

I use real small spitshot

1/2 a bread tie.

[Windzilla]

Thanks for all the info guys, and explanations.

Is it acceptable for me to post the topo of the lake (easily found online with a search) and my plan of attack on it for the wisdom of the shanty to review, or is that poor form?

[halfhooked]

i use a swivel instead of a split shot  and use a slipknot to mark my line mostly cause im old and lazy use to use buttons 

[Flatland]

Isn't Wallum real slow? Don't quote me on that, but years ago when I worked up that way that was the case. There a number of more productive waters in the area within a short drive that you might want to look at. Maybe Comeonnow can correct me on that matter...

[RIMainuh]

I'm a small rubbercore guy easy to slide up and down the line. Also if I want to fish the bait off the bottom throw on a big one and tether my bait to the bottom.

[Frigid Finz]

Isn't Wallum real slow?

X2.

[Windzilla]

Isn't Wallum real slow? Don't quote me on that, but years ago when I worked up that way that was the case. There a number of more productive waters in the area within a short drive that you might want to look at. Maybe Comeonnow can correct me on that matter...

It can be slow for open water, compared to other areas (though small mouth and at times, trout, can get active), and i would not be surprised if the same holds true thought the ice, however, it is the only lake I have access to a cabin that is actually on the water, and I am planning on making it a long weekend get away for my family.

I grew up in the area, and my father and i used to go to Keech/sand dam for ice fishing, but that was rare, and I am really a novice at this type of fishing.

it was my concern about a slow lake (and my general lack of knowledge about ice fishing) that prompted me to make the thread. I was hoping someone with local knowledge would be able to help guide me some. I really appreciate the info guys, it is helpful!

[SHaRPS]

Small shiners will also help get action. Bass, trout, pickerel, and perch will all hit a small shiner on a tip up fished about 3 feet off the bottom.

[Windzilla]

Excellent, thanks, i will stop in and see ray at teds, to see what he has, or run over to big bear if he isnt stocked.

My understanding is that between me any my son we can have 10 tip ups (not that i have that many) and one jigging pole each going?

Potentially 12 lines in the water per ri regs, is that accurate?

Also, on a side note, my kids aquarium fish was eaten by the baby snapping turtle we caught and kept for a week, so, i have a nice little 2 gallon tank, i was thinking of throwing unused shiners into to be used another weekend sometime. Any reason that i should not try that? I do not care if it will gum up the filter, more if i will come back to a bunch of smelly dead fish in 3 days.

[Flatland]

When are you going? Using a flasher will make it much more fun. I'm not suggesting you drop $300-600 on one for this weekend, but it is an absolute gamechanger. Best $ I ever spent. I'd offer to loan you mine since it would get the boy hooked for life, but I'm all the way down in Providence.

[halfhooked]

RI is  5 devises 4 tilts and 1 rod  or any combination there if  but 5 devises personally attended   
while you are prepping for this outing try and get a copy of the ri 2017 2018 fishing season abstract it is a neat little magazine  that you can sit down with the youngsters and review the rules it will be a good training time of teaching them to be informed and responsible sportsman or women in the future and a great way to sneak n some of that quality time also as with any new adventure half of the fun is in anticipation and planning if you cant get at walmart or the bait shop because this season is nearing an end it is on the dem websiite and downloadable 

[hardwater diehard]

Cant beat a tip down for pan fish ...after the rod goes down hook the fish then hand over hand through the hole ..keep them close...if your fishing a small basin they will roam the basin ...so action followed by a lull ...then action

https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/sure-strike-tip-down/0000000060989?Ntt=sure strike

[halfhooked]

great videos diehard thats some of that quality time            also a great skill builder

[hardwater diehard]

great videos diehard thats some of that quality time            also a great skill builder

Keep your auger hole to 6" max and everything that comes through it is huge  ...plus its easy to clean holes/check bait with a tip down...and pan fish will eat anything on them spikes..wax worms bait fish ..

[Windzilla]

When are you going? Using a flasher will make it much more fun. I'm not suggesting you drop $300-600 on one for this weekend, but it is an absolute gamechanger. Best $ I ever spent. I'd offer to loan you mine since it would get the boy hooked for life, but I'm all the way down in Providence.

I had no idea that flasher's were a thing

i was planning on using a little iBobber i received for the holidays. I spent some time reading up on flashers and it sounds like it won't be as good, but still should allow for some help in locating fish.

anyone have familiarity with the ibobber for ice fishing, a few threads on the site but nothing with detail on the model i have.

thanks for the offer to borrow one. If my son is hooked I might decide to invest in a mid range one, and might try to find someone to let me take a good one for a spin.

[Windzilla]

RI is  5 devises 4 tilts and 1 rod  or any combination there if  but 5 devises personally attended   
while you are prepping for this outing try and get a copy of the ri 2017 2018 fishing season abstract it is a neat little magazine  that you can sit down with the youngsters and review the rules it will be a good training time of teaching them to be informed and responsible sportsman or women in the future and a great way to sneak n some of that quality time also as with any new adventure half of the fun is in anticipation and planning if you cant get at walmart or the bait shop because this season is nearing an end it is on the dem websiite and downloadable 

thanks, i think i have a copy around somewhere, but never used to spend time on the ice fishing section, i will see if it is in my stack of magazines to be disposed of.

glad to know it is any combo of devices, I have more little kids rods than actual tip ups. (not ice fishing rods, but the right length and, for our first outing, better than fewer lines in the water) and after reading some of the other comments in the thread, i am thinking of turning those kid rods into tip-downs.

[halfhooked]

the kid rods snoopy barbie scooby doo are all fine as jigging rods either to jig with or as a tip down rig kids dont care about fashion and fish dont care what kind of rod they get caught with

[Windzilla]

Well all, thanks so much for all the advice. We went out last monday, brought my 5yo and my 2 yo and the wife came too.

We caught a nice perch, my first fish through the ice, on a tip up, and the 2yo lasted longer than i thought he would.

Overall a good time, a bit windy and cold that day, with temps around 12 without the wind chill, but we had a little tripod and tarp up to cut the wind, and a little cabin near by.

Next time I plan on going to some drop offs on the lake topo maps, and seeing if we can catch something big with my 5yo.