Post by Brian on Mar 19, 2014 11:03:04 GMT -5
I'd been having trouble ice fishing a backwater adjacent to the CT River recently. Meanwhile Roy (rgang4) has been dialed in on the panfish there. So, after Roy called me and advised me on what was (and what was not) working lately, I returned with higher hopes. Perhaps I could catch more than my usual one to three fish. 
I'm really more of a tip up ice fisherman and have been pretty much a one trick pony at Harriman for the last 15 years or so. Targeting yellow Perch. I can't remember ever catching a bluegill through the ice.
I set out around 10:00 a.m. across the glassy ice, creepers crunching away. Quickly drilled a couple of dozen holes in the general area that Roy had suggested. Sat down on my bucket with one of the two jigging rods I had rigged up the day before, reached in my bag for the bait, only to discover that I had, in fact, left the bait at home
. Groan. What the heck, there is an ice fishing video posted right here on this forum where the anglers report using only soft plastics anymore. I'd give it a shot.
Right away a nice crappie hit the baitless high hook red tear drop. Confidence soars. I got a couple more crappie and lost two big ones. I really would like my spikes and wax worms though, and since I thought Diane was coming to town later I called her. She brought me the goods
.
Immediately a 9" Master Angler qualifiying bluegill hit the high hooked wax worm, in the same hole I'd had the crappie action. I'd switched out the low hook jig to a small Power Tube, one left over from last springs panfishing. The tube produced two more Master Angler sized fish. Over the course of the afternoon, a heretofore stingy back water opened up the coffers, and a fine catch of crappie, perch, 'gills and pond shiners made Jack a happy boy. Except for four yellow perch all fish were released.
Thanks Roy!!!!
10" bluegill that hit the Power Tube.
This 14" crappie really got my attention!
I'm really more of a tip up ice fisherman and have been pretty much a one trick pony at Harriman for the last 15 years or so. Targeting yellow Perch. I can't remember ever catching a bluegill through the ice. I set out around 10:00 a.m. across the glassy ice, creepers crunching away. Quickly drilled a couple of dozen holes in the general area that Roy had suggested. Sat down on my bucket with one of the two jigging rods I had rigged up the day before, reached in my bag for the bait, only to discover that I had, in fact, left the bait at home
. Groan. What the heck, there is an ice fishing video posted right here on this forum where the anglers report using only soft plastics anymore. I'd give it a shot.Right away a nice crappie hit the baitless high hook red tear drop. Confidence soars. I got a couple more crappie and lost two big ones. I really would like my spikes and wax worms though, and since I thought Diane was coming to town later I called her. She brought me the goods
.Immediately a 9" Master Angler qualifiying bluegill hit the high hooked wax worm, in the same hole I'd had the crappie action. I'd switched out the low hook jig to a small Power Tube, one left over from last springs panfishing. The tube produced two more Master Angler sized fish. Over the course of the afternoon, a heretofore stingy back water opened up the coffers, and a fine catch of crappie, perch, 'gills and pond shiners made Jack a happy boy. Except for four yellow perch all fish were released.
Thanks Roy!!!!
10" bluegill that hit the Power Tube.
This 14" crappie really got my attention!
