12-15-2017, 07:25 PM
I don't even have sonar or anything, but this is mostly what I do... set up lots of poles and drill lots of holes, and don't commit until you are pulling up fish.
Location makes ALL the difference. My big problem is I poke a hole and get a nibble right away. Then I will stay on that hole for 40 minutes trying to get another one. Bad move.
Once at Mantua, I had 8 holes drilled in a semi-circle and was picking up a bluegill or perch here and there by moving from hole to hole. About 40 yards away a guy was pulling up big gills every drop. I asked the usual bait and lure questions of him, drilled a few more holes, and mentioned that he must be right on top of a hungry school. His verdict was simply that my spring bobber (homemade) was not sensitive like his little corky. Eventually he had enough fish, almost a limit, and offered me his spot. He was still lecturing me about equipment and bait "because they are all in through here" when I dropped my jig, got a tap and pulled up a 9" bluegill on the first drop. Then I caught 6 more before he had gathered his fish into his cooler.
The point to me is, sometimes they just aren't biting, but usually just because you are standing over water doesn't mean there are fish there. And just because there are fish doesn't mean there are lots of fish. And just because there are lots of fish doesn't mean they are hungry, etc.......
I go out on the ice and never even take anything off the sled until I have pulled a couple fish in a row out of one or two close by holes.
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Location makes ALL the difference. My big problem is I poke a hole and get a nibble right away. Then I will stay on that hole for 40 minutes trying to get another one. Bad move.
Once at Mantua, I had 8 holes drilled in a semi-circle and was picking up a bluegill or perch here and there by moving from hole to hole. About 40 yards away a guy was pulling up big gills every drop. I asked the usual bait and lure questions of him, drilled a few more holes, and mentioned that he must be right on top of a hungry school. His verdict was simply that my spring bobber (homemade) was not sensitive like his little corky. Eventually he had enough fish, almost a limit, and offered me his spot. He was still lecturing me about equipment and bait "because they are all in through here" when I dropped my jig, got a tap and pulled up a 9" bluegill on the first drop. Then I caught 6 more before he had gathered his fish into his cooler.
The point to me is, sometimes they just aren't biting, but usually just because you are standing over water doesn't mean there are fish there. And just because there are fish doesn't mean there are lots of fish. And just because there are lots of fish doesn't mean they are hungry, etc.......
I go out on the ice and never even take anything off the sled until I have pulled a couple fish in a row out of one or two close by holes.
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