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I ended up with a Marcum flasher for Christmas. I figured it was time to admit that I was addicted to ice fishing. So now that I have this piece of equipment, does anyone have any suggestions on strategy?
I am also planning a trip in the near future to Scofield (the berry is still not safe is what I hear). I have never done well on Scofield. I am planning on using small jigs (rat finks) with power bait. Where should I fish (please note that I have a 2wd outfit and that I am on foot).
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I was wondering where I should fish now that I have a flasher. I am inexperienced both with scofield and flashers. Does that make more sense?
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I've owned a Vexilar for several years now and have caught a lot of fish with it. My strategy is quite simple, I fish in 20 ft of water, sometimes 30 if nothing is around at 20. I scrape off the snow, spit on the ice or dump some water, set the transducer on it to read the bottom depth, if it is deep enough, I drill a hole. Then I setup the tent and turn on the heater, set the transducer below the bottom of the ice and then I seldom move. Fish are always everywhere, you just have to work them. I haven't been skunked in 4 years and only once in the last 6. Can't remember the last time someone out fished me that I have gone with. I use ratfinky's tipped with a wax worm. I like small ratfinky's, glow in the dark. I put on 2 small split shots, 6 to 7 inches up from the hook and sometimes no weight at all. I drop the hook to the bottom, usually just 6 inches up from the bottom and turn down the gain so the hook shows up a small thin green line. Anything bigger than the hook that enters the water column is red and usually a fish. I like being on the bottom because I can reel up faster than I can lower the jig down. Fish are on the bottom mostly, but when they are cruising around, they are always hungry. You will find them at all depths. I keep the pole in my hand at all times and I jig a lot. You will find that jigging attracts them. You will also find that they follow the lure up and down, the trick is getting them to bite and that is the fun of a flasher. Kind of like playing a video game. Drill one hole, place the flasher in the same hole as you are fishing. I real up a couple of cranks, jig, reel up, jig, etc. until I get 5 feet from the surface and then I lower it down a couple of feet, jig, lower, jig, until I get to the bottom. You will be amazed at how many fish you attract. Guys that use cameras only see whats in front of them on the bottom and end up not seeing as many fish as you will. With a flasher, you see everything all around you from the lake bottom to the suface. Biggest secret is don't set your pole down and keep jigging. It is fun trying to figure out what to do when they come in to get them to bite. You will have a lot come in follow your jig and just leave without bitting. That's the fun of it. As far as Scofield is concerned, I have found them everywhere I have fished. No place has been better than another for me. Just setup and fish. Saturday when I was there, I caught 5, all were trout. The week before, I caught 20 or so chubs and 11 or 12 trout.
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That sounds good. I will give it a try. Would you go to Scofield or Huntington? Can I even get to huntington with a 2wd?
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I haven't been to Hunnington this year. Usually this late in the year, the ice is real thick and the snow is real deep so I stay away. Generally I am fishing Strawberry by now and don't go to Scofield in January. This year the ice is a bit slow forming, so I have been going to Scofield. Scofield slows down a lot in January normally. Strawberry slows down in mid to late January. I may try and get out somewhere again this next saturday depending upon the weather. Good luck to you and have fun with the flasher. It will make a huge difference in your fishing success. Which Marcum did you get? I have a Vexilar FL8. I'm considering getting another flasher so I can let who ever tags along with me have some success at catching a few fish. I am looking at the Vexilar 20 or Marcum 5. I may stay with the 8 as it has been a good unit, does everything I want and is considerably less money.
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I got the marcum vx1. I will let you know how it works.
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by your question. Can you elaborate more on what you want to know?
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I don't own a flasher, but have been thinking of getting one, like you. So I have been checking out video on youtube that shows flashers like vexilars, and has some instruction on strategy to use with it. Just search topics like, ice fishing flashers, or "vexilars", etc.. and many videos will come up.
vantage! I think KJ's explanation of fishing strategy is excellent and is basically the one I use after perusing a lot of the BFT posts - very helpful.