Comments on: How do you target Northern, Musky and bass while ICE fishing? http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/ Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:06:41 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: stop_makin_cents http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/comment-page-1/#comment-347 stop_makin_cents Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:37:16 +0000 http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/#comment-347 Northerns- Even under the ice Northerns love weed-edges and weedy "flats" areas that are near to deeper water. Targeting Northerns/Musky isn't too hard! Find a weedy bay, "bottleneck", or "flat" and bait-up with either a "dead sucker/shiner" or live shiner. A good way to fish for N/M is to use tip-ups. Live minnows & larger Rapala-minnow Jigs work well at times. Hint- Take a cue from spear-house guys and use a decoy to "attract" Northerns/Muskys to your bait. IE-Drill a hole 10-12FT from your fishing hole and dump a decoy about 4-6 FT under the ice. Northerns are curious fish and WILL come to investigate. Walleyes- A little tougher to target but easier than Bass. From personal experience, I have found that Walleye (even under the ice) like the early morning-late evening to feed,(evening being "best"). Use minnows/small shiners. Walleye love sunken islands, rock piles with nearby vegatation, & shelfs/drop-offs. A good idea is to go where you caught them in the fall and "start" your hunt there. Walleye love to feed on perch, so if you decide to use a Rapala-jig use "perch color" and tip it with a piece of minnow or leech. Bass- It's really tough to "target" Bass. I have caught a handful of Bass while chasing Bluegills under the ice. So, obviously, shallow-water, weedy, areas are a good place to start. Minnows/shiners would work. Hope this helps ya? Good luck! Northerns- Even under the ice Northerns love weed-edges and weedy “flats” areas that are near to deeper water.

Targeting Northerns/Musky isn’t too hard! Find a weedy bay, “bottleneck”, or “flat” and bait-up with either a “dead sucker/shiner” or live shiner. A good way to fish for N/M is to use tip-ups. Live minnows & larger Rapala-minnow Jigs work well at times.

Hint- Take a cue from spear-house guys and use a decoy to “attract” Northerns/Muskys to your bait. IE-Drill a hole 10-12FT from your fishing hole and dump a decoy about 4-6 FT under the ice. Northerns are curious fish and WILL come to investigate.

Walleyes- A little tougher to target but easier than Bass.

From personal experience, I have found that Walleye (even under the ice) like the early morning-late evening to feed,(evening being “best”). Use minnows/small shiners.

Walleye love sunken islands, rock piles with nearby vegatation, & shelfs/drop-offs.

A good idea is to go where you caught them in the fall and “start” your hunt there. Walleye love to feed on perch, so if you decide to use a Rapala-jig use “perch color” and tip it with a piece of minnow or leech.

Bass- It’s really tough to “target” Bass. I have caught a handful of Bass while chasing Bluegills under the ice. So, obviously, shallow-water, weedy, areas are a good place to start. Minnows/shiners would work.

Hope this helps ya? Good luck!

]]> By: eggbert_23 http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/comment-page-1/#comment-346 eggbert_23 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:52:57 +0000 http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/#comment-346 Fish in shallow water(6 to18 feet). And fish about a 1 to 2 feet of the bottom. With live bait. Fish in shallow water(6 to18 feet). And fish about a 1 to 2 feet of the bottom. With live bait.

]]> By: brddg1974 http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/comment-page-1/#comment-345 brddg1974 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:00:18 +0000 http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/#comment-345 First, make sure the season is open before you keep the fish. I know bass and musky close for the winter here in Wi. The rig I use for Northern Pike is as follows: A tip up with braided 20 or 25 lb "ice" line for the main line. To this I tie a large swivel snap. I then put a loop into an 8 to 10 ft. piece of 20lb monofilament line for a leader. The loop is hooked onto the main line, then I slide a 1/2 to 3/4 oz egg sinker onto this leader. At the terminal end I tie on a 20lb, 10 in. wire leader, then attach a #8 treble hook to the wire leader. I then hook a large golden shiner just under the dorsal fin with one of the three barbs on the hook. Drop this set-up into the water until the sinker hits bottom, then feed out 2 to 4 ft more line. This keeps the minnow within a few ft of the bottom but allows it to swim fairly free. I've pulled Northern's up to 35 inches/15 lbs through the ice with this set-up. First, make sure the season is open before you keep the fish. I know bass and musky close for the winter here in Wi. The rig I use for Northern Pike is as follows: A tip up with braided 20 or 25 lb “ice” line for the main line. To this I tie a large swivel snap. I then put a loop into an 8 to 10 ft. piece of 20lb monofilament line for a leader. The loop is hooked onto the main line, then I slide a 1/2 to 3/4 oz egg sinker onto this leader. At the terminal end I tie on a 20lb, 10 in. wire leader, then attach a #8 treble hook to the wire leader. I then hook a large golden shiner just under the dorsal fin with one of the three barbs on the hook. Drop this set-up into the water until the sinker hits bottom, then feed out 2 to 4 ft more line. This keeps the minnow within a few ft of the bottom but allows it to swim fairly free. I’ve pulled Northern’s up to 35 inches/15 lbs through the ice with this set-up.

]]> By: winterrules http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/comment-page-1/#comment-344 winterrules Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:23:27 +0000 http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/#comment-344 For northerns and muskies stick close to shore in shallow water. For walleyes fish in deep water. There are no largemouths in any water where I fish so I can't help you with them. Live bait works best. Ask at the bait shop. The best traps I know of can be found at jacktraps.com. They will have everything else you need for gear, too. A jigging pole is nice to have. Have fun and stay warm. For northerns and muskies stick close to shore in shallow water. For walleyes fish in deep water. There are no largemouths in any water where I fish so I can’t help you with them. Live bait works best. Ask at the bait shop. The best traps I know of can be found at jacktraps.com. They will have everything else you need for gear, too. A jigging pole is nice to have. Have fun and stay warm.

]]> By: Nick W http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/comment-page-1/#comment-343 Nick W Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:46:36 +0000 http://blog.northernpikebook.com/2009/08/15/how-do-you-target-northern-musky-and-bass-while-ice-fishing/#comment-343 erm...with great difficulty i should think! large heater? i'm not sure you will have much success going for large species like that but try jigging, i think this should be a good way to move forward. small jigs and lures lowered through the ice on a wire trace to make sure you dont get bitten off. try braid mainline for improved feel as mono will stretch a lot and you miss a lot of bites erm…with great difficulty i should think! large heater? i’m not sure you will have much success going for large species like that but try jigging, i think this should be a good way to move forward. small jigs and lures lowered through the ice on a wire trace to make sure you dont get bitten off. try braid mainline for improved feel as mono will stretch a lot and you miss a lot of bites

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