03-19-2006, 07:59 PM
You might also check the ice conditions at strawberry. It is plenty thick (and then some) so you aren't going to fall through. However, if there is a foot of slush on top of the ice you may be in for a miserable day and may never try ice fishing again. In fact, you may feel that way anyway trying to drill through that much ice with a hand auger.
The one thing that makes the BIGGEST difference is having some kind of fishfinder that you can use to target the fish. Especially if you have one that can pick up your lure as well. The fish tend to congregate, for the most part, at certain depths during the winter (thermal clines). If your lure isn't at that depth, you won't catch more than a cold, even if there are 20 hungry fish below or above you.
If you can get into the right dept, it doesn't matter nearly as much what you are fishing with. Added scents do seem to really help ice fishing, though. I have down well with the PowerBait scent stuff, others like smelly jelly.
This late in the year the fish are REALLY lethargic. It is probably best to use small baits like meal worms, wax worms, or you can even use pieces of night crawlers. Also, they generally wont hit hard at all. you need to keep hold of your pole at all times and watch the end and the line in the water. Sometimes the only way you know a fish is there is your line will start slowly moving around in the water. Then you need to patiently try to set the hook. If it doesn't work, let it settle again. Often the fish will come back for another try. They may be lethargic, but they are hungry.
Probably the best thing you can do to have an enjoyable experience is to try to hook up with someone that knows what they are doing. It seems there are plenty of people on this board that are happy to have someone friendly tag along. You might even offer to work out a good deal with them that is beneficial to both of you. You can offer to bring the food and drinks, and pay for much of the gas, and they can outfit you with all of the gear and advice while you are there. Most of us have more gear than we need. [
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I, for one, have not gotten out this year. Yes, a
fact. I would be more than happy to get out, use my equipment (power auger, shack, poles, bait, etc) if someone had the snow machines to drag it all out to a good spot. Just need to find someone that has the snowmobiles that doesn't have all the other good gear, and find a day where there isn't as much slush. Those days may be past for the year, though. If so, I'll just sit her anxiously waiting the day I can get the boat out.
[signature]
The one thing that makes the BIGGEST difference is having some kind of fishfinder that you can use to target the fish. Especially if you have one that can pick up your lure as well. The fish tend to congregate, for the most part, at certain depths during the winter (thermal clines). If your lure isn't at that depth, you won't catch more than a cold, even if there are 20 hungry fish below or above you.
If you can get into the right dept, it doesn't matter nearly as much what you are fishing with. Added scents do seem to really help ice fishing, though. I have down well with the PowerBait scent stuff, others like smelly jelly.
This late in the year the fish are REALLY lethargic. It is probably best to use small baits like meal worms, wax worms, or you can even use pieces of night crawlers. Also, they generally wont hit hard at all. you need to keep hold of your pole at all times and watch the end and the line in the water. Sometimes the only way you know a fish is there is your line will start slowly moving around in the water. Then you need to patiently try to set the hook. If it doesn't work, let it settle again. Often the fish will come back for another try. They may be lethargic, but they are hungry.
Probably the best thing you can do to have an enjoyable experience is to try to hook up with someone that knows what they are doing. It seems there are plenty of people on this board that are happy to have someone friendly tag along. You might even offer to work out a good deal with them that is beneficial to both of you. You can offer to bring the food and drinks, and pay for much of the gas, and they can outfit you with all of the gear and advice while you are there. Most of us have more gear than we need. [
] I, for one, have not gotten out this year. Yes, a
fact. I would be more than happy to get out, use my equipment (power auger, shack, poles, bait, etc) if someone had the snow machines to drag it all out to a good spot. Just need to find someone that has the snowmobiles that doesn't have all the other good gear, and find a day where there isn't as much slush. Those days may be past for the year, though. If so, I'll just sit her anxiously waiting the day I can get the boat out.[signature]