Shallows and Late Ice

[Guest]

The action is going to get hot shortly in the shallows for crappies and gills. I plan on fishing a few smaller back bays off of larger bodies of water and the shallow weed edges off the shallow flats. Who else takes advantage of these late season tactics?

I like this time of year because you can catch nice panfish in shallow water and you can sight fish while you do it.

With the lack of snow cover this year and other limiting factors, there are still weeds in many lakes. This only makes for a better late season crappie bite. After the big game species season closes its a free-for-all with these panfish (I'm typically a crappie/gill guy anyway).

Not long now...

Good Fishin, Matt.

[united jigsticker]

I'll be one:

Late ice and meltoff creates a few different conditions, all adding up to increased oxygen. Runoff, increased water clarity, longer days, and thinning ice all create conditions for higher oxygen levels, in turn uping the fish's metobolism.

In each lake the fish will respond to these changes in different ways.

Some lakes the fish will stay over the deep basins and move up in the water column, sometimes within a few feet of the ice.

Others, the fish will head towards the weedlines and shallow flats that will be producers after ice out and a short warm up, and hang on the breaklines or inside turns.

On other lake, the fish will move right up onto these flats into the weeds.

And some lakes the fish's prefered diet will change, along with what time they typically most actively feed and are easily catchable.

This all adds up to some slab sized fish becoming more aggressive, while oxygen levels increase and the need for sustinance increases to maintain the egg count in future spawning females.

Last ice often times is better then first ice, and offers some excellent angling opportunities.

good luck

[Guest]

What are you guys thinking for shallow, ft wise ?

I usually hang it up when walleye closes, but would like to try some late ice crappies. A couple of the lakes I fish dont have weeds. What would be the next best thing. Some mud in a bay or some shollow rock points. Usually we are to busy getting ready for spring field work and open water fishing, but I heard the panfish bite is pretty good. Any info would help to narrow my search patterns, limited for time.

THANKS

[Guest]

Depths of about 5-10 feet are what I'm looking at. Although fish are still caught in other depths. If you don't have many weeds you could investigate the back mud bays. Rockpiles are another option. Stumps and wood is another option. Shallow areas that are "hidden" from the mainlake seem to be what we're looking for. Hidden meaning that they don't recieve much fishing pressure during most of the winter and that they are normally covered with vegetation during the summer. Areas with sand transition is a prime spot too. Think of where the weed beds are during spring and fosh those. A lot of fishermen are still fishing in 20 feet of water during late ice. I'm not saying that you won't catch fish in 20 feet but I think that the more active fish are roaming the shallows preparing for the spawn. They are eager to engulf almost anything that invades their space. Not uncommon to pull up fish every time you drop your line down.

Good Fishin, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 02-09-2003).]

[Scott Steil]

United Jigsticker summed it up very well! The only thing I want to add is that some of the best site fishing is during last ice. Don't be affraid to try real shallow or right below the ice. This is a great time of year for anyone to get out and do a little experimenting. Usually the holes stay open over night, the temps are tolerable for young kids and the fish are aggressive.

[steve schmidt]

I think everyone is right but the main focus is fish are where you find em! While the fish tend to move shallower, I find my most consistent limits of dandies comes in slightly deeper water adjacent to shallow flats with weedbeds. Early morning...I mean early when you can barely see finds me putting the hogs in the pail...often times just under the ice a foot or two.

This year may be interesting, then again we could get more snow, colder than normal temps and everything will change. I used to go through this every year just like I used to still be in a dilema the night before deer season as to where to go. Now you simply go with what you are dealt. Several warm days of melt with water running in the holes...shallow water fish.

every lake is different! the real answer is to take your locator....start shallow and work flats that lead to deeper water. Here too....crappies are different than gills. Last ice you will find em mixed together.

Went down to my shed today and talked to my boat....cant wait for soft water....8 more weeks.

[Guest]

Well put Steve. Fish where the fish are, I definitely agree.

Last year I was fishing in 6 feet of water and catching average size crappies so I decided to move just off the edge of the weedbed into slightly deeper water. I moved into about 10 feet and hammered the 11-12 inchers. They were sitting only about 2 feet below the ice.

Very good point Steve. Very easy to get trapped into the shallow water bite during late ice but some of the better fish could still be siting right around the corner.

Good Fishin, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 02-11-2003).]

[united jigsticker]

Don't forget the pickle in the middle theory.

That means in some cases on certain lakes you may have small fish in the deep basin areas yet, good size fish in the mid range depths, and then another variety of the smaller fish in the shallower weed ridden and flat areas. Of course, this is one possibility. The big ones could be at any depth, and like MJ5 said, it's not always the greatest difference in depth per foot wise. 3 feet can make all the difference.

The deep fish could be right under the ice, the shallow fish on the bottom, or vise versa...etc etc etc.

Crappies may look the same, but they sure don't act the same on every lake. That's what makes the pursuit half the battle and alot of the fun.

Listen to Scott Steil and MJ5..they've got some great ideas. Tried, tested and true.

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 02-11-2003).]

[swampman]

late ice is proably my favorite time of year to chase panfish, i have been known to be the last "one-who-thinks-I-am-silly" to fish on a lake before iceout.BE CAREFUL fishing this time of year though because it is the most dangerous ice of the year it can be walkable in the morning but change rapidly during warm days. i have seen when you cant walk on a foot of ice.good time of year to have a fishing partner.have fun and stay aware of changing conditions.

[Guest]

United Jigsticker,

Thanks for the kind words. Glad that I can help out. If you're ever in the Metro Area drop me an e-mail and we can do some crappie fishing.

([email protected])

Good Fishin, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 02-11-2003).]

[Guest]

What do you guys mean by "late ice" or "last ice".

[Guest]

Late ice is what I consider now and for the upcoming few weeks. Last ice is like early April (depending on where you live in the state too, I guess) when you have to use extreme caution because the ice will be honeycombed and does not support much weight.

I went out for crappies last night and caught 1 @ 13.5" and lost a couple hogs at the hole. One crappie broke my 6lb line at the hole! They fight like nice jacks. Yikes, that was a biggen. Fishing fairly shallow, about 12-15ft. They are turning on....

[Guest]

Late ice is when weather patterns begin to change and the ice almost stops forming and when fish begin to relocate in the shallows in preparation for the upcoming spawn. Action is often very good and the weather is typically nice. Last ice is when ice has been melting for a while and in even some lakes the ice near shore weakens and begins to breaks off. Fishing during last ice needs extreme caution and some common sense. High oxygen and warmer water makes for a hot bite.

There are a lot of other factors but this is a basic answer.

Good Fishing, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[Scott Steil]

Late ice is that time of year when the weather starts to warm up, the snow melts from the top of the ice, the sun is higher in the sky, the days are warmer. We are getting close! Last ice is when the wholes stay open at night, the snow is gone and the ice starts to get real dark. Be careful.

One misconception is that panfish enter shallow water at last ice to prepare for spawn. This is actually incorrect. Panfish head to shallow water under the ice because it is warmer, the sun penetrating the ice is now providing oxygenated water again and that is where the best food is. After the ice is gone the fish actually vacate the shallow water that they had been in and will take up residence in deep water near the bays they will moving into at ice out.

If you are fishing after ice out in spring and find that the fish are not in the bays yet, check the first deep water outside the bay. You will find them stacked up real good in these locations. This is one of the best places to get the real slab crappies as they spend a lot of time in that deep water waiting for conditions to be just right in the shallow bays. When the conditions are just right crappies and gills will both move into these muddy shallow bays to feed and enjoy the warm spring water. This all happens before fish even think about moving to there spawning areas. So, get out there and enjoy the great shallow water fishing we have coming both late ice, last ice and in the bays after the ice is out. Spawn is a long way off yet.

[deadeye]

I agree with that point, I too have found the crappies to move back out to the deeper part of the lake when the ice goes out. However, they do move up shallow quickly after that to begin the spawn so if you miss the short time that they are out deep it seems like they never go back out there.
deadeye

[united jigsticker]

In my experience, there are Crappies out in 25-30 feet of water yet in mid-May even while there are Crappies up in 18" of water, and fish in all areas in between.

The fish have to share the habitat, and on lakes will limited ideal spawning areas, they must spread out more in order to "save space" so to speak.

Crappies will move into dark mud bays during stable warm weather following ice out if the water temp is 44 degrees or better. An abrupt cold front will shove them right back out though.

IN my experience, 55 degrees is a magic temp for sustained Crappie activity in shallow water, as this also is when the weeds and reeds start to blossum.

Crappies don't spawn until the water temp is about 62-64 degrees. Just because they are in shallow doesn't mean they are spawning.

This is a common misconception of many spring time Crappie Anglers.

However, this is not gospel. Lakes like Minnetonka see Crappies move right into shore before the ice is even off the lake in many cases. Strange to me, but every lake has its own characteristics.

Fish On! Fish Off! ::Guzzle::

[Scott Steil]

Very well put United Jigsticker, that saved me from typing all the details

[mistermom]

The other thing about late ice and last ice is the accidental northerns, bass, and walleyes you will get too. They are in there enjoying the warmer water and oxygen and new growth going on as well. A shallow, muddy bay on the north end of a lake has always worked well for me.

mm