Ice Fishing 101

[bucketmouthjohnny]

Bring a sandwich...

 

 

Good luck Irish!!!! I mean if you are bringing a coleman stove, you might as well bring something to cook on it, not just breading

[irishfield]

 

 

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.

 

Tried that last year..rock face that went straight in...34 FOW a couple feet from the shoreline. Nadda.

[fishforfun]

Temagami is a tough lake thru the ice Wayne as you know Have you thought about renting a hut JK

[irishfield]

Na...they cheat and chum the holes! LOL Besides, Martin, I can stand to lose a few pounds.

[Stein]

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.

 

While I would agree that it would be a great show-- any cold weather series would be a great test, we'll never see it. Gotta give the audience girls in bikinis.

[Squid]

I'd use the auger to retire a bunny or a grouse, screw the ice fishing!

 

Seriously now, is it a lake that you have already fished in the summer or is it a lake that you do not know at all??

 

Points, bays and river mouths[ this one being dangerous] would be where I would start. Drill out 200 feet from shore and you should get into some muskies!! Just kidding. Round about fifty feet and check the depth. Most fish will be in the 15 to 35 foot areas. Of course the lakers et al will be out much deeper. In between islands would be a good bet also. Back bays will hold fish too.

Edited January 29, 2007 by Squid

[irishfield]

Thanks Pete!

 

I made it hypothetical to get what I was hoping... "What makes you decide where to drill a hole"...shoreline detail/island/point etc.

 

Maybe I looked too hard...read too much into things last time out. Maybe instead of travelling all over a slush covered lake last year I should have just drilled a hole between the shoal/point of my own Island and dock...considering all my PB's have come casting off my dock casting at that very spot!

[Squid]

How deep is it in front of your dock?

[irishfield]

Right at the dock 12' tapers out to 34 FOW for most of the bay.

[camillj]

I'd look for a dead birch along the shorline ... dont ask me why ...but the hottest spots always seem to be right out from a dead birch stump

 

Then I'd eat the chocolate bar that would be stashed in my pocket and try to figure out how on earth I am gona fish without a hook or bait

 

Time to start trackin and setting snares

[Squid]

I would drill several holes out from 12 to 35 ft and start shallow in the morning and evening and out deeper through the day. Move around through the week if you plan on staying that long. The pics will come by.

[irishfield]

Thanks Pete...Will give everyones suggestions a whirl if I get up there. Medical issues in the family my have just put the weekend trip on hold.

[fishindevil]

first id curse and swear ,then have a tantrum, curse some more then,drill holes and curse and swear and hope i caught a fish,then curse some more. .....oh wait sorry this is what i do all the time... .oh ill have to re-think that one wayne i thought you were talking about everytime i go ice fishing....lol...lol

[PatB]

Excellent question,

First find a drug store after 2 days with out food I'd have one hell of a headache

First I'd drill holes shallow to deep set up lines there, then build a few snares to catch some animals, probably be easier than catching fish.

[camillj]

Just to be sure Wayne ... I wasnt joking about the Birch ...

 

Find a Bay then poke holes between the points working you way out the middle of the bay

 

And if you do happen to know a 'hotspot from the summer give it a whirl for sure in the winter ... they dont stray too far from the tree ya know ... maybe just a little deeper

 

And for the lakers dont be afraid to go deeeeep ... I have had LOTS of luck at 90+ feet just a few feet off bottom ... I'd actually lay a set line on the bottom in deep water (with heavier line) and wait for a biggun while pokin around in the shallows jiggin minnows (slowly)... and dont forget ot bring the fishfinder ... it will tell ya whether lots more is hapening down there than you can feel (or see)

[Jigger]

If you knew you were going to get dropped off somewhere, wouldn't you eat for the two days before you left? Now if you were kidnapped and placed on a lake...and it was a gas auger

[joonmoon]

Some anglers always carry safety items like ice picks and cleats...well I always carry bait and food with me on every outing. Wayne if ya go drill a few holes in and around your dock cause fish will hold on it in the winter as well as summer. If thats a bust try a little deeper and in the direction of your PBs. Other than that just make a snowball spin around and chuck it where it lands drill a hole do that three consecutive times and then just jig the holes for 5 min each and rotate thru them. You will catch something to eat. Confidence is half the game. Keepin warm is the other half.