So after getting SKUNKED at Starvation, being depressed I wouldn't have any perch to enjoy and thinking of seeing my wife with that look that says "I can't believe you just drove 4 hours and have nothing to show for it", I decided to stop at the ladders for some redemption. I set up and had a new toy, my Aquavu 760C with remote paner - very awesome BTW. I was fascinated to see the schools of trout and how they reacted to my feverish jigging just a few feet above there heads. I noticed that once they had timidly broken off a piece of bait(waxy worm) and saw it falling at a natural rate they had no problem gobbling it up furiously. So in the interest of testing this theory I went away from my normal tactics and put a small plain hook with a waxy and nothing else, it wouldn't fall at all, my line made it float enough I guess. So I put on the smallest split shot I had, which is the smallest I've seen for sale, and dropped it down. I could feel lots of bumps on my rod but was entirely
because I could see on the camera that my bait was going UNTOUCHED but I could see the fish swarming under it about 8 inches- the sinker
-. Normally, without the camera, I would have been trying to set the hook and getting frustrated that I couldn't and then writing it off that they "must be little fish that weren't big enough to take the hook" - WRONG. Infact, the ones that wanted to eat my sinker were much bigger than the ones trying to eat the bait. So, with that information I did another test, 1/32 oz plain lead jig head, no bait no flavor. Same result, although they were a little more scared to eat it because they could see/feel the hook sticking out I guess, also they would bump the head but not the hook side so I still couldn't set the hook. I am now curious about trying to make a "lure" that is a small fly fishing hook with a black metal bead tied to it on the back of the shank or something like that. Still brain storming. Any ideas what's going on here or any success with something like this? Thanks guys, you are all amazing to work with and share ideas.
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When I went to starvation and fished on the ice I just used a 1/32 or 1/16 oz jig with a pumpkin pepper tipped with wax worms and worked great. Last time I fished was in about 49ft of water and just make 2 cranks of the bottom and catch some perch and bows. Hope that helps you out on your next starvation trip.
These pumpkin pepper are amazing for ice fishing for trout.
http://www.livelinebaits.com/1-mini-tube...d-20-pack/
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I'm thinking they might have been mistaking it for a bug..Maybe one of those pill bugs that roll up into a ball. Might be the next hot ice fishing bait [shocked] Somebody should tie an imitation pill bug in defensive posture.
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Thanks for the advice. I was all over the south side of the bridge and didn't mark or see any fish on the electronics. Looked in 40-55 feet of water. Pretty frustrating.
drilled about 6 different holes, and shot the flasher through the ice about 100 other spots. I sent the camera down to look at some structure and could see perfectly that there were no swimmers. Didn't have a 4 wheeler to venture more than that.
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CHIRONOMIDS!!!!!!
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http...JkBEP4dMAw
What do you think us fly fishers are using! If you had a slip indicator, I bet that would work awesome on the ice, it sure does on open water. If the water is 20' deep and the fish are hanging at 18', you set the indicator for 17'. When the fish hit, the fly, the indicator breaks loose so you can reel it in.
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Dang that's a bummer. Well good luck next time.
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I just bought some 18 and 22 sized hooks. I want to try a few ideas with lead, metal beads and glow beads. Thanks FG for backing me up on this seemingly crazy idea. bare hook with a weighted ball shape on the shaft. I will try it and post pictures if it works.
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Like FG said -- chironomids. Look up flies like a zebra midge etc. Hang straight up and down. VERY effective!
Also small snails.
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N o experience with the big trout, but I have some neutrally bouyant ice jigs that consist.of small.hooks with a.plastic bead molded onto the hook directly, with eyes painted on. Adding a snip of bait was the best thing I've ever seen for panfish and small trout in a couple lakes. I made a bunch up with my kid's craft beads just slipping beads on hooks; faceted glass, shiny metal, dull metal, glow plastic in colors, etc.... They seemed to work, like a little faceted shiny bead with a waxie did fine, etc....
Big fish DO eat little forage...... I use my homemade ones less as I have acquired more ice gear, but who says I should?
Next time, clamp the shot on a hookshank, and cover the whole thing with a waxie turned inside out....
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Iv had that problem and found the solution for its a bead take seranrap or black pantyhose hos and rap it one time and bearly poke the hook threw it so it stays on the TIP of the hook its so it hits the hook to and when you feel that bump you can slam the hook in and the bead slids down and a round the the hook iv found line has a lot to do with how the fish hit to. my favorite line is vanish it seems to work a lot better then others
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Awesome guys! Thanks. I was thinking maybe small snail pattern also. I have seen hundreds of snail shells inside trout when I clean them. It's also not a real common bait to use so they might not be as skittish to just suck it in like they would be with a "Super-duper" for example. I will post again with some of the things I try, and how well they work. I'm guessing you would still want something on the line like a gold castmaster to flash them in from far away unless they are schooling right below you.
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oh man you let the secret out!! [
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If they are not interested in bait (mealie/wax worm)...
Try a 3-4" tube jig tipped with a small piece of nightcrawler or sucker.
I think from the sounds of it they are not interested in small stuff.
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[quote fearfish]Iv had that problem and found the solution for its a bead take seranrap or black pantyhose hos and rap it one time and bearly poke the hook threw it so it stays on the TIP of the hook its so it hits the hook to and when you feel that bump you can slam the hook in and the bead slids down and a round the the hook iv found line has a lot to do with how the fish hit to. my favorite line is vanish it seems to work a lot better then others[/quote]
^ ^ ^
Quoted for troof.
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[quote fearfish]Iv had that problem and found the solution for its a bead take seranrap or black pantyhose hos and rap it one time and bearly poke the hook threw it so it stays on the TIP of the hook its so it hits the hook to and when you feel that bump you can slam the hook in and the bead slids down and a round the the hook iv found line has a lot to do with how the fish hit to. my favorite line is vanish it seems to work a lot better then others[/quote]
I don't understand what you are saying. You are using the rap or the nylon for bait/lure? Where are you putting the bead? On the line in a snag set-up?
And lastly...Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon? Lordy, I have had more trouble with that stuff than anything. Try P-Line fluoro.
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I'm with you on the vanish, nothing but headaches for me.
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