As soon as the ice comes off Mantua I want to hit it for bluegill and perch. what are some suggestions for how to tackle that. Do I need to still use small baits and lures like ice flies? Will I still need a spring bobber till it warms up a little more? What is everyones ideas?
How to tackle:
Wait a few months till the bluegill spawn, then fish for them.
I have to agree with Pointer, never thought I’d say that! [:p], wait until the water warms up to about 65*. It won’t take long for Mantua once we have some steady weather. After the bass spawn you will start to see the 'gills on beds.
Don’t let the soft water bug bite you in the butt, we’re all getting impatient but sometimes patience is a virtue…of course this is total hypocrisy, you only know if the fish are biting if you are on the water.
probably a good idea to wait but I will probably try anyways. Mantua is about 5 minutes from my house in Brigham and it haunts me every day knowing that I should be on the water instead of what ever else I am doing at that moment.
I hear ya there Bro. I LOVE the water… I am from minnisota "the land of 10,000 lakes!!! [;)]
[angelic]
If last year was any indication, I’d suggest stocking up right now on mealworms. That’s right – mealworms. We absolutely slayed the ‘gills on them last summer in July using a drop-shot set up. I was using the last cup of 50 left over from the ice fishing season. They had survived very well for about 4 months in my bait fridge.
When they were gone, I found out that NONE of the fishing tackle stores carried mealworms except during the ice fishing season. And all the pet stores were out of them due to a country wide shortage. Even the mail order houses were out. Disaster!
Stock up now; I know I will.
Look for the deeper holes at around 12 to 15 feet or more and fish next to the weed banks that come up nearly to the surface. Two of us had 100+ days in less than 2 hours of fishing on 2 different days. We took home about 20 each day that were 8 inches or longer. And as a bonus, we added a couple of nice perch on both days. Great fun and excellent eating. Good luck.
[fishon]
**Both perch and bluegills are more active and easier to catch when the water warms up a bit. Iceout is a transition period, and the water is still cold. But, if you can find the fish, you can usually catch them. **
Perch will be spawning soon after the ice comes off. They move shallow to find weed growth to spawn in. Then they move back out into deeper water until it gets warmer and the summer weed growth fills the lake with greenery. Use sonar to find them in deeper waters both before and after spawning. Fish them just as if you were ice fishing…small jigs and small baits…waxies, mealworms, bit of crawler or perch meat. The bite will be light until they get more active.
Bluegills can be anywhere from very shallow to very deep. Not uncommon to see them cruising well above the bottom over deeper water. And, they will also come into the shallows on warm afternoons to catch some rays on northern shorelines. If your sonar tells you they are suspending at 8 feet, rig a slip bobber to present a small jig at that depth and then just drift around until you find a good area. Once you find a zone, put the anchor over and fish beneath the boat at that depth.
If fishing from a float tube, try slow trolling a water filled bubble and fly rig, with a small dark pattern fly…with a tiny piece of crawler on it. Vary the amount of line you have out and the speed you move around. The fish can be anywhere in the water column. They will come up to something above them, but will seldom dive down for something below them.
Oh yeah, when fishing the flies, be prepared to have to deal with a lot of pesky planter bows.
Another good technique when prospecting for perch and gills early on Mantua…before all of the weeds grow in…is to drag a “double drop shot” rig over the deeper spots. Use a very small split shot or tie a 1 foot length of lead core line on the end of your line for weedless weight. Rig small hooks at 18 inches and 36 inches above the weight, and bait them with your choice of morsels. There will always be some weeds, but not enough to snag you up as bad as midsummer.
Early iceout fish are mostly still schooling, so if you find a holding area you can usually count on catching fish…if they are biting. Mantua is notorious for the fish being moody. One day they are willing and eager. The next day they have lockjaw.
As a general rule, fish light line, small hooks and small baits this time of year. But, after the water gets above 65, all the fish will hit bigger stuff. I have caught plenty of average size gills and perch on 3" plastics at that time.
Now, breathe through your nose and try to remain calm. Spring is close at hand. Summer is not that far away.
Thanks for your info on that. Do you think I should use a spring bobber on the end of my pole or do you think a normal altralight pan fish pole is sensitive enough?
My personal opinion is that a spring bobber would be nonessential for open water fishing. It works well for the light biters under the ice because you can anchor the rod rock steady. When fishing open water it is difficult to hold the tip of the rod steady if there is any motion in the boat or breeze or whatever.
A good light sensitive rod and finely tuned senses should get the job done. But, don’t rely on touch alone. Watch your line for any twitches…or if it stops dropping before it reaches the bottom.
And, if you do find suspended fish, rig a very small slip bobber to present your offerings at the right depth. Then watch that bobber like a hawk. A bite may register as a single ripple coming out away from the bobber…or the bobber moving only an inch to one side. A lot of folks miss a lot bites while they wait for the bobber to go under water. Doesn’t always happen.
I am looking forward to some early tubing up there myself. Love that little pond.
Another rig that will help you stay out of the weeds is a homemade bottom bouncer. Use a stainless steel wire, 18-30 inches long, about .20 diameter ( check your local hobby store, you can buy various diameters in 30 inch lengths) Add weight to it by either crimping split shot or using a rubber band as a stop, slide bullet weights on the wire. Just bend a loop in the end, tie on and you have a bouncer that will keep your bait up out of the weeds. You can adjust the weight by adding or removing weight. You can also slow troll a small rapala or flat fish with the rig. You cannot cast it however. I also make slinky sinkers with parachute cord and #12 bird shot. cut the cord into lenghts, remove the core, and melt the end with a lighter, while holding the piece with a long nose plier, to seal it. Fill with shot, then flame the other end. Tie a small snap swivel on the end of your line and attach the shot bag by opening the swivel and pushing it through the cord at the end. Pretty snagless in rocks and weeds. Adjust the weight by the size of the piece of cord you use. you can buy 50 yds of cord at Smith and Edwards, Outdoor Outlet, or camping section of Sportsman’s. I buy OD Green, but you can get white, black, etc.
that is a great idea with the parachute cord. I will try that out.