Hey that is some great advice, I’d forgot how important the drop is. Most of the eyes I’ve caught have been on the drop in. Thanks for the info. J
While on the ice after dark at UL I target eyes, and eyes only. I have had some success in late afternoon/evening but rarely. I avoid soft bottom areas entirely. I want my bait to create a bit of noise when I tap the bottom with it, and that is often.. I want water depth of 4-6 feet. If I happen to hook or pick up a rock now and then, good. I have spent entire nights on the ice for eyes but found, for me at least, its a waste of time much after 10ish.
Back in the day when the eye fishing was good at Yuba the narrows produce decent eye count on the cap just before sun down and after dark. But this was when access by dirt road was easy.
My clan stems from Mn., infact just a dozen miles south of Lake of the Woods, so I know how attractive live bait is to any game fish. But here Utah we have to adapt and its why I prefer to drop blade baits or those lures with good vibration. I have pick a few up using TD’s Pony jigs also. Infact my largest utah eye caught through the ice in 2004, a 9.5lb hen, was taken on a TD pony jig with a blade..
For those that want to try this, and fish for Mr. whitie before dark, scrap slime and smear your baits in the slime of Mr. whitie..
Thanks Don I’ll try some of those ideas. Later J
Here’s an article on how to find the right structure for walleye under the ice:
“One of the best times to use an underwater camera to find and catch walleyes is when ‘eyes are looking for weeds in the late-ice season. …”
http://blog.iceforce.com/products/use-marcum-underwater-eyes-to-ice-late-season-eyes/
Take me on the walleye through the ice hunt. I have lots of energy for running around drilling holes and checking out the structure like the article describes.
My post in invites (sticky above) indicates my enthusiasm to hunt walleye in particular. I prefer to fish with others and particularly when I can learn from those with more experience (that would be just about everyone since I’ve just enjoyed my first season) because my goal is to greatly increase my fishing abilities.
Here’s the pictures of the Cats… Later J
Oh…Oh … Those cat pictures have got TD’s blood pumping,
to bad you could get any walleyes im going to make it back out and try for some cats i want one over 20 inches any sugestion for me i got one good walleye this year so far i was useing a crackin rapala on one pole and dead sticked a power minow on the other i was fishing a place that i catch them pre spawn every year it was only 6 feet deep rocky bottom and a bit of current under the ice and yes it was in the dark
Wow that’s a nice Eye good job. The ice where we were fishing is most likely gone now and back to open water, but ShawDog is the one that figured out the cats. They bite very very light and I couldn’t even see a bite on my spring bobber. He was using his flasher to see if the fish were there taking his lure. We tipped our lure with crawlers. Good luck. J
You can PM me if you want, but curious were you working one of the sloughs? I may be too late now to hit some of the backwaters I’d hoped to. Turning fast!
Spring kitties!? Already? man - might be time to chance ‘contests’ soon!
Think I’ll have to hit some briges and some other spring honey-holes and see what’s opened up. I think this spring is gonna be umbrella season!
Bear Lake Saturday???
Wasn’t a slough but backwater and I think the ice will be gone so have to take the boat to catch them now. Later J