Lowrance Ice Machine "lit up like a Christmas tree" ....

[Chode2235]

But not much to show for it.

Went out tonight and quickly found fish, but had a horrible time getting any bites and fish.

I want some advice on how to fish a situation like this. Marking fish all over, followers, risers, but no takers. There were fish all over the water column from 10 feet all the way down to 23, and even on the bottom. It was frustrating to mark this many fish in early ice, and not have takers. BTW, these were crappies. Thanks for the advice and help.

[jigginjim]

check your sensitive, I have a 522, the most I have it set at is 68%. I think your way to high. Which is your bait, you just be able to see your bait on the screen. I use mine in flasher mode.

[Todd_J]

I agree with JJ... Looks like your sensitivity is jacked pretty high. You're positive they were crappies? I run a M68 in graph=mode and have been duped into thinking minnow perch were walleyes only to realize the sense was too high, blowing things way out of proportion... Your picture doesn't really show a lot of fish movement.

That being said, what lure/bait were you using at the time...? My instinct says go smaller and slower. The fish might have also been on a very subtle take/strike... Do you use a spring bobber?

[Gissert]

Was this after dark? Sometimes you can get some pretty active plankton type activity, and your electronice will light up like a Christmas tree.

[Deitz Dittrich]

What lure where you using, what type of bait, glow or non glow? How heavy a line were you using, were you using a clip?

[gritsnham]

If you are sure that they were crappies then I would go small and get a spring bobber rod as said above. Just try different lures or try moving a little bit away were an active part of a school of fish may be.

Good Luck

[Chode2235]

Sensitivity was set at 54% which is the spot that I find is the most useful, most of the time. This is my 3rd year with the ice machine so I am pretty comfortable using it. I was more interested in ways to tackle these fishing situations (lotsa fish, not responding) than how to use the ice machine.

I was using a genz bug tipped with maggots on one rod, and a frostee jigging spoon with a minnow/minnow head most of the evening. And switched it around with gill pills, and tiny little teardrops. I had trouble getting it deep at that point.

I had 2lb triline on the bug rod, and 3lb floroice on the jigging rod.

I did end up pulling 2 outta the bunch, and they were about 8 inch crappies. This was from about 4 until 6 yesterday.

It was interesting out on the lake I was on, because I dont think it finished turning over. As there was green junk in the frozen over holes.

[redbandit]

Chode, I've been using the Ice Machine for the last few years aswell and man that must have been frustrating. It hardly gets better the way they are stacked up. Sounds like they were a little negative. One other thing I've had success with on negative fish are the dropper chains under your favorite spoon. A good "Shacky-Hand Lift" to get them to come up will ice more fish. And don't get discouraged if they keep going back down off a lift genarally on the 4th or 5th lift with finicky fish I'll get them to commit. Only other thing i can think of is the longer your on the ice the better your odds are for a bite.

Off topic it looks like someone else was out there with a another locator by the looks of your screenshot (the thin verticle lines). If you don't mind me asking which combo were you using for surface clarity and noise rejection.