first ice

[blue mule]

they say first ice is best. this year, since first ice is 6 weeks later than last year, should i start fishing the same spots? with the weather so crazy this year, it's probably anybody's guess. i'm just glad to get out.

[pikeking]

they say first ice is best. this year, since first ice is 6 weeks later than last year, should i start fishing the same spots? with the weather so crazy this year, it's probably anybody's guess. i'm just glad to get out.

::)Hey how's it going now? We went out last saturday and slammed the pike and bass in the same spots as we did last year. I think if it is a good spot it will always be good you just have to fish it differently for the time of year. We used 4-5 inch minnows (alive) next week I think we will try (dead) 5-6 inch for the bigger fish coming in to spawn. Dead bait because the pike loose their teeth and it is easier for them to eat a dead bait then one that is fighting to get away.A bad day of fishing is better then a good day at work!!! Pikeking

[ChenBassHead]

This year is so screwed up.  I was wondering this myself.  So far, the early ice spots aren't producing really.  I've been out 9 straight days, and today was the first good bite.  Went home with almost 40 keeper gills.  Trust me, I've been moving and searching!  The crappies have been off big time, and the perch have been slow.  I'm going to start hitting some deeper water for the perch and crappies now, the typical mid-winter spots for where I fish.

-Zach

[diehard22]

The later than usual first ice fishing around my area has been the worst I can remember. This is a situation when I love to experiment, try new spots, new jigs, sizes etc. this way I find my confidence stays high in almost any situation because I've tried different methods for different conditions and hopeful with sucess. So when the bite is slow or whatever I've always got a couple different tricks to try.

[Driftabugger]

I'm going to try Sunday on normal first ice locations and if they don't produce I'm going to drill and run to try and find fish.  The lake I'm fishing is usually iced over in mid January  so we'll just see what happens I'll post a report Monday morning.

[blue mule]

thanks for the info guys. going out tomorrow nite for the first time. the wind was just too bad last weekend. checked the ice at my honey hole after work tonight. 8 inches. gonna take the future son in law for his first time on the ice tomorrow nite. hope to get into the crappies like last year.