Headed out Sunday to a very visable well stocked lake. Do have to thank a few older threads to make the late decision to drive 1hr 1/2 to a lake I’ve never been on.
Was first on the ice and was quickly joined by a bunch of other pop ups. After fighting in the cold to get the heater going and not getting a mark in a few hours, decided to pull the pin and move locations. Looking at the navionics picked a spot that I was hoping for about 45 fow. Hand bombed a hole and found 71. Threw in my set line with a treble rig and a hotdog just for the heck of it and tried to go shallower closer to shore. Well I’d left my finder set at the first hole and when I got back I had just missed a mark that came off the bottom. So I set up. Was getting consistent marks about ever 5 min and got the 3rd landed. After 2 years chasing I was pretty pumped.
I've fished lakers for I don't know how many years but I doubt I've ever fished for them in more than 15 feet of water. I've got them in 6 inches of water while ice fishing for specks in front of a beaver house. But these are northern lakes which on the whole are usually shallower than what you southern guys have. And I use live bait, not weiners.
Ha. I guess I should clarify. They were all beef wieners but I don’t know if that matter.
I had a few baits that I was switching between but caught it on the old stand by silver and gold Williams warbler.
Hot dogs were just easier to deal with then salted minnows for a dead stick and as a bonus the have a nice sink rate when you break them in half and put them down the hole when your jigging.
Yes I can get live bait in my area (which is getting harder) or trap some. Even though the lake was 1.5 hrs away it’s still in my “new bait area” opposed to lakes 15 min to the north of where I live that I fish.
I had a plan this fall to preserve some minnows and even buy some preserved from stores or even Amazon. Big small whatever. That was before I found out about the new regs that came in so I’m glad I didn’t shell out a bunch of cash for a 2 week window at the start of January.
Finally iced a laker
Reply With Quote
