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Ice fishing for bass?
#1
I've been trying to figure out where and how to go ice fishing for bass. So far all I've got is to try at Jordanelle for smb and wiper, and Mantua for lmb. Not sure just how to target them. Can anybody help? Would sure appreciate it.
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.


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#2
Don't know exactly how to target them, but LMB at Mantua often take whatever I'm offering the bluegills.

Also, while it seems the panfish won't touch a big worm through the ice, I'll set it up my second rod with a dropper loop 3-4" long and a decent-sized split-shot on the bottom. The dropper-loop gets a size 2-4 aberdeen hook and whole redworm or small nightcrawler, and the sinker gets adjusted so the worm is held above the bottom. This rig picks up lots of trout and bass.
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#3
I love catching bass through the ice! I’ve had a lot of success out at Pelican, but it won’t be ready until 2020. Bass are slow movers, I’ve found, during the winter and they will come in and just look at your bait. On the sonar, they hang out on the bottom and just look. Occasionally, they will come in from above, but most of the time they’re suspended just off the bottom. The trick to get them to bite is bait selection. I’ve always used smaller plastics with some sort of tail action. Colors that have done well for me are white/blue or white/black. For the most part, it’s trial and error for the body of water you’re fishing on. I personally haven’t figured out the SMB at Pineview yet, but one of my goals is to figure it out. I hope you have some success.
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#4
I've caught LM bass through the ice at Newton, Hyrum, Mantua, Pelican and Steinaker. They're like most other warm water species, they slow way down in winter, but they still eat and can be surprisingly active some days. I catch them with tiny bluegill jigs, but I target them with jigging Rapala, UL Ripping Rapala, Buckshot spoon and other spoons. Tip the spoons with a spike or mealworm. The Rapalas usually don't need bait. Don't tip Ripping Rap. Do not dead stick these baits. Fish in similar areas you fish for bluegill.
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#5
I've caught some decent ones in UL but the water needs to be higher.
I would catch them when you could get in the reeds in 6 or so feet of water and fish up against the reeds.
I would also catch channels this way, the channels I caught would show up on my showdown. My rod tip would never move but the Showdown would show the fish right at my bait. Every channel would barely be caught in the very tip of its lip.
Pray for water this year or its strike three for us....
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#6
Ive had good luck finding bass on the bottom holding tight to structure. I gps submerged structure when I find it in the summer, so I can find it through the ice. Caught some nice sized smallmouth last winter on the I-80 side of echo in 10-15fow. [reply]
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#7
I’ve had a lot of success for bass through ice using tip ups. I usually have these set 1’-2’ from the bottom. Maybe try a night crawler at the end with your preferred rig. They do seem to be less aggressive under the ice (my opinion).
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#8
Mantua
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#9
Welcome to BFT and that’s a nice looking catch out of there. When did you catch them? Thanks J
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