02-14-2011, 07:41 AM
[quote Rexburg_rabble]I've got a general ice fishing question for you all. I'm new to it, so I'm still trying to learn. Does it really matter where you fish on the ice? I couldn't help but notice that "the Mags" and Windriver made mention of their favorite spots, leading me to think that fish tend to hold in certain locations more so than others. I know from my fly fishing experience that in rivers fish tend to hold in a hole or an area with structure, for example. However with ice fishing, I was under the impression that the fish would be constantly swimming around so it didn't matter where I set up camp. True or false?[/quote]
Rabble[
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It does make a difference where you fish on a lake. Underwater cover and structure and location of food for the fish and water temperature and oxygen and even time of the year during winter makes a difference. I have been ice fishing when three of us were only several feet apart and two of us were hauling in fish and the third wasn't when using the same lures and bait. A trick I use is to drill one hole just several feet off shore and then every ten feet apart going further out from shore. With each ice hole we check for depth and activity of fish swimming through etc. We fish the holes that have lots of fish swimming thru and the "dead holes" we ignore. Improves our chances of catching fish. Also three general rules. Best fishing for trout (not always) is usually a few feet from shore to about 30 yards off from shore. (2nd) Start a few inches off bottom with your bait or lure. (3rd) Many fish are in the 8 to 12 foot zone down from the top of the ice fishing hole. Many times 8-12 feet down and other fish on bottom at the same time.
DeeCee
[signature]
Rabble[
]It does make a difference where you fish on a lake. Underwater cover and structure and location of food for the fish and water temperature and oxygen and even time of the year during winter makes a difference. I have been ice fishing when three of us were only several feet apart and two of us were hauling in fish and the third wasn't when using the same lures and bait. A trick I use is to drill one hole just several feet off shore and then every ten feet apart going further out from shore. With each ice hole we check for depth and activity of fish swimming through etc. We fish the holes that have lots of fish swimming thru and the "dead holes" we ignore. Improves our chances of catching fish. Also three general rules. Best fishing for trout (not always) is usually a few feet from shore to about 30 yards off from shore. (2nd) Start a few inches off bottom with your bait or lure. (3rd) Many fish are in the 8 to 12 foot zone down from the top of the ice fishing hole. Many times 8-12 feet down and other fish on bottom at the same time.
DeeCee
[signature]