Good luck with the slabby crappie!! They are a bit of a dificult pursuit through the ice. I went probably a dozen times before I finally figured the things out pretty good. Think VERY LIGHT BITE!! Rediculously light, even for a slabber of 14" or bigger. And you will need a really good fish finder. [;)]
Perch on the other hand, they are easy, if you find a big group of them, you got 'em. Don’t even need a fish finder, just drop it to the bottom near some structure, and there you go.
blah blah blah, blah blah blah. [crazy]
How are you pretty sure that something happened between two people you don’t know at all? You must have some pretty special magical powers?!
And I can not remember ever fishing mud creek through the ice so I am pretty sure it didn’t happen. But if it did, it was probably 4 or 5 years ago when I was a novice ice fishermen and would have since changed my ways. If I did do that, I apologize, but I hope I did ask before joining in the same area.
But reread my post. I understood the crowds but did not appreciate the crowds following me or the noisy neighbors.
Do I sense some fish envy?
lol, your stiill a novice , 4-5 years lol.you caught a few kokes last year off other peoples sweat how long before you outfish the koke novices 10 to 1.[;)]
Do I know you? If your just having fun, I may be missing the sarcasm, and if I am, my bad.
Ice fishing for 7 years. Going out 1-3 times a week for the past 4 or 5 years from November to April and usually have amazing success. So yes I do consider myself past the novice stage in general, especially on local lakes.
Still a novice at the kokes though. Found a few. And hopefully in a few years I will have them keyed in. If you did help me with the kokes and you are using a different username, then thanks, and I would be more than happy to help out ice fishermen who are polite and ask.
Jacksonman, probably not worth your time jaring with this guy, thanks for original post, I was planning on getting up there, but it always pumps me up to see some pictures and know we can get on the ice and not waste a tank of gas to find out. I have been Ice fishing for 23 years, back when there was maybe a dozen guys who where at scofeild each weekend, before the tents, the gas augers, and all the new fancy lures, we’d layer up, and truge out the the island, use our hand augers through 24" of ice and sit there and freeze our butts off and love it. Ice fishing has come along ways, Im a gadget nut! I absolutely love my camera, I love to watch the fish behaviour and take notes of how they react everytime I go out. It has added a great new dimension to my fishing. After 23 years I still consider myself a novice, every 5-6 years the lake completely changes, different fish species, different veggitation and bottom structure, what worked 10 years ago sucks today, So I am Always learning and getting my butt kicked, thats why the harddeck is so dang addicting and fun. The only thing that has changed I don’t like is the ethics, I don’t mind as many guys that want to fish the lake, but please you don’t own it, respect guys that are there, keep some space and keep your kids in check unless you find your own little spot then let the run and have a ball.
With your experience and ethics, you are hardly a novice. Everyone has a tough day ice fishing where you just can’t figure things out. But I haven’t been skunked while ice fishing for years (ever that I can remember) and I would bet you are the same. Knowing what adjustments to make and the right time to fish various locations is what makes someone a good ice fisherman.
I am a tiger trout nut and I have put in my time figuring them out. So that is why I have Scofield keyed in right now. I also fish Scofield 3-6 times every fall from a boat so I learn the fish patterns right before ice on.
I hope to ice fish panguitch for the first time ever, and I am sure there will be a slight learning curve. But that is what makes fishing new lakes so much fun; the challenge!
I’m not callin anyone novice, nor do I believe someone to be non helpful if they don’t post thousands of times about generic facts and generic photos that we’ve all seen and experienced. There are those that share plenty of facts, such as TubeDude, OL coot etc., to all who may be novice or not. If its not worth braggin, some of us prefer to just keep quiet. How many times do U see folks postin or replyin and really saying nothing at all. Not sure I like the ratings for members, seems there are too many goin for wanna be shark ratings. I appreciate real, genuine posts, both the positive and the negative. How we gonna learn if everything we do is always butt kissin and good.
For example, when I see Jacksonman gillin a 25" tiger, then braggin the catch and release, I can’t help but think novice, and if I tell him bout gillin and killin then somehow I’m the bad guy. Not the case, just sayin it how it is. I’ll still be happy to go fishin w/ him the next day.
I agree with most of your post.
I hope it is not insulting to use the phrase novice. Novice means beginner or lacking experience. That is it. Everyone starts as a novice at sometime. Long time ice fishermen know to keep their distance from other fishermen (unless they are jacka’s and don’t have courtesy for other fishermen).
About the whole holding by the gill plate, can you lead me to real info about the harm it causes? Normally I don’t gill fish that I release, but when ice fishing in -5 degree weather, it seems better to gill them very quickly and gently, take a quick picture or two and let it go, then struggle with a flopping fish for twice as long and risk freezing their eyes out. I try to not even touch fish that I let go but that is hard to do when trying to take a picture.
There is a difference between not posting a lot because you have nothing you consider worthy of posting, and just being a troll. Your comment wasn’t offensive to me at all albeit better stated in a PM.
These fishing websites struggle because there are so many trolls and negative opinions that are always posted. That is the nature of the beast. I think a forum that had general fishing info and then a bragging board would be best. Posting reports gets really difficult to please everyone without hot spotting but at the same time upsetting those who want more info.
How does that saying go, “if you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all[;)].”
Amen to that. Rabble rabble rabble.
I like this one too:
It is better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and resolve all doubt. ~Abraham Lincoln
So - might be too late to get your boat out for a that test run now that the ice is on, eh?
Speaking of Kokes - d’yall ever pull them through the ice? Do they go for the same kinda jigs as the perch/crappie/trout? Or are they still onto squids and buzzbaits?
Might have to give Porcupine a try this winter.