Ice Fishing 101

[irishfield]

...with your ice auger, rod, coleman stove and a bag of fish-crisp. You haven't eaten at all for 2 days...

 

How would you decide where to drill your first hole in the ice... with great expectations of eating some lunch?

[Roy]

Wait, I'm visualizing.....did I pack a lunch?

[Tybo]

First I would have to find something to make a hook out of.

 

You can tell me to shut up any time now Wayne.

[Whopper]

I'll give my best guess

 

I'd find a point and start drilling holes in hopes of finding a drop off and start there.

another place would be an island and try to find the same as above.

 

I'd probably be able to go a couple more days with the body fat that I carry

 

Whopper

Edited January 29, 2007 by Whopper

[Guest mistyriver1]

I'd use the SWAG method Wayne

[Kirk]

I'd start by eating the fish crisp

 

to be serious, I'd start drilling near shore to get an idea of bottom layout, hopefully eyeball some fish and drill out deeper until I got lucky

 

are we on a body of water with a two line limit?

Edited January 29, 2007 by Kirk

[Terry]

sell the equipment and go to a restaurant

[Cookslav]

Bring a shovel....clear the snow and look through the ice for the feesh

[BabyHerc]

I'd pay close attention to shoreline character and trees present - though I'm not an ice-fisherman, I do know that coniferous trees are found mostly in sandy/rocky substrates, with deciduous trees more abundant in softer ground-types. I would then look at the shoreline for clues to lake-bottom topography - the lake bottom often mirrors what we see on the shoreline. Throw in a point and an island as Whopper said, and I'll be damned if I'm starving to death.

[Harrison]

Agreed, Id look for the point that extends the furthest out into the lake. Start at the tip near shore and work outwards crisscrossing the tip or middle of the underwater point 50yrds on either side. You will be on a drop and fish at somepoint.

 

Or, if the elements were an issue I would look for the tallest/steepest hillside or cliff that tapers in to the lake.. should have the deepest drop off closest to shore.

Edited January 29, 2007 by Harrison

[lunkerbasshunter]

I would look to ice fish river mouths or creeks. With the current normally there are some fish around. although often unsafe so lots of holes drill to be safe. Then I would do what someone else already suggested and scout the shore for some fire wood.

 

Cheers!

[walleyejigger]

tough one,

 

as stated before eat the fish crisp allready,

next since if it's a lake we truly know nothing of( even species of fish present) i would fish shallows, if there's a swampy end in the sun, using really small pieces of bait and hoping for perch and such, and maybe even baitfish should be present

 

i choose this because it's probably easiest to find and i think better chances of hitting a few dinks than hoping for a bigger something,

 

 

for all i know there could be no fish present, but a good chance that there's at least perch, baitfish and if in the north maybe even hammer handles, if not small trout frequent these areas also

 

as u can see i'm fishing for survival and not a feast

 

anyways, great topic wayne

[Rich]

Well I can tell ya after the last 3 days of ice fishing for me I'd be starving to death.

[Headhunter]

Well after removing all the sharp objects in pockets and having finished the required puckering up and kissing my ___ goodbye... I'd probably do as mentioned and look for any points extending into the lake/river and begin drilling there and work my way deeper.

HH

[ccmtcanada]

Since I know nothing about ice fishing, I'd probably drop all the heavy stuff and look for a road...pick left or right and start walking!!!

[kemper]

Well since I know jack about ice fishing, Id probably fish the same areas I would in the summer...

[Fisherman]

I'd look around and see if anyone else was there and go bug them for some info, next, make a big smokey fire, Wayne will fly by and think somebody needs rescuing. don't forget the SOS sign, dot over a square I think. All else fails, follow the "lay of the land" into the water and make an educated guess as to depth, go fish, make sure the drag isn't set too tight otherwise you might loose the first fish and your hook will be gone.

[mattyk]

I think this should be the next survivor series. Drop some people off in northern Ontario with an auger, some ice fishing poles, and some warm clothes and see if they make it.

[bucketmouthjohnny]

What a loaded question too many variables not explained....

 

I would go drill a hole beside the other anglers, especially if i see them catching fish or blood stains on the ice or is this some acid rain fallout lake up in the middle of nowhere, than if that is the case, buddy better drop me off at a diner cause i ain't fishin on an empty stomach, especially a 2 day old empty stomach

 

or trade my auger to the locals for food, explain to them how this auger is the next greatest tool for smacking big bear around to get warm fur

 

 

If this is a serious question, i would definitley look at the shoreline and pick an area that had a creek, river leading into it. Current always holds fish. If can't seem to locate such, wouild look at shoreline for a steady dropping shoreline, say at least a 30 to 45 degree angled shoreline and start 20 feet from shore and work out.

[Raf]

I would look where BabyHerc is fish'n because he has the right idea.

[Greencoachdog]

My first hole would be in a Mc Donalds parking lot to stand my auger up in while I went in to buy a half dozen Whaler fish sandwiches, fries, and a Coke!

[Uncle Buck]

follow the crowd, fish close ( within reason) to them...

[1leggedangler]

Try to remember if my will and insurance were in order!Then maybe eat some bark and lick the ice a couple of times. Never had much luck ice fishing.

 

Cheers,

1leg

[irishfield]

Amazing what can be done to delay cabin fever around here LOL !

 

Seriously....this was a serious question..just spiced up a tad to "catch" your interest.

 

Goran...there are no crowds to follow. Last time I struck out I was the only guy on the lake and shooting blind, with a single ice fishing expedition under my belt with DWC and Tonyb leading the way. Sounds like I did a few things correctly....but definitely not my second day where I picked a spot out in the depths and once punched thru I found with my humminbird portable that I was on 180FOW.

 

I'm headin North on Friday and hopefully with the help of this thread will eat!

 

Wayne

[snoil]

Bring a sandwich...