Whats with the year?

[HandGunner]

holy cow I been all over the place since its been the holidays havnt been able to make time to fish. after this new years hopefully i can get out. So whats with the darn season? is it still Early ice? even though its soon to be January? warm weather frozen lakes yet its unfreezing. Whats with ice fishing! I just started ice fishing this year but now im lost because the weathers all out of whack. Ive hit up coon lake twice first was dec. 23 when we had the morning snow fall caught small sunnies and perch once I found them but they were just little dinkies then went out the next day bright and sunny caught only 3 fish 2 perch and the most random pike. Im almost thinking the sky can effect the fishing. is its still safe to be out on coon lake for example? or also ham lake and linwood and others a bit further north? what should I try to catch bigger eatable fish?

[FishinFools]

Of course the "sky" can affect fishing...especially eyes and pike. There is plenty of good ice (your decision) in and around the metro/state. Apparently, there is also plenty of bad ice. Personally, we haven't kept a fish since before Christmas. We like to eat 'em fresh, and because we were away for a few days, we have freezer fish to eat before we take any more.

The obvious is still valid: you can't catch fish in your living room! Get out there and becareful.

[harvey lee]

My last 3 outing in the last 2 weeks have given me limits both times for eyes and I had a great day icing channel cats yesterday. Today was another very good day for eyes.

Fishing for me has been nothing short of great.

[lazyhounedaleth]

makes me want to look foward to spring instead

[simple1]

I just keep putting off Ice Fishing because I will not go out alone on this ice and the last time I was out, the ice was not in the best condition.

Simple1

[FishinFools]

Meet you tomorrow early AM on French? Shields? I'm going.

[HandGunner]

I was starting to slam some sunnies around the start of 3? to 4 4:30 about when the sun kinda starts to disapear and it gets darker out... I spilled my cup of waxxies and it all got in the hole so I had half of em left didnt matter as half were dead anyways but for some reason it braught the fish off the bottom and got them to move up and suspend. all I needed was my sweedish pimple and a waxie picked off the ground didnt matter if it was alive or dead they started hitting... all day I was at this one spot it was a small drop in the lake were 5ft became 10ft just about 10-20 yards away from eachother then another 10-20 yards away it will go back up to like 8-5ft of water and I been trying to get them to bite all day and nothing until it started to get somewhat darker out. in all learned quite a bit once again, any tips on how to induce better strikes and get em to bite? also the size of the sunnies were generaly small but started getting kind of bigger but I left because I started freezing I dont have a ice house. would like some tips on getting bigger fish and locating them and getting them to bite, could not get the gps to turn on to mark the exact spot but next time out it should be the spot with sawdust all over the ground haha

[HandGunner]

another thing I was wondering... any ideas to a quick cheap easy homemade ice house? like a 2 person one... I was thinking a small popup tent or like hunting blind but anybody have other cheap easy ideas?

[harvey lee]

Fish probably moved up to feed when they saw all the bait falling.

Its called chumming and people do this to get fish in the area. I know you did it by mistake but I believe its against the law to do this on purpose.

Many times fish at dusk will turn on and that could have been why the bite got good.

[HandGunner]

Ohh makes sense but bait were not really sinking down they just floated but the sawdust was sinking idk its whatever... Starting to enjoy it alot more but also getting cold too gotta figure somtin out for a ice shelter lol... Anyhoo i hope to find better spots and better lakes need to start getting a dinner out of my trips!

[SpecialK]

Handgunner, yes you can use a small popup blind or tent with holes cut in the floor. Anything to keep the wind off of you and keep some heat inside will help with the cold. If you go that route, a buddy heater would be enough to take the chill out of the air.

[GrizzlyAdams]

If you are a handy person you can make a portable for pretty cheap. I have fished out of one once and it worked very well. I will try and explain it the best I can. Maybe someone with one will chime in in time with better details.

Basically you will need some plywood, a tarp, hinges and a long dowel rod or pipe of some sort.

Make a plywood base and hinge it in the middle so it folds up. Make 2 sides out of plywood with a small door. (can put a door on both sides of you would like). Take the dowel/rod and cut it to fit between the 2 sides and figure a way to fasten it in and make it removable. (The one I fished out of they round the top corners of the sides for the tarp). Once you have the frame done then you fasten the tarp to enclose the rest of it. Start on one side at the bottom and fasten the tarp there and work your way around to the other side fastening it down.

Forgot to mention to also use hinges where the plywood sides meet the plywood base.

You should be able to remove the inside dowel/rod and the whole thing should fold up if you built it right. Easily fits in the back of a pick up and is light enough for one person to handle. Can build it as big or as small as you want. The one I fished out of could fit 4 people but it was shoulder to shoulder and would be more comfortable with 2.

You could also line the interior with reflectix when completed for additional insulation and warmth.

If you only have a car then you could probably figure out a way to mount it on top. Maybe with some ski racks or something similar.

I figure you could probably build something like this for around $50 bucks or so. Maybe more, maybe less. Not sure as I have not priced it out. If you have some wood laying around then you could build it for the coast of a tarp and hinges. I would get a decent heavy duty tarp if possible. I know walmart had some decent heavier duty tarps for under $20 bucks.

Good luck and hope this helps.

[HandGunner]

i figure i might just buy one or just dandy rig a tarp into some kinda shelter or just cover myself in it ha lol

i would still like for someone to point me in a direction not too far to some bigger sunnies and some crappies

[HandGunner]

Caught my first crappie today when it was dark around 5:45 ish maybe it was luck i was using a sweedish pimple woh a gulp waxie in only about 5fow dropped i down to were he was on the marcum and got a bite instantly after that nothing else for another half hour then The lady got cold... Earlyer i was landin a few sunnies but that also died after catching a few as well that was around 4:40 to 5:00 ish.... Would like some tips and insight on this and help on were i can further find the fish and what to use as for lures and bait