How Far Off the Bottom Do You Ice Fish?
Don’t forget the net or your hands will get wet and cold trying to get your bait out of the bucket. On the day of or night before your fishing trip, stop at a local bait shop with your bucket before you go fishing. Time of season, water temperatures and target species all affect the optimal depth.
This gives the angler absolute control over the rise and fall rate, as well as the lure action. This is important because once you find an effective wiggle, you will need to be able to repeat the presentation. If it has fins, John has probably tried to catch it from a kayak. A native of Louisiana, he now lives in Sarajevo, where he’s adjusting to life in the mountains. From the rivers of Bosnia to the coast of Croatia, you can find him fishing when he’s not camping, hiking, or hunting.
Time of season, target species,ice clarity, and time of day. Let’s look at how each of these affects where you suspend your bait or lure. The best depth for your target species under clear, early season ice differs from later in the season.
Ice Fishing Techniques: We have put together a few tips on how to find and catch your favourite fish through the ice. http://t.co/VZFFJuhh
— CottageTips.com (@CottageTips) January 3, 2012
If there’s no fish activity for a while, change your bait or lure and adjust your depth or start over with a new hole. If you’re using lures for jigging, add a grub or perch eye to the tip for extra attraction. Lower your lure or baited hook through the hole until it touched the bottom, then reel up a few feet. Lift and twitch the rod to create an erratic up and down motion. You can use tip-ups or jig sticks to catch fish through the ice.
Both crappie and yellow perch are found from 10- to 15-feet of water as a rule. If you’re looking for walleye, many anglers use the same technique to search out the transition edges where the bottom density changes. Contrary to what many might think, you seldom drill a hole and find a school of walleye sitting under your hole.
Dion Liriano is a 51-year-old American zookeeper who has retired from the business. He was once a highly successful director of the Zoo and Aquarium, but he has since hung up his gloves and moved on to other ventures. Dion's passion for animals began at a young age, when he would help his father care for their family pets. This love grew exponentially when he started working at the zoo; Dion quickly became one of the most experienced keepers in the business. He credits his success to the relationships he built with both staff and animals over the years.