Maybe I should find a new hobby.

[JSK76]

I took 3 weeks vacation so I could ice fish and I have been out 15 times so far. I think I should find a new hobby because with all this fishing I have only caught 5 walleyes and 2 perch!

I have tried 4 different lakes with no luck. Every one I talk to is saying it's been slow, but with about 75 hours of fishing and 5 fish this is nuts. I will mark fish and try a shiner then a fathead then a crappie minnow then a waxy and they just look at it and leave. In years past I did well so I'm not sure whats up.

[gritsnham]

Its a really weird year and from what I have heard it has been "slow" over most of the state. Keep at it and try new spots and new tactics and sooner or latter you will have a day that you slay them.

Plus can you really think of a better winter hobby you would rather be doing?!?!?!?!??!?!

[GatorBait]

Slow is the Hot Word over in Wisconsin also. I actually traveled 100miles South to Madison just to catch a limit of decent gills. Think it's the only lake in wisconsin producing fish on a regular basis. I'm baffled to say the least.

[kc0myy]

i look at it this way. thats why they call it fishing insted of catching. i love fishing because it gets me out of the house and I enjoy doing it. it has been a weird year for fishing. last year on xmas I remember driving my truck on the ice. and I remember last year on thanksgiving I could not go out duck hunting because of the lakes being locked up. so keep your chin up there is always next year.

[H2O Milfoil]

Heh, heh! I love it! I'm wondering if you took the 3 weeks off starting around Christmas? That big ol' Christmas snowstorm of 2009 really buggered up the fishing and the ice. Then the high barometer and the cold front moved in behind the storm, poor little fishies got the lockjaw. Then we made a little more ice because of the cold, but that's not usually the best for the fishies. Just keep on doing what you're doing, gradually fill your freezer. Move around to different lakes, not just in your home area, but go all over. I move to at least 3 different areas of the state as I fish. Oh, and don't take those 3 weeks off all at one time...spread it out over our short ice season. Take advantage of the good weather, when it comes. Work the perch and sunnies during the day, crappies and wallies during prime time. Put out tipups with a dead smelt or cisco for northerns. Don't get stuck in a one-gun rut. Work depths, work spots out of the crowd. Work midweek when it's quiet instead of weekends. Mix up your baits. I've got more than 3 weeks of vacation in my bank, just wish I could use it! I tend to do short trips here and there. Take advantage of the weather changes. Don't always fish the same hours every day. Keep trying new lakes and new spots on your home lakes. Depending on where you've been fishing, 5 wallies in 75 hours may be about average so far this winter.

Also, you didn't say if you sit in a permanent house or if you are mobile. Permies are great for comfort, as a warming house, for the social aspect, for the kids, etc. But you are stuck on one spot, at the mercy of any moving fish. Get out and about. Fish those spots you marked on your GPS last summer (you did, didn't you?). If you don't have one, get a portable and pull it around. Do something new, like hit Mille Lacs, pay an access fee and use the plowed roads. Get out to some new, unexplored areas. Fish at night if you haven't.

Good luck and let us know how it develops for you!

[GoldeneyeHunter]

I've been out three times so far this year. And I have only caught one walleye each time out. But they were good size 28.5, 24.5, and 22.

[bogwalker]

If you have to catch fish to have fun then hang it up son.

[deadeye]

I guess you could say it has been a bit slow for me too. Much better than anything else I could be doing so oh well. I agree that if its just about catching then its kinda pointless to go fishing unless you got a square hook.

[maddowg1192000]

been very slow this year. I have caught 4 eyes all season but i think it is fun trying to figure them out. This week alone I have been on 5 lakes with very little luck and tomorrow it will be off to another spot on one of my favorite lakes. Just keep looking and remember its always better than work

[erik-the-great]

a bad day or week or month of fishing is still better than any good day of work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[skee0025]

last year on xmas I remember driving my truck on the ice.

I saw a truck out on the St Croix river today just out of Prescott less than 150 yards from open water. I've never ice fished a river, feel a little jumpy walking out on ice with moving water under my feet, but thats crazy.

[JSK76]

Yep, took time off starting the week of Christmas. Not catching anything just makes me want to fish harder to prove I can turn things around. Ice fishing is my favorite hobby of them all and I will be out every day until I go back to work on Monday and then weekends and maybe a night or two during the week. I just cant believe how slow it's been but they got to eat at some point.

[Swimbait2009]

That attitude right there is why you should NOT change hobbies.

[tonkapat]

You live close to red lake and not that far from lake of the woods. If you have not been to those lakes yet I would suggest doing so quickly.

[Terps]

If you have to catch fish to have fun then hang it up son.

100% truth!

[JSK76]

OK, I wasn't serious about quiting ice fishing. I was stating how slow it's been and I'm still having fun. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was relay going to quit ice fish, because I wasn't catching fish.

[duckhuntr21]

i look at it this way. thats why they call it fishing insted of catching. i love fishing because it gets me out of the house and I enjoy doing it.

When I first saw the original thread, this is exactly what came to mind.

[thedeadsea]

As said by others, it has been a slow couple of weeks.

Keep trying different spots and you will find them.

I have been stuck inside with a cold and sick kids for two weeks. Really itching to get out this weekend.

Steve

[wplatehunter]

For me its just nice to get out. Fish or no fish.

[daylate]

Madison huh, how far is that from wright county?

[eyebjim]

That sounds like my whole last season. I fished hundreds of hours and only caught 6 eater eyes all season. This year has been better for me but I have had to work for em. They year before last I literally caught hundreds of eyes. Things go in cycles. Like mentioned try more lakes and keep it up things will eventually change.