Echo 01-05-2019 - Slow catching day with lots of company

[RavenBlackbird]

Where: Echo Reservoir
~200 yards north of the boat ramp.
~100 yards west of the boat ramp.
When: 01-05-2019 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Fish Caught: 2 Total - both released.
Rainbow - 13" 10' FOW/white jig head w/pink paddlebug tipped with crawler. This fish had already been hooked previously! It had a glow bright ratfinkee in its mouth with no line in the eyelet. I took both lures out and sent it back for another day.
Rainbow - 13" 30 FOW pink jig head w/ glow maniac gizilla tipped with crawler

Marked a lot of fish on the fish finder, but most had lockjaw. Tried all kinds of jigging methods to entice a bite.

Not sure why I can't entice any perch to take my bait! Any advice is welcomed.

Ice Condition: Solid Ice (10"). No slush.

Weather: Overcast, ~22F, with little or no wind.

Lots and lots of company on the ice. Catching was very slow, but I had great company from my wife[], 15 YO son, and 10 YO son.
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[fishday]

Use smaller stuff with perch meat or eyes on the bottom.
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[RavenBlackbird]

Thanks for the advice! I'll have to add smaller stuff to my tackle box. I have always thought (probably wrongly) that bigger hooks catch bigger fish!

I read and followed closely the tungsten thread posted on BFT earlier....

Thanks again!
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[SkunkedAgain]

A good fish finder or camera can help a bunch on perch also, or fishing them in shallow enough water that you can sight fish them, so you can see what they like and what they don't... Perch are very curious and usually always come inspect a new offering, but getting them to hit it, usually takes a little coaxing unless they are really hungry that day... If you have a tent or a tarp to put over your head to keep the light down, you can see the fish in up to ten foot of water, but you have to knock down the outside light so you can see down the hole... Try the sight fishing it's a lot of fun... Good luck... J
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[SBennett]

Think jigs so small that you need home-grind needle nose pliers to remove the hooks.
Try 'mosquito' hooks so small you can hardly see them, 4" under a small silver Kastmaster.
Mosquito hooks are made of very fine wire and are available at Walmart.
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[RonPaulFan]

[quote SBennett]Think jigs so small that you need home-grind needle nose pliers to remove the hooks.
Try 'mosquito' hooks so small you can hardly see them, 4" under a small silver Kastmaster.
Mosquito hooks are made of very fine wire and are available at Walmart.[/quote]

Now we're getting into the realm of fly tying for ice fishing. I've been very into fly tying and put all that away with my pattern of switching to different fishing styles. I put it away when I switched to big lures and spinning reels.

But, I should dig out my fly tying boxes from storage and pick out tiny hooks and tungsten bead heads to make ice fishing lures.

Now I just need to find ice fishing patterns to tie.
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[fishday]

With smaller ice flies--which really aren't flies but more like little spoons--and such you will need a sensitive rod or spring bobber. Because most of the time the bite is barely detectible. Sometimes the bigger ones will inhale it but sometimes you can't tell the dink bite from the jumbo. Ultralight tip will barely move. Perch usually don't bite like trout.
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[RavenBlackbird]

Thanks for all the great advice! I need a big perch for the ice fishing contest!
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