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In this age of sport fishing, why don't people target Bass more often?

bobber_down_1979

By bobber_down_1979
in Ice Fishing

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bobber_down_1979 Collaborator

bobber_down_1979

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Question 1-

It seems more and more people are now fishing for sport and practicing CPR. I would think that an increase in this mentality would contribute to looking for Bass in winter. From experience, catching a bass in the winter is just as fun as catching other fish of the standard fare.

Question 2-

The bass I have cuaght seem to be hunkered in or just off thick weeds. I have always been told/read that in the winter decaying weeds do not produce oxygen. They actually produce nitrogyn which if I understand, is poison to fish. I have also been lead to beleive bass are not the hardiest fish when it comes to oxygen depletion. It would seem that in this case, much like most things in fishing, there are no black and white rules. There is always gray area and multiple variables. Is the only way to know if weeds are still producting oxygen to fish them and see if fish are there? I understand that not all weeds die in the winter and can still produce oxygen. Any thoughts on this topic? I know it is a lot to bite off.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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When I lived in Superior, I'd ice fish a couple flowages in NW Wisconsin fairly often. No 'eyes in these flowages, only bass and pike, and the bag was mixed about 50-50. I had a great time catching all those bass, some over 5 lbs. Very cool experience. Gordon Flowage in particular was a blast.

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JimBuck Veteran

JimBuck

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One lake I frequent has some monster Bass in it due in part to the C&R regulations. I usually throw a tip-up out for Pike, then hole hop for panfish. Bass can keep a guy pretty busy on some days. I don't really target Bass because they seem pretty lethargic and don't put up much of a fight in the winter.

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MJ1657 Grand Master

MJ1657

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I see them in the spear hole quite a bit. They usually come in slow and check the decoy out. I keep a rod rigged up and will drop a jig down in front of them. Sometimes they will take it but quite often they just swim up and sniff it and leave.

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MN BassFisher Veteran

MN BassFisher

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That's about all I fish for in the summer. I don't think it gets any more fun than using different techniques to catch bass. But I never target them in the winter mainly because I don't seem to see them too often. Occasionally I'll catch one on the jigging rod, and I have a few lakes where I catch them on tip-ups pretty regularly. But other than that I'll stick with trying to find schools of fish and attempting to catch them in the winter. I watched a few in-fisherman shows this winter and they target smallmouths. They make it look fun!!

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Outfitter17 Mentor

Outfitter17

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Hey MJ1657,

Isn't it against the law in minnesota to fish out of a spearhouse/spearhouse hole with a rod and reel? Couldn't help but notice your comment about having a rod rigged up while spearing when you see a bass come through the hole and drop it down trying to catch it.

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bobber_down_1979 Collaborator

bobber_down_1979

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I caught a (rather large) bass last season on a small jig. Bugger stunk up my pop-up for a good week. Had to toss it and get a new shelter, all the real fish wouldn't come near me anymore.

I don't get this. Did you toss it on the house floor as a keeping fish? Even if that were the case, it is hard for me to beleive. If your saying you just let it go right away and it still made a stink, I just can't beleive that is true.

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MJ1657 Grand Master

MJ1657

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Hey MJ1657,

Isn't it against the law in minnesota to fish out of a spearhouse/spearhouse hole with a rod and reel? Couldn't help but notice your comment about having a rod rigged up while spearing when you see a bass come through the hole and drop it down trying to catch it.

No it is not illegal. Law changed a few years ago.

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bobber_down_1979 Collaborator

bobber_down_1979

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It's Zoob's attempt at humor and a pretty weak one at that.

Ok, just slow on the uptake. I guess the part about the other fish not coming near him should have been the give-away. I was about to suggest maybe the stink was coming off of him! J/k of course, I am sure he is minty fresh.

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WollMan Enthusiast

WollMan

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Dont target them but they are fun through the ice. Caught a 18 incher last winter on 1 lb test, that was a blast. Got a 17" last friday on my deadstick. They fight hard early ice. Couple lakes i fish they can keep you busy on tip ups.

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Zoob Collaborator

Zoob

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Ok, just slow on the uptake. I guess the part about the other fish not coming near him should have been the give-away. I was about to suggest maybe the stink was coming off of him! J/k of course, I am sure he is minty fresh.

Yar, it was my attempt at humor.

BUT - the fish *did* stink up the place, moreso than the walleyes and crappies I'd caught all winter last year and the couple pike my son caught. His stink (the bass, not my son) stuck to the ice (I don't move my pop up shelter chasing fish, it stays put - I'm lazy). He was a big boy, too - but very lethargic - no real fight in him, like they do in the summer.

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popriveter Community Regular

popriveter

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In the summer, I do a lot of catch and release for bass, but everything (including bass) tastes so much better through the ice that I focus on catch and fillet fishing all winter. I don't target bass in the winter because I find it is hard to catch the little ones (I'll eat the 10-14 inchers) through the ice and I don't want to kill and eat the 17"-20" that I usually catch.

I spoke with a guy the other day who was saying he never caught bass through the ice until about 10 years ago and now he catches them consistently. I thought back and it seems like, while growing up, nobody caught many bass through the ice. Nowadays, I will oftentimes catch 2 or 3 bass in an outing for panfish. Any ideas why?

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bobbymalone Grand Master

bobbymalone

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I think Bass should be added to the spearing species list too, that would boost there popularity on the ice.

wink

Are you being serious or joking? Since the folks in here compare them with carp and they may not be the tastiest fish I think making them open to spearing could lead to trouble.

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ac777 Mentor

ac777

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Hey MJ1657,

Isn't it against the law in minnesota to fish out of a spearhouse/spearhouse hole with a rod and reel? Couldn't help but notice your comment about having a rod rigged up while spearing when you see a bass come through the hole and drop it down trying to catch it.

Good to see the Internet Co's are hard at work

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