Micro - Ice Fishing Sunnies

[The Grebe]

Cheez! The stuff you guys come up with! I knew that the maggots were'nt hatched in all those different colors, that they were dyed, worms get dyed also, the waxie thing I like! Why did'nt I think of that? Duhhh.

Weither they catch fish or not, I don't like those maggots! Everytime I see them, I think of the big old dead Carp laying on the river bank, wiggling and moving around, propelled by the bizillion maggots that are scarfing him up!

They may have cleaned Hugh Glasses wounds and kept him from dying, and I know they are part of the scheme of things, but I don't care to mess with them when there is an alternative (Waxies).

I'm going to have to dye up a bunch of dim dare tings and be happy about it! Tell my non-Fm buddies that I fed them Grapes, Strawberries, Green Peppers, Jello! (Hey? That might work?) get them to make up concoctions that will get their butts beat by their old ladies, for having in the fridge!

At any rate....HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOUALL!

[TackleBoxMike]

Well I'm loving the cold weather come on ice. I'm ready to fish sunnies through the ice. Thank you guys all for great replys to the post.

It sounds like the bait of choice for sunnies is waxie and second maggots and eurolarva. When I brought up the mousies I think I was thinking of the colored maggots. I sounds like the mousies work better for crappies am I under standing this right ? Thank you again in helping me become a better fisherman.

TackleBoxMike

[delmuts]

hmmmmmmm ! maybe; the thing to remember is that gils will many times peck at a bait, as where a crappie will usually just suck it in.it still can boil down to what the fish want. yes if there is a little pc hanging /sticking out, the gils may go for that first; ie. the tail, or a pc of a waxie hanging on. i think what the guys are trying to point out is how fish can react to different baits, and a few tricks that will help catch more fish. if you get serious with your ice fishing, you may want to carry two or three different baits; such as wax worms, mouseys, or larva. and then you have different colors.if you have followed this forum you will see how many times the guys talk about variety. it would be tough to say that one certain bait is only good for one kind of fish.( some days i wish!!!)as always ; you start with one thiing. if that isn't working , then try some thing else. del

[The Grebe]

del....Happy Thanksgiving bud...Get serious with your ice fishing?...Carry a bunch of different baits? Don't make me come down there!

When it comes to ice fishing, I'am as serious as a heart attack and I only carry the waxies on a regular basis?

If I get anymore serious during the winter months, I'll wind up in divorce court! It took me quite awhile to get my wife to let me keep waxies, nightcrawlers and leeches in the fridge...she sure the hell ain't gonna let me keep maggots in there too!

Seriously, from reading all the posts in this FM forum, I don't think I qualify as a finess fishermen....I enjoy doing it how I do it and once in awhile I will add something to my game...I have found alot to add this year, this site rocks!

I pound hard, like doing it, stay in good shape doing it,

use as much common sense and as much fishing savvy as I can muster when I do it, but my head is only so big and there is alot of stuff to keep in there! Sometimes I even catch fish!

I just learned how to use the computer last fall, I'm still really new at this, but one of my projects this winter is to mess with posting pictures...then watch out!

Just fartin around today..waiting for the Turkey..watch some football, write the troops overseas and take it easy, have a goodun, don't eat to much!

[delmuts]

grebe ! i foget my self and start talking smart again!!! i haven't ice fished for years. do hope to get back into it some this year.( bad knees and ice are not a good combination) i fished the little lake near here today. it was slow, but did manage to catch 25 - 30 crappies. mostly small, but kept some for a meal. i'm still only using plastics. a friend was next to me using a small plastic and tipping it with the grub from golden rod pods. ( he was catching 3 to my 1 ) i may try to gather some golden rod pods , but i too stay with the waxies. i do plan on trying the dyeing trip that tom mentioned. i'm not married , but have you thought about getting one of those small refrigerators and putting in the the basement? i have mine in the garage.i'll keep waxies in the one in the house, but everything else goes out in the garage. i too have to admitt this sight really rocks! between matt, tom , you , and a couple of other folks ( as the main ones ) and all of the rest of the people, there is a great amount of good info. after all; we are just here to exspand ones knowledge.( ok, maybe a little talk too.) del

[The Grebe]

Del...I still feel like the turkey must have felt when my wife stuffed it, uffda! Hey, my stuff is mostly BSing, hardly any pearls of wisdom!

I relax writing...some people sit in a chair, or smoke a pipe, or go for a walk, my relaxation is reading and writing and I have found a media on this forum, to do both!

I come down here with the intent of doing some kind of life changing research, get into it for a bit and say "Screw it" and come to this site...lots of different stuff to keep the mind active.

As far as being any kind of really accomplished fisherman, I don't think so, like I said in an earlier post, I get out alot, throw alot at em and sometimes it works.

I know a couple of guys that are not very good at writing, nor explaining what they do, but these dudes can catch fish when no one else can?

I could fit both their tackle boxes into one of mine and I

bet they don't have 5 lures between them! They know what to do, how and when to do it, mostly with jigs and live bait, these guys are fishermen!

They don't like it when I use the Vex, the locator, they won't even answer when you give them a walkie talkie, and they have no faith in the GPS, but they do like the Aqua View! (I've got my toys). They don't like messing with all the "New Fangled Stuff" I love it!

I know they can't read lake maps, cause I have tested them and they don't have a clue...yet these guys catch fish? Old school I guess? I like fishing with them though....especially when I out do them, I really rub it in!

[delmuts]

i'm kind of in the same boat! i have learned over time , to do a lot of listening. even the old guys will let some thing slip once in a while. i'm used to getting out fished by people at times. ( it really gets me when they will give me one of what they are using and i still can't catch a fish!!) i'm learning though ! i do have some fun when a guy talks about a certain lure; then trying to find out who makes it and where i can buy them. it's not unusuall to see guys around here ice fishing with minnows, wax worms, and to have some other grub etc. in thier pocket. many of these guys don't use a locator either! but they sure have good memories!!! man, i found out how bad my eye sight is getting!!! i got my ice rods out the other day and put new line on them. ( 2# trilene XL clear) even with my bifocals it was hard to see that stuff !! ( i normally use 4# solar XT ) i have another question for the team! a guy that has been pounding the crappies will only use a loop knot on all of his jigs, even those designed to be fished horizontally. ( i still can't tie one of those knots!!!) i have always read that the loop is great when using a vertical type jig, but for those that are a horizontal type it is better to tie them tight to the line to keep the jig horizontal! opinions ???? i love to read the info here! many times i will read some thing that makes sit back and go ,Hmmmmmmm ! del

[TackleBoxMike]

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving and got sometime in with family or friends.

I enjoyed getting together with the wifes family this year it was great to see everyone. The dinner was great I'm still stuffed.

This Minnesota Fishing Forum I think is great. I have enjoyed the reading and I've learned some and also had some good laughs. I'd like to say I'm humbled when reading, talking or BSing about fishing and appreciate what you guys have wrote. When I get out fishing on a lake I'm serious and probably crazy LoL at times becaues I love fishing so much. I enjoy the sport of fishing and love helping my kids out when fishing by taking sunnies or crappies off there hooks. I've enjoyed passing the sport of fishing on to my kids showing them how to put line on a reel, how to tie hooks on to there line, and so on etc. Now I know what you guys are saying about variety and trying different things. I'll pick up differrent baits like waxies, maggots, mousies, etc. before going out fishing but honestly I have not found just one bait to be a super bait. Now at times sunnies will eat anything and sometimes the bite slows down and they become more picky on other days. I'll try different things like going to a smaller presentation and trying different baits and different color hooks to find the combination they'ed like.

Well I've got to go to finish cleaning up the ice tackle box with my son and daughter weve been working on getting some ice fishing stuff ready.

Lets keep our hooks sharp.

TackleBoxMike

[delmuts]

mike. that is cool that you are doing all those things with your kids. i got to do some of that with mine, but missed out on a lot with the divorce and only getting to see them on weekends for a number of years. we have done alot together though, but now they are 18 and seniors in high school. between jobs and friends, they seem to be gone alot. next year will get worse. sooooo! take advantage of having them around while you can. del

[CrappieJohn]

I've been deer hunting and while in the field I fill one of my pockets daily with golden rod balls. I have managed quite a bucket full in the garage and these things store well. They are some of the best baits for light hitting pannies due to the small size. The best part of the bait is the cost.

[TackleBoxMike]

I've seen the golden rod balls when out pheasant hunting and I've heared some kind of bug nests in there for the winter but I cannot remember with bug has it's home in the golden rod ball?

TackleBoxMike

[CrappieJohn]

I cannot tell you what fly or moth or whatever the larva belongs to, but they are great bait. Harvest the balls and cut about a third of the way thru and then twist your knife blade to crack the cell open. You'll find the grub nestled down inside it's own little chamber.

When picking the balls, look to see if there is a hole bored into it. If so, leave it as a bird has beaten you to the grub. I just leave them( balls, pods or whatever you want to call them)in a bucket in the garage. They'll keep all winter in the cold.

When I go fishing I'll put twenty or so in a zip-lock and toss it in my pocket. If the fish are hitting real short or putzing with the bait, I'll toss on of these grubs on the hook. They are small and when hooked up leave lots of hook exposed.

[augernaut]

They are the larval stage of the goldenrod gallfly. Whatever the heck that is - not sure I've seen a goldenrod gallfly!! :-) I read up on them and collected a bunch this year for the first time - supposed to be a killer bait for neutral to negative gills and crappie.

[CrappieJohn]

I have used them for years and never hear of anyone else who does until just recently. Maybe I'm just cheap, but hey free bait? And Augernaut you are so correct about the negative and neutral fish.

[delmuts]

ok guys! i need a little help! i have always gotten my lead head jigs from cabelas. ( 1/80 oz.; #10 hook, and plain lead head with no barbed collar , with the gold colored hooks.) now all i can find is the ones with the barbed collars. any help ? thanks del

[CrappieJohn]

Try JR's on-line or click the sponsor link. If you go to Cabelas or order from a catalog, look for these jigs under trout products. They are very often called trout jigs. If you have no luch with these sources, try tacklecraft or netcraft....both are on-line.

[delmuts]

thanks Tom! del