Author Topic: Ice Fishing Tips?????? (Read 9888 times)

gillkiller1125 · « **on:** Jan 28, 2008, 05:37 PM »

Hey I'm what you would call a newbie here, just went on my first ice fishing trip. I am hooked for life. Do you guys have any tips that would just make me catch more and bigger fish. Well I guess any tips in general would be much appreciated. Thanks in Advance.

FullTmeDad · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 30, 2008, 09:44 PM »

Invest in a good sonar...Vexiliar, Marcum, something and learn how to use it. It will help you fish more productive water more effectively.
FTD

RealityCheck · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 31, 2008, 05:50 PM »

Spend alot of time on the ice trying to find fish. "the fish are always somewhere". Persistence will pay off.

doodle · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 31, 2008, 06:21 PM »

Have to agree with getting a flasher. I fished for years without one and it sure does make a world of differance.

bee · « **Reply #4 on:** Feb 10, 2008, 08:27 AM »

Flasher and Holes.

SPARKYICE · « **Reply #5 on:** Feb 10, 2008, 08:35 AM »

Quote from: gillkiller1125 on Jan 28, 2008, 05:37 PM

Hey I'm what you would call a newbie here, just went on my first ice fishing trip. I am hooked for life. Do you guys have any tips that would just make me catch more and bigger fish. Well I guess any tips in general would be much appreciated. Thanks in Advance.

welcome home, bro.
i've been icefishing for years and i'm still looking to catch more and bigger fish. pay your dues and spend some hours on the ice. with patience and hard work it'll come to you. read the shanty, sort through the bs and you'll get some very good info and advice.
have fun,enjoy the experience, it's not all about catching fish

Pajns · « **Reply #6 on:** Feb 10, 2008, 08:40 AM »

Good boots and warm clothes...watch what others are doing on that body of water.

lotwfisher · « **Reply #7 on:** Feb 10, 2008, 10:13 AM »

The best information I can give you is to invest not just money but time. If you want to find bigger fish you may have to move away from the more fish, and vise versa. Be sure to give yourself the best chance at the fish. Be prepared and make sure your equipment is ready at all times so you spend more quality time on the ice than fiddling with equipment. Here are some keys I have found to help find more and bigger fish, more often.

Have the equipment, and make sure it works, and know how to use it to your advantage-flashers, quality reels and rods etc.

Being at the right place during peak times- fishing during peak times, sometimes includes prior to dusk etc (ask around local area for help), also includes pre-spawn, early and late ice.

Drilling lots of holes and using them- You dont fish in the same place all summer so why do it in the winter.

Be persistant or determined-if you get on a school of fish but all are small, get away and find the bigger ones DONT SETTLE

De different- Dont fall into a trend that doesnt produce, fish during odd times, bad days, or places no one else goes too (all areas have the ability to hold fish, just sometimes they need to be found)

Change gears- change depths, lures, baits, lure size etc. Dont just accept they arent biting, find what they cant resist

This is all I can think of right now. I hope it helps. The best thing to do is ask questions and try everything. Put in your time and work. It will definitely pay off.

coldbum · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 10, 2008, 10:58 AM »

All of the above advice should get ya going. Here is some food for thought.
It can not hurt to spend some time reading through the 1000's of post here at the iceshanty. It will only help.
It can take some time to sort through the banter but its well worth it! There are so many productive
tactics out there for ice fishing and you will find most of them here.

Welcome to the greatest sport on earth and don't forget to keep safety on the brain!

Hando · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 19, 2008, 01:05 PM »

Be mobile!

walleye tattoo · « **Reply #10 on:** Feb 19, 2008, 06:57 PM »

Please tell us the color of the water you fish we a are not looking for gps numbers , but this can help a lot with catching fish. JMO.

miket. · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 20, 2008, 07:08 AM »

i think you and every fisherman should visit the d.e.p. in hartford and pick up this book about lakes and ponds. it is solely my fishing bible. it gives kinds of fis, fish populations, water depths, contours, and anything else you can think of. this here book has proven its importanance to the ice fishing world and has also taught and given me so much information. it:s a beatifull thing to select a lake to fish and know dropoffs, depths, whats fish are there and the entire lay out of the lake. i have found some great honey holes.

gillkiller1125 · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 21, 2008, 09:17 AM »

the color of water is like a murky brown but not muddy

walleye tattoo · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 21, 2008, 08:41 PM »

I would start with Orange or firetiger. JMO

Buck762 · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 23, 2008, 02:57 PM »

Talk to the local bait shops about area lakes
Buy a Vexilar!!
Talk to people on the ice
Ask lots of questions in the forums
Definetly keep moving till you find fish
Dont leave fish, to find fish. Unless they're dinks!!

bluecaddisfly · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 24, 2008, 04:23 AM »

won't help for this year, but, check the places you may fish next winter throughout the summer. get charts and go out with a boat and find the spots that you'll want to be on in the winter. if you have a gps unit, save the spots. even with a low end unit, you can write the numbers down, makes it easier then punching a bunch of holes. maps, charts, articles about the area you plan to fish are always a help. pick the brains of people on the ice that you meet. not nessacerally exact spots but, general areas and bait/lures. bait shops, they want your business so, they will try to help. one of the books that is a good place to start is infishermen icefishing secrets. has a lot of good info for the beginer, and some things that oldtimers have not thought of.

powderburns · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 24, 2008, 09:00 AM »

What kind of fish you hoping to catch? Anything in particular.

miket. · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 24, 2008, 09:01 PM »

time and patience is all you need. you just gotta poke around.

er-e-is · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 26, 2008, 08:37 AM »

Make sure the lake is frozen before you walk out on it.

miket. · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 26, 2008, 12:37 PM »

ya because your not gonna like the coldness when you get out of the water after falling through.

gillkiller1125 · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 26, 2008, 02:17 PM »

Quote from: powderburns on Feb 24, 2008, 09:00 AM

What kind of fish you hoping to catch? Anything in particular.

mostly panfish

walleye tattoo · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 26, 2008, 07:23 PM »

Always watch a pearson that lives on the lake they will go to there best fishing spot first.JMO

Lobes · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 28, 2008, 09:21 AM »

As you build your arsenal of teardrops for panfish, make sure you have a few of the basic colors and sizes. White, green, chartreuse, red, black, gold, and silver. Look for good quality painted on eyes (black outline, white, with a black dot in the center). Get a few of # 10, #12, and #14.
As you get into electronics keep in mind they will help but you need to grasp the technique of what the fish want. Sometimes they want you jigging (actually more like quivering slightly), sometimes they want no motion, sometimes they want a lot of motion.

Welcome to the site. Welcome to the fun!

NBG

digger953 · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 29, 2008, 05:24 AM »

dont be afraid to ask questions most people will be willing to help a newbie out as to what is good for the lake you are fishing on

fishingfool · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 29, 2008, 02:59 PM »

I never in my life have seen such a bunch of great guys who are willing to help. It appears you gave yourself the best advice, joined Ice Shanty. KUDOS

My two cents, stay mobile when fish are not present.

gillkiller1125 · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 29, 2008, 03:05 PM »

Quote from: fishingfool on Feb 29, 2008, 02:59 PM

I never in my life have seen such a bunch of great guys who are willing to help. It appears you gave yourself the best advice, joined Ice Shanty. KUDOS

My two cents, stay mobile when fish are not present.

I couldn't have said it better myself, you all are a great group of guys!!!! Thanks to EVERONE for giving me advice to have to time of my life!!!!!!

Lobes · « **Reply #26 on:** Feb 29, 2008, 07:05 PM »

Also check out some of the videos in that section of the forum. If you pay close attention to exactly how the jigs are moving (or not) when the fish actually bite will give some more ideas on how to present.

NBG

oleike · « **Reply #27 on:** Mar 28, 2008, 11:55 PM »

try to remember that you are fishing straight down and not latteraly.

Keep a diary

learn about the spiecies you are targeting

watch what kind of mood the fish is in...then fish accordingly

learn about the moon

be very nice to your wife the day before you tell her you are going fishing...AGAIN
Run like He** if you see her going for the frying pan.

hope this helps ...and above all..have FUN!

Illinoizboy · « **Reply #28 on:** Nov 16, 2008, 06:23 PM »

WALLEYETATTOO,

EYE HAVE ONE TOO!

icontact · « **Reply #29 on:** Nov 17, 2008, 02:08 PM »

I agree with bluecaddisfly about fishing the lake in the summer before you go icefishing there. This may not always be practical but when at all possible fish the lake in the summer first and mark your spots with a GPS. This scouting,fishing has increased my success probably ten fold when ice fishing, especially fishing small mid lake humps. I am usually fishing for walleye, and midlake humps in the winter really concentrate fish, at least here in Alberta they do. Fishing through mid day can be a bit slow but mornings and evenings are usually pretty hot. Also pick up a flasher, they are easy to move from hole to hole and very accurate. I have one with bottom zoom and for walleye fishing I find it invaluable. IMO stay with the real flashers, marcum, vexilar, or humminbird, there are some LCD units out there but once you see the detail on the true flashers you will see what I meen.

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Author Topic: Ice Fishing Tips?????? (Read 9888 times)