Scofield - To move or not to move?

[born2fish]

I was also at Scofield this last Saturday morning. I read most peoples reports and several were all in agreement that moving frequently was a more effective way to catch fish. I was fishing next to MGB, although I didn't know it, saw the picture of his fishin buddy embedded in a wood holder with duck tape and figured out it was him.

In my group of 2 in about 4 hours of fishing we had about 20 fish on the deck all 14-16". Not the fastest it has ever been, but decent. I didn't move at all. The finder showed fish coming in about every 15-30 minutes. When we figured out what jig to use (Ratfinkie), when they came in, 90% took a swipe at one of our jigs, and we usually hooked 2 or 3 in each wave. During the 15-30 minutes there were no fish, no action nothing, but waiting a little bit, they always came through again.

MGB didn't move, and his group landed around 30 fish. Based on other reports, it sounds like we did as good as all those moving around. So based on my ice fishing over the past few years at scofield, the fish appear to move in "waves". If fish move in waves, why does moving around does it give you an advantage? Does moving around lessen the chance of missing as the wave moves through? If moving is more effective, why are reports of "movers" no better or slightly worse than the reports from us that didn't move at all?"

I started out ice fishing as a "mover" because I didn't have a finder, but now If I chart fish on a regular basis I spend the time I used to spend moving aound trying different jigs, bait, etc.. and have been able to key in on the most effective jig. I think this has increased my ice fishing success.
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[tlspyder13]

First would like to say "Welcome to the site". I don't have a fish finder so I can't say what is going on under the ice when I'm not catching fish. My brother's and I rarely move after we start catching fish though. The fish seem to move in schools and we catch as many sitting still as we do moving. I do have one brother that gets cold or bored and moves but almost always ends up back at his hole by us. Two weeks ago we kept an eye on some people just north of us. Only one of them was catching fish but about 1 minute after he had a bite our poles would take off too. He was a great early warning system.

[DKSRenegade]

Hi born2fish.
As I have only been an ice fisher for about 3 years, I have had the same questions that you do. I to have done as well staying put as I do moving a lot. I now only move when a long period of time has passed with no fish showing on the finder. I feel that trying to move to find the fish doesn't work very well for me, because as I am drilling some new holes I will hear my finder sounding back where I was at. I now try to be a little more patient and let the fish come back to me. But if that doesn't work for 30 to 45 minutes, I will move. I also like to listen to other BFTers on channel 12 to see how they are doing in other locations. I have also found that now that I have a fish finder, I don't move as much as I did without one. By the way, I do this for trout more than I do for perch. Once I find the perch, I can generally stay put.
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[Bigcat]

Born2fish
I had the same experience as you while fishing Scofield on the 4th. The fish would come by in waves every 30-45 minutes and during that time each of us would catch a few fish. Then it would be dead for another 30 minutes and then it was on again. If I can see that pattern then I will sit tight and enjoy a little relaxation while waiting for the next wave to come through. However I have also found that if there are fish in the area you can usually go to a new hole and pull a fish out within a few minutes. As the ice gets thicker I tend to move less since I have a hand auger. At strawberry once I find a spot where the fish are I hardly ever move. They don't seem to go in waves there and they are either there or not!

Bigcat
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[Coldfooter]

I'm now 50 and I've been punching holes in ice for more years than I'd care to admit, lets just say well over 30 years.
For the most part while ice fishing in Utah I set sight on slim rockets in one form or another. Ok I'll admit it, I target Mack a lot and possible more than I should but I will also make runs for several other species. In Fact, if its biting through an ice hole I'm probably going to give it a whirl during the season.
I come by the handle Coldfooter quite honestly because I dearly love to ice fish and I'd rather fish while standing on the hard deck than at any other time of year.
As far as why folks like me, the so called "movers", tend to stroll around its really quite simple. Either we're not marking fish or we're bored looking down the same hole, or witch is more likely the case, we're looking for the bigger bite because as my pappy told me "large fish dont swim with minnows until its feeding time".
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[fuzzyfisher]

hey born2fish i'm with you.. i dont like to move around either.. but the other day at scofield we could go from hole to hole to hole and catch a fish every 10 to 15 min's.. but in the area we were fishing if you sat in one spot you would get one every 30 min's or so.. so for us on that day moveing was good.. and we did take home two fish that were over 20" that day as well..

so some times it's good to move around alittle if the fish are moveing to..

dude on fish?
Ron
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[MGB]

Hi Born2fish. I was at scofield Sunday not Saturday. If you where there Sunday you would of seen us. HA69 had one of his sonar set ups stuck threw a piece of wood. I had my sonar mounted to a cooler (just like Kentofnsl).

I usually move around a little bit but I was spoting alot of fish they where moving threw in schools like other reports have said so I didn't care to move that day.

Too bad we didn't get a chance to meet you that day.
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