01-15-2007, 08:02 PM
I am trying to ice fish for tiger muskies and need some advice. BrianID suggested I check here. Anyone willing to offer a rookie some advice?
Thanks
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Thanks
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01-15-2007, 08:02 PM
01-16-2007, 05:28 AM
I've never caught a muskie while ice fishing but I can tell you that most of the guys that have caught them were fishing for crappie or perch. You can look at the first ice fishing post of the season for Pineview and see what the guys were using. Most were using 4 lb test and did not get the muskies onto the ice. I'm not sure this would work but you could use one of those perch pattern jigging Rapalas and tip it with some perch meat, fish it in a known muskie hangout and you might get lucky. Maybe one of the guys that had one on can give you more advice. I hope this helps, good luck. WH2
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01-16-2007, 12:30 PM
Reel in your perch VERY slow... LOL. [cool]
If I were targeting muskies I would use larger jigs or jigging spoons in fire tiger or perch colors. Tip with a peice of perch. If you are fishing at Pinview, make sure that the piece of perch is no bigger than 1"X1". Hope you get into them. [
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If I were targeting muskies I would use larger jigs or jigging spoons in fire tiger or perch colors. Tip with a peice of perch. If you are fishing at Pinview, make sure that the piece of perch is no bigger than 1"X1". Hope you get into them. [
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01-16-2007, 02:01 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Hey, where are you huntin' tigers up there? [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Obviously, the first thing you gotta do is find them. In most places they have been planted there are not many of them and they are solitary fish, so they don't school up. In fact, during the winter months they could be anywhere. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]They follow their food around. If they are feeding on perch, look for perch and then send down something perchy to attract attention. As has been suggested, decorating a jig with a piece of perch meat is a good tactic. In Utah we can't use more than an inch square piece of perch meat and we can't use whole minnows where there are tigers. Not sure what Idaho regs are. But, if you can use them, a whole perch, chub or small sucker is a good way to go too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Big tube jigs are probably some of the best ice fishing lures for pike and muskies. You can get solid colors...like gold or silver glitter...and then mark them up with plastic dyes or permanent markers. I get some gold glitter shad bodies that make up into some bodacious perch imitations...with green back and vertical bars and an orange belly.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't know if you have fished the toothy critters in open water, but under the ice they are quite different. Winter water levels are usually lower and the temps are colder, so the fish will be deep and away from the shoreline structure they use during the summer. They can be anywhere from right on the bottom in 60 feet to cruising just under the ice. It will depend on their activity level and whether or not they are cruising for dinner.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sonar is vital. Just punching holes and expecting success relies totally on luck. You need to see what is below you and to be able to tell the difference between the sizes of the fish. Most of what you see will be the smaller species, but you need to watch for a "submarine" among the others. Then you can launch your "depth charges" with more confidence.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you can fish with multiple rods (as you can in most Idaho lakes), keep one heavy outfit rigged with tiger sized line and a big lure. Let it hang just off the bottom while you fish with other rod(s) and watch the sonar. If you see a biggun near the bottom, start jigging the tiger tackle. If the target is higher in the water column, reel up just above it and start working it just above the fish. They will come up but seldom go down to chase a lure.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also, be prepared to bring a big fish through the hole. Have a good set of lip grippers and the biggest hole you can legally drill. And, be patient. They do not crawl into a hole easily.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you don't plan to keep the fish, take a quick picture and send it back down the hole as soon as you can. Tigers are wimpy and cannot tolerate a lot of stress or handling. If you keep them on the ice for even a couple of minutes, they may not make it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hope that helps. Good luck. Let us know if you score.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Obviously, the first thing you gotta do is find them. In most places they have been planted there are not many of them and they are solitary fish, so they don't school up. In fact, during the winter months they could be anywhere. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]They follow their food around. If they are feeding on perch, look for perch and then send down something perchy to attract attention. As has been suggested, decorating a jig with a piece of perch meat is a good tactic. In Utah we can't use more than an inch square piece of perch meat and we can't use whole minnows where there are tigers. Not sure what Idaho regs are. But, if you can use them, a whole perch, chub or small sucker is a good way to go too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Big tube jigs are probably some of the best ice fishing lures for pike and muskies. You can get solid colors...like gold or silver glitter...and then mark them up with plastic dyes or permanent markers. I get some gold glitter shad bodies that make up into some bodacious perch imitations...with green back and vertical bars and an orange belly.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Don't know if you have fished the toothy critters in open water, but under the ice they are quite different. Winter water levels are usually lower and the temps are colder, so the fish will be deep and away from the shoreline structure they use during the summer. They can be anywhere from right on the bottom in 60 feet to cruising just under the ice. It will depend on their activity level and whether or not they are cruising for dinner.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Sonar is vital. Just punching holes and expecting success relies totally on luck. You need to see what is below you and to be able to tell the difference between the sizes of the fish. Most of what you see will be the smaller species, but you need to watch for a "submarine" among the others. Then you can launch your "depth charges" with more confidence.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you can fish with multiple rods (as you can in most Idaho lakes), keep one heavy outfit rigged with tiger sized line and a big lure. Let it hang just off the bottom while you fish with other rod(s) and watch the sonar. If you see a biggun near the bottom, start jigging the tiger tackle. If the target is higher in the water column, reel up just above it and start working it just above the fish. They will come up but seldom go down to chase a lure.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Also, be prepared to bring a big fish through the hole. Have a good set of lip grippers and the biggest hole you can legally drill. And, be patient. They do not crawl into a hole easily.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you don't plan to keep the fish, take a quick picture and send it back down the hole as soon as you can. Tigers are wimpy and cannot tolerate a lot of stress or handling. If you keep them on the ice for even a couple of minutes, they may not make it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Hope that helps. Good luck. Let us know if you score.[/#0000ff]
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01-16-2007, 04:45 PM
Thanks tubedude your everywhere!
I have a bottomline sidefinder and a hummingbird 100wide? something for sonar and a 10" auger. I made a gaff but don't have a lip grabber, i'm thinking I should get one.
I just got a rod last night to set up for jigging the "tiger" any thoughts on line? Flexible and heavy i'm thinking not sure on the brand though, figured I just ask at sportsmans here in twin falls.
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I have a bottomline sidefinder and a hummingbird 100wide? something for sonar and a 10" auger. I made a gaff but don't have a lip grabber, i'm thinking I should get one.
I just got a rod last night to set up for jigging the "tiger" any thoughts on line? Flexible and heavy i'm thinking not sure on the brand though, figured I just ask at sportsmans here in twin falls.
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01-16-2007, 05:40 PM
If you're coming to Utah, leave the gaff at home. They aren't allowed anywhere except Lake Powell, and then only to land striped bass.
They sell them at Cabela's in Lehi, but I hope it's people from out of state that are buying them.
Fishrmn
They sell them at Cabela's in Lehi, but I hope it's people from out of state that are buying them.
Fishrmn
01-16-2007, 05:49 PM
I hooked a Tiger at Pineview 2 weeks ago. I was fishing for Crappie and I saw something go by at 20' on my finder.
I reeled up and jigged a bit and fish on!
After about 2 minutes of fighting the unknown fish, it came up and you could see it through the 4" of clear ice that we were standing on. I couldn't get it's head to come to the hole and it finally broke my line from the sharp ice.
I was using a small jigging spoon with wax worm.
It was a fun battle while it lasted!
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I reeled up and jigged a bit and fish on!
After about 2 minutes of fighting the unknown fish, it came up and you could see it through the 4" of clear ice that we were standing on. I couldn't get it's head to come to the hole and it finally broke my line from the sharp ice.
I was using a small jigging spoon with wax worm.
It was a fun battle while it lasted!
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01-16-2007, 06:35 PM
[cool][#0000ff]When you ask about line, you can start another whole controversial thread. Some say to go with braids. Others don't like it for ice fishing because of the potential for freezing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I know of a 42" tiger that was landed through the ice on Pineview a couple of years ago, when it chomped a small perch being reeled up on 4# line. It was never hooked but would not let go of it's prize. It did not fight wildly and came up to the hole pretty easy. The angler grabbed it by the lower jaw with lip grippers just as it opened up to let the perch go. If it had been further down inside the toothy jaws there would have never been anything more than a tug and a bitten off line.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Probably 99 percent of catching one through the ice is going to be luck anyway. Unless you can fish with live bait and wire leaders, on a tip up, you will invest a lot of time trying and probably not much time catching.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I know of a 42" tiger that was landed through the ice on Pineview a couple of years ago, when it chomped a small perch being reeled up on 4# line. It was never hooked but would not let go of it's prize. It did not fight wildly and came up to the hole pretty easy. The angler grabbed it by the lower jaw with lip grippers just as it opened up to let the perch go. If it had been further down inside the toothy jaws there would have never been anything more than a tug and a bitten off line.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Probably 99 percent of catching one through the ice is going to be luck anyway. Unless you can fish with live bait and wire leaders, on a tip up, you will invest a lot of time trying and probably not much time catching.[/#0000ff]
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