Depth

[Chester]

What methods does everyone use to mark the depth of your hook when ice fishing? Are there clever ways to mark the line? When the fish are biting I want to get my jig back down to the right level as fast as possible.
[signature]

[Shrimpboy]

I always put a bobber stopper on my line, even if I'm not using a bobber. This gives me a reference as to how deep I am. If for some reason my stopper falls off, I just let out my line as I measure it against my pole. I know that for every two lengths, I'm letting out 5 feet of line. My wife got me a fishfinder for Christmas, so I'm going to see how well I can manipulate that into a depth detector.

-Jack
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

Chester,
If you"re using a spinning reel, you can hold the line against the spool for a second and wrap a rubber band around the spool twice. The line can be pulled out if you get a big fish on. But if they don't take any line out while you reel them in, all you have to do is open the bail, and the lure will drop to the same depth every time. No knots, marks, or problems.

Fishrmn
[signature]

[BEARCLAW]

When the need arises I use a sharpie to make a mark on my line. I really like the rubberband idea though. Might just give that one a try.[]
[signature]

[PREDATOR]

Obviously the best method would be the use of a fish finder, or flasher. That way you can watch your lure arrive at the fish's face.

However, not all have the ability or desire to purchase a sonar.

I have heard of guys marking with permanant marker on thier lines, the rubber band method described above, and also using a bait casting reel and marking off one foot incriments on your pole. Then you just pull one foot out by hand at a time. Spinning reels dont work as well for this since once the bail is open, the line tends to fall off the spool before its pulled off.
[signature]

[Theekillerbee]

A bobber stop is an excellent method. However I prefer to use my fishfinder. You can see the jig, and you know when a fish is considering taking a bite. Pretty handy.
[signature]

[MrLipripper]

The distance from the front end of my reel to the first guide on my favorite set up is 12". If I'm fishing relatively shallow, I just count off the feet. If deeper, I use a fishfinder, if one is available. That's all folks.[blush]
[signature]

[Fishrmn]

Predator,
I agree that the fishfinder is the best way to get your lure or bait to the right depth. But once you have established the right depth the rubber band makes it a no brainer to get back to the same depth. Just open the bail. When the line stops coming off the spool, you're there.

Fishrmn
[signature]

[Matador]

I've never heard of the rubber band trick. Makes a lot of sense. Great tip!

For those that use a Sharpie to mark the line, don't you worry about making the line weak? It would seem to me that a marker would have nearly the same effect that insect repellant does, which is, eating the line away. But I don't really know. It must work or you wouldn't do it.

m
[signature]

[SKEETER2]

Why would you want to mark your line? From my experience you put the lure where the fish are. They could be on the bottom they could be suspended they could be anywhere in the water colum. That's why you use a fishfinder then you can put it on there nose every time. But hey if you want to waste time with crazy Ideas go ahead. I just want to catch fish.
[signature]

[fisherman]

The easiest way to get back to the exact same depth is to count your cranks of the handle on the reel up from the bottom, drop to the bottom and reel up however many cranks up you were when you got bit. You can do the same thing back reeling from the top down too, its just alittle slower, don't forget to switch the anti-backlash switch back before you set the hook again.

Most bigger reels are 2 feet per crank of the handle one full revolution, the smaller ones are 1.5 feet per crank. This is also a good way to tell how deep the water is by counting all the way up.

Even with a fish finder, I still use this method in helping those without a finder or just learning to ice fish find their way back down keeping track of their lure depth. It comes in handy when the finder dosen't work or the batterys are dead and is a good search technique. Slabs on ice!
[signature]