Man I am looking forward to icing that first laker of the year. How many of you ice fish for macks? Where do you usually go? How many do you usually catch? What tactics and water depths do you fish with? I fish mostly Taylor, Blue Mesa, and Ruedi. Ruedi is probably the best for numbers, with big ones possible, especially since I hooked a 30+ pounder last year there. Blue mesa is slower but big fish are the norm, and Taylor can be really fast or really slow, with big fish possible.
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I'm pumped!!! I've never fished Taylor, Reudi, or Blue Mesa through the ice, but I intend to this year. Love that ice fishin' for macks!!!
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I'm definetly pumped up to give it a go!!! I've never tried it and have always wanted to. I can't wait!
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I can't wait!!! I missed the whole season last year after surgery on my knee.
This should be a good year for Kokes at 11-mile also!
To bad we lost Antero! It was usually ready in early December.
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In a couple of months I'm sure the idea will get the heart palpating. Right now I'm having too much fun watching wiper bust the surface.
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I always hear about the boils, but never seem to catch it?
Is it worth trip down right now?
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They boil from the first week of August through the end of October, obviously some days are better than others. Your best chance to see top water action is on a week day. Today I saw, two schools of smaller wiper boiling most fish were in the 12 to 15" range. Huge schools, its not uncommon to see 50 to 100 fishing near the surface when these guys find the shad. Not as many big fish the past two times out, but there were many 4 to 7lb fish busting. Anything that looks like a 2" shad will work, stay mobile.
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I'm definitely pumped to get into those light hitting lakers! Can't wait to bag the big boy at bluemesa this year!!!
Have you guys all found lakers to hit very light while icefishing?
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Light hitters through the ice? Yes and no. Depends on the fish and the day.
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I have only had a few modest strikes for lakers. The rest just either are added weight, barely tap it, or your line goes slack or your lure weightless. Everyone else is Colorado says the same thing. Funny thing is, anglers who ice fish macks in other states not in the west say they hit so hard that they describe the take as a "slam." Here, they hit about the same as a perch or crappie at the hardest. But man they are fun, even the little ones. I just bought new tubes and tube heads, and caught some fresh suckers on the Colorado when trout fishing. I am all ready. My brother got a new Vexilar FL - 18 sonar unit with auto zoom, and I still have my trusty old Vexilar FL - 8. Wouldn't be caught dead without them.
Tyler
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I'm pumped. Come on ice!!!
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