Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations 4 inches of ice now on my ponds

here in northern Indiana. No warm up in sight so it looks like it's here to stay for a while.

If I could just get out there for several hours! The pond beckons from the shop window but I have so much work to get done!

Only got out just before dark. Lost one big perch, got two eight inch gills, and a small crappie. Crappie didn't go back needless to say. I'm catching definite crappie reproduction now and then. I need my head examined for putting them in. Must have had a brain fart when I did!

Hey Cecil, temp in the D/FW metromess is in the mid teens with a very thin sheet of ice on the streets. Wind chill of zero. The cities are pretty well shut down and schools are closed. We have millions of people who have no experience driving on any kind of ice and no appreciable amount of public facilities to deal with it. I can't even imagine the world that you guys up North live with. As Burgermeister said on another post; "hard to relate".

It would be interesting to see if our fish would even bite during cold weather. For the next couple of months diehard big bass fisherman will fish all day on the lakes in the hopes of catching one whopper, egg laden, female LMB. Some days they don't get a bite and sometimes they do.

Wow, a Texan using the term: "Wind-chill" spooky.

Cecil, How was fishing today (Friday afternoon) after Thursday's heavy snow?

Bill,

I ended up with a 12 inch and a 13 inch perch along with an 8 1/2 inch bluegill that swallowed by beemoth baited jig when it was stationary. Also released a small largemouth and had lots of light bites I missed. I did release a few other bluegills too.

It was a bad day that started out with not being able to get the snowblower started.

First thing I did when I walked into the ice shanty was step in one of the big holes that had snow blown in it, but not completely frozen from the previous day. Needless to say I hightailed back into house the with a boot full of ice water.

Finally went back out and realized I left something in the house. Then the shanty caved in from the top due to the makeshift span I made as part of one of the poles is missing. Then I dropped a good pair of scissors I was using to cut off the excess bobber stop down the hole. Then got a birdsnet on one of the reels. Rrrrrrrrr!

If there is anything to astrology my horoscope for the day would have said "stay in bed!

BTW some water had come up through some holes I had made the previous day. However with a low of 3 tonight I think the slush will freeze back up.

Cecil, when I get real klutzy, I'm going to think of you. Then I'll know that somebody runs a close second to me.

Are there any problems with catch and release of fish through the ice?

Norm , I rarely have problems with catch & release and delayed mortality. HOWEVER, I am very careful how I handle the fish. 1. Whenever possible, I "lip" them to get them out of the hole. If I cannot lip the fish due to size or teeth, then I lift it out of the hole by grasping around the head -gill cover area. Body handling is kept to an absolute minimum and I always wet my hands before any body handling. I have a towel handy to dry my hands cause ice water makes for cold hands. 2. I very rarely allow fish to flop on the ice; but accidents happen. 3. I return them to the water as soon as possible. 4. If the fish shows any signs of blood, it is invited to dinner.

I'll be ice fishing in about 15 feet of water for crappies this weekend. Any tips?

Saunders Lake

Bob -- I don't know your expertise level, so don't feel like I'm talking down to you. Do you know that crappies often suspend, especially under ice cover? Do you have a Vexilar, or similar equipment? If so, watch for the fish in the mid-water column, rather than right on the bottom. Also, they often bite well after sunset.

Dave

Dave - no offense at all -- I will take all the tips I can get! I do know about the night thing, but not the mid-water column tip. I will try that for sure this weekend. I believe a friend is bringing a Vexilar, so I'll be able to better check.

Thanks for the tip.

bob,

Is that girl on the webpage going to be there? If so you may not be able to concentrate on the fishing.

Dave has good advice. Also be aware crappies love fathead minnows and you can attract them under your hole after dark with a lantern. However don't be afraid to try panfish jigs baited with beemoths during the day.

What's a Vexilar?

Dave -- that's more "northern" jargon. For the past decade or so, the vexilar was the king of winter fish finders (flasher). Very sensitive, and you could distinguish fish from the bottom, see your lure, watch a fish follow your lure as you teased it up, etc., through your ice hole. There's some new competition for them now, but it's still easier just to say vexilar, as everyone knows what we mean. :-) If the crappies are suspended at the 8 ft depth in 15 ft of water, then the vexilar helps you spot the right depth to fish.

Flasher fish finder by that name.

Sounds something like the original portable green box.

Yes, but it's even better. It had different colors to show you how large the fish is or how close the fish is to your bait. And unlike LCD's it's on real time. Most LDC's are delayed. And now there is an improved version. To see your little tiny jig down there moving up and down and as you pull it up seeing a blip follow it is cool!

One thing you southerners may not be aware of is after observing fish with the new underwater cameras it's been found that coldwater fish bite so light many times you don't even know they have inhaled and exhaled your bait. You can have a tiny float on that never moves even though a fish is on. Same with spring bobbers. The Vexilar lets you know a fish it there and that will help you catch fish.

A lot of the guys that use the Aquaviews are saying it really puts fish on the ice. Personally I find the cameras a distraction and have actually seen them spook fish but they have shown how light fish bite in frigid water.

I've used the Vexilar in openwater while jigging over the side of the boat. Unlike the LCD's when it shows fish they're there baby! I've gotten lots of false reading with the LCDs.

The aquaview works well but it would be hard to watch it while you try to catch a fish. They are good for locating fish and temps. and seeing what they are feeding on. The LCDs are good also but it is important to know the cone angle if you are moving. For example on mine at 12 ft. deep you see an area 2-3 feet wide. Others are much better but still have a limited view. I know nothing about flashers . On flim and on the aquaview I have seen LMB suck in a crank bait and spit it out quick as a snap all without feeling anything on the rod. Hard to believe that a LMB can swim up behind a moving crank bait and suck it in and spit it out without feeling it on your rod but seeing is believing.

I just looked at Vexilars on EBAY. Expensive suckers.

Cecil -- she hates the cold -- so I doubt it!

Thank you all for the tips. Last weekend we only got in 2 hours - no catches, a couple bites, and 3 sunfish who actually swam up the hole to check us out. Going out again one week from Friday. Although it has been below zero here, the ice around the sides was slushy.

I just saw something on the news about some ice fishermen in michigan trying to fish their cars out of a lake. Y'all be careful now, you heah?