Redears through the ice.

[snowzone]

I was told by an old timer that its almost impossible to get redears on the ice.... Come to think of it I've never caught one in the winter. Does anyone target or have had any luck with redears?

[jdm]

we get them on Hudson, but they are mixed in with the bluegills, we don't target them.

[nelsonk44215]

We usually catch quite a few up in nothern indiana/michigan. They are usually right near the bottow below the gills. I have a buddy that pulled a 13.5 incher out of northern indiana.

Nelson

[crappie66]

I have caught a lot of redears over the years through the ice.  Many times you actually catch more redears than bluegill through the ice.  As someone else posted they are usually on the bottom.  When I am fishing I will fish a hole that doesn't show any red on the vex.  I will drop the jig all the way to the bottom into the weeds, then slowly jig my way up off the bottom, you will be surprised at home many fish are down there on the bottom that don't even appear on the Vex until you coax them up off the bottom.

Here is a picture of a few redears I caught this past winter through the ice in a couple hours one morning before work.  I am sure I could find tons of other pictures with a lot of redears if I went through all of my fishing pictures.

[snowzone]

I did say he was an oldtimer!!!! Maybe his vision is going on him. I really dont fish for gills through the ice. I target crappie and perch. I figure if im going to freeze my butt off i might as well catch the best tasting meal possible.

[Swedish__Pimple]

Show em the crappies Bruce//////////////////////////////lmao

[crappie66]

You asked.
Crappie's Creepin

[Swedish__Pimple]

Thats what Im talkin about Bruce,I knew you had some

[jimmygunns]

Nice.  Looked like a Crappie concentration camp!  (I know that's a bad example to use, & mean nothing by it for those of you that are thin-skinned & take things way to personal!)

[crappie66]

Nice.  Looked like a Crappie concentration camp!  (I know that's a bad example to use, & mean nothing by it for those of you that are thin-skinned & take things way to personal!)

Well Jimmyguns, seeing as you live very close to where I am now, we will have to get out this winter and try to find some fish.

[Fish_Tko]

there are a couple of lakes that i catch quite a few redears from. Like crappie66 said they are usually within a couple of feet from the bottom where i fish.

[buekerbug]

Fish close to south shore on the narrows in chain-o-lakes, catch your 25 easy.

[Fish_Tko]

BuekerBug,

Will be over to see you some day this week with JP. There are some pretty nice ones in the narrows and their even suspended.

[Swedish__Pimple]

Somebodys catchin some fish

[jimmygunns]

Well Jimmyguns, seeing as you live very close to where I am now, we will have to get out this winter and try to find some fish.

Will do, will do.  I'm still trying to learn this area, & with the way the last few winters have been since I've been up here, it has kind of sucked!  I hope this week helps in growing us something solid to walk out on!  The T channels on the Fox Chain are 1st to freeze around here, but I've never fished them.  We will see!

[A- bomb]

I try to target bigger than average redears. Certain lakes are better but i tend to get my biggest ones right on the btm. also bigger baits like a large gold rocker with a wiggler. mmmm good!
larger fish are 12" plus.

[crappie66]

Will do, will do.  I'm still trying to learn this area, & with the way the last few winters have been since I've been up here, it has kind of sucked!  I hope this week helps in growing us something solid to walk out on!  The T channels on the Fox Chain are 1st to freeze around here, but I've never fished them.  We will see!

Sounds like I may have to make a weekend road trip back to Indiana to get my gear.

[Rufus]

The Lake James Chain has some unbelievable redears in it if you know where to look  . They are tricky to catch at times. Sight fishing for them is a blast. A lot of them will come up and just blow on your bait and swim away. They are definitely more difficult to catch than a bluegill, but they fight twice as hard.

[Fish_Tko]

Rufus, I hear you on that one. Hogs.

[buekerbug]

Snow lake channels are great to if you have a place to park.

[angolajones]

You have to sort too much on the Snow Lake Channels in my opinion.  There are some brutes in there for sure though.  I catch them late fall on mini cranks on the flats and there are some big reds in there. 

Jonesy

[Fish_Tko]

I agree that there is a lot of sorting on the channels, but at first ice its a nice warm up to go out there and catch a bunch.   I have never fished out on the main lake on snow when its totally iced over just because of being able to get to other favorite spots, but i am sure there are some nice weeds out there.

[A- bomb]

don't be afrid to stray out from the weeds into large flats. i find the med size9-10 inchers hang in the weeds and the big boys aren't scared to roam the flats mid day grubb'in in the soft sand and marl. m2w

[ice man17]

last tiem that i went out for redears i limited out in 4 feet of water.... i got 25 of em smallest was 9 in largest was12.5! used a teardrop with 2 red waxies on em!