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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Don't know how many of you look for or pick up the little cues and signs from your suroundings, or other fishermen as you cruise to your spots on the Bay or lake. But often these telltail signs are often better indicators than your graph is in the summer and the only other helper you can count on in the winter.
I think most open water trollers have heard the expression "Waving the flag". That's when your buddy stands there at attention with your landing net fully extended 12' in the air, as you play that nice walleye. Every swinging flap jack within 10 miles knows you have a fish on, and will soon be swining his boat your way to pass over that school and crowd you out of your spot.
A lot of people have become tuned in to watch for suttle little signs like this during open water seasons. But what signs like this would you look for when ice fishing? And transversly, how would you cover up these signs, so the next day your spot and the ice doesn't look like a swiss cheese?
Instead of making this post into an article, I'll post a few thing here that I do that both reads and covers my signs on the ice. You guys can add some of your own if you know any.
#1. Fallow the blood trail. Yup, most guys gaff their walleyes and they bleed out on the nice white snow and ice. This guy may have caught these fish on a fluke, but he may also have stumbled onto a honey hole.
#2. Don't gaff your fish because it leaves blood. And always put them in a moisture tight bag where they won't leave any signs, and won't freeze like a brick. This makes cleaning a lot easier when you get home as well.
#3. If possible use a shanty. This covers up your extended arms above your head, as your working a fish to the hole. If no shanty, stay down on one knee when playing a fish near or in a crowded area. Playing Zoro with your 3 footer, draws a crowd very quickly.
#4. Keep it down. I mean your voices. Similar to calm water days, ice carries your voice (even in a shanty) like a megaphone. Ya,Ya, we're all happy you caught the 10 pounder, but keep it down to 40 desibles will ya.
Take over guys.......
Edited by walleye express 12/16/2003 9:07 AM
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Reads like you have it pegged already! Fishing the fisherman to find the fish. | |
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Originally written by Rick Larson on 2003-12-16 9:49 AM
Reads like you have it pegged already! Fishing the fisherman to find the fish.
Rick.
I'm usually tuned in about where I'm headed on any given day via my GPS. But never have my head in my butt when cruising along. All the things I described above are only a few of the easy clues I was taught by Dad and Grandpa. 
Edited by walleye express 12/16/2003 9:08 AM
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Location: Rhinelander | Lots of footprints frequenting a tip-up hole, and vegetation dragged onto the surface is a good sign, even with no other indicator.
I watch for running anglers some, too. If someone is on a different pattern than I am, and seems to be busy with tip ups or tip downs, I take note and alter my approach.
Usually, I am altering the pattern I fish becasue of observation, not looking to crowd another angler. That, I believe, is what this thread is all about:
Observation! | |
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Member
Posts: 377
Location: Neenah Wi | Some people just like to show thier catch off so If I notice a guy that has a few people stop and look.I had one guy come over and show me a couple of dandy perch he and his girlfriend had caught.I would never have known as they were in a shanty.Also fish flopping on a wooden floor make a racket as well.
Edited by Risor39 12/16/2003 3:21 PM
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| Best way to be sure you are on good water is to look at the holes as described, and look to see how many different augers were at work there. If lots of different sized holes are there, chances are you are in a great spot. | |
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Reading signs & covering your tracks when ice fishing.