Hard Water Preview Fall 2020

[SkunkedAgain]

So I know there isn't a huge ice fishing following on here...

Huh, who said that?  

With the numerous "going out of business" and "not going out of business" sales, at Maniac, I should be stocked, for many years, with the ice-fishing plastics that work for me.  After several hopeful tries at purchasing the "ideal" ice-fishing rod holder, I hope that the ones I recently purchased, do the job.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ice-Fishing-Rod...2749.l2649

I will be pouring a bunch more jig heads (thanks Pat, for the loan of a couple of your jig molds).

Will be ordering my mealworms soon, pick up my snowmobile from my sister's house and then I will be good to go.

Hey Kent, 
Ok I guess you're right there are still some folks that like to fish the hard deck on BFT, even though it seems like more give it up each year... Sure don't know why, it's my favorite time of year...  Let us know what you think of the new rod holders... I'm looking for a good one too..  I'm thinking about a PVC one that I can get high enough I don't have to bend over too far to grab when I get a hit... but sturdy enough that it won't tip over or wiggle too much in the wind... Need the prince of PVC to post some designs to dream over... Guess I need to order my meal and wax worms on line this year... Don't think I dare trust the local dealers to keep a supply when their shelves are empty...  Good luck this year, and hopefully our trips will cross this year so we can fish together... Later Jeff

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I'm really looking forward to this ice season.  I ordered a bunch of tungsten jigs for catchinon and me, but really need to go through my plastics and clean house. Also need to do some reel maintenance, spool some new line, and make sure everything else can be found.  Heck, I even tied a few tungsten ice flies I want to try this year.

Hoping to see some of you on the ice again this year.  Eylayo and I did a little elk hunting together this fall.  Catchinon and I got out together as well.  Got muzzleloading season to go, but then bring on the ice!

Sounds like you're well on the way to another great season... I started tying a few ice flies myself, and they don't look great but they catch fish, I need to find a better hook design that hangs horizontal better for me when I'm vertical jigging, but so far they still take'em so I guess I'll tie a few more for this year...  Well hope our paths cross sometime this season, I've fished with your brother a couple times so hopefully one of them you'll be with him... good luck... Jeff

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This year I decided to do something different. I had been putting it off long enough, but I pulled the trigger and had back surgery. Needless to say, I won’t being doing much until December. I will be pulling the ice fishing trailer out and start going through it and tuning up the sleds though.

This time of year brings so much anticipation.

Teaser: I also got a tip on some new tungsten larvae jigs. They look like scuds. Can’t wait to try them.

Boy good luck on the recovery, hope it will get you all fixed up so you can get back to enjoying the fishing fun... now you're going to have to post a picture of those scud ice flies... sounds really good...  Later Jeff

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So I know there are other ice review catalogs that you can buy, but for someone who doesn't have lots of extra money to spend like me, I've found that Reed's has probably one of the best ice fishing catalogs available to show you all the things that are available. The hard part is getting into this years catalog. I found it one day but for some reason I can't find it again... They have a bunch of new Marcum fish finders this year and they finally put GPS on their LX-7 model. It has a new number, and they are selling their old units without GPS for several hundred dollars less this year, so it's a good time to get into one, if you like that flavor finder... I sure was lost without my finder last year when it went down... I didn't realize how much I rely on a finder for ice fishing, but it's probably my most important piece of equipment next to the rod and reel. Anyway lots of good sales now and I'm hearing that black Friday may not have much for block buster sales this year... I'm hearing availability is trumping price this year... Maybe that's just a plot to get me to buy now, but I sucker for that line every time if I need it... Later Jeff

[fast_randy]

Jeff, I fished Henry's yesterday. Only 2 inches at Staley Springs, however the far North side had 5 inches. Check out the Henry's post on the Idaho site.

[Jig-fisher]

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I went through my ice fishing lure box and cleaned out some plastics that just never worked.  Reorganized so that everything was back in the right place. Took inventory of what I wanted as far as tubes and ordered some online.  Got some great new colors that the trout will probably like.  Also ordered some more jigging lures, just waiting for them to arrive.  I will be respooling my reels with new line and then I should be ready to go.  Earliest I've ever started to get ready.  I'm itching to get on the hard deck.

Hey Paul, hopefully we can get a chance to fish the hard deck together sometime this year... Would enjoy sharing a trip sometime... I sure need to do a thorough cleaning of my gear, I'm terrible and I keep throwing more stuff in the box and I can't find anything anymore... Plus I need to locate all the good stuff I transferred into my summer box that never got used and get it back into the winter box...  If I'd only take the stuff that I know I'll never use out of my box I'm sure it would be a lot easier to decide what to use..  I think if truth be known, I only use maybe a half dozen different lures all ice season... Most are tungsten jigs or Maniac Cut'r bugs, then they become the bait delivery device... I think the wax or meal worms or chunk of perch where legal seal the deal most of the time....  Later Jeff

Jeff, I would love to get together and go.  When we start getting some good, safe ice, lets make a plan.  I'd be good with a group of us getting together as well.  

I know what you are talking about with using the same things.  I do the same.  Although I like to mix it up in the hopes of enticing a big fish to bite with some bigger offerings on occasion.

[RockyRaab2]

I kept a small box of ice lures and one rod, just in case. But the only hard water I plan to enjoy from here on out will be in a glass with adult beverages.

[Cowboypirate]

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I went through my ice fishing lure box and cleaned out some plastics that just never worked.  Reorganized so that everything was back in the right place. Took inventory of what I wanted as far as tubes and ordered some online.  Got some great new colors that the trout will probably like.  Also ordered some more jigging lures, just waiting for them to arrive.  I will be respooling my reels with new line and then I should be ready to go.  Earliest I've ever started to get ready.  I'm itching to get on the hard deck.

Hey Paul, hopefully we can get a chance to fish the hard deck together sometime this year... Would enjoy sharing a trip sometime... I sure need to do a thorough cleaning of my gear, I'm terrible and I keep throwing more stuff in the box and I can't find anything anymore... Plus I need to locate all the good stuff I transferred into my summer box that never got used and get it back into the winter box...  If I'd only take the stuff that I know I'll never use out of my box I'm sure it would be a lot easier to decide what to use..  I think if truth be known, I only use maybe a half dozen different lures all ice season... Most are tungsten jigs or Maniac Cut'r bugs, then they become the bait delivery device... I think the wax or meal worms or chunk of perch where legal seal the deal most of the time....  Later Jeff

Jeff, I would love to get together and go.  When we start getting some good, safe ice, lets make a plan.  I'd be good with a group of us getting together as well.  

I know what you are talking about with using the same things.  I do the same.  Although I like to mix it up in the hopes of enticing a big fish to bite with some bigger offerings on occasion.

Cookie and I would enjoy catching up, on the safe ice,  if a small group gets together. I still need to see Jeff's camera set up. I bought one so it will be my first year trying it out

[JArner]

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I went through my ice fishing lure box and cleaned out some plastics that just never worked.  Reorganized so that everything was back in the right place. Took inventory of what I wanted as far as tubes and ordered some online.  Got some great new colors that the trout will probably like.  Also ordered some more jigging lures, just waiting for them to arrive.  I will be respooling my reels with new line and then I should be ready to go.  Earliest I've ever started to get ready.  I'm itching to get on the hard deck.

Hey Paul, hopefully we can get a chance to fish the hard deck together sometime this year... Would enjoy sharing a trip sometime... I sure need to do a thorough cleaning of my gear, I'm terrible and I keep throwing more stuff in the box and I can't find anything anymore... Plus I need to locate all the good stuff I transferred into my summer box that never got used and get it back into the winter box...  If I'd only take the stuff that I know I'll never use out of my box I'm sure it would be a lot easier to decide what to use..  I think if truth be known, I only use maybe a half dozen different lures all ice season... Most are tungsten jigs or Maniac Cut'r bugs, then they become the bait delivery device... I think the wax or meal worms or chunk of perch where legal seal the deal most of the time....  Later Jeff

Jeff, I would love to get together and go.  When we start getting some good, safe ice, lets make a plan.  I'd be good with a group of us getting together as well.  

I know what you are talking about with using the same things.  I do the same.  Although I like to mix it up in the hopes of enticing a big fish to bite with some bigger offerings on occasion.

Cookie and I would enjoy catching up, on the safe ice,  if a small group gets together. I still need to see Jeff's camera set up. I bought one so it will be my first year trying it out

I'd also be up for a small get together and meet some new BFT members.