begginer that needs help

[fishin4life90]

hey everyone, i really need help. ok well it was my first time ice fishing last monday and i got about 3 nibbles and we didnt catch anything all day. we were using a light green ratso and we tried other jigs like techni glow fuzze grubs and some others. im only 14 so i need major tips. what lure is best for crappie/walleye/bass? what color? what presentation? we were just jigging up and down maybe that was y we didnt catch anything all day.please everyone i need help.im gonna try and go tommorrow if the ice is thick enough from the 47 degree weather today. any help will be greatly appreciated

thank you everyone

[msm1018]

first off, be careful after what happened today, go small with the baits, and have a slow presentation. for your luck finding them, get a vexilar, and learn how to use it. thats the limit of my knowledge to this point I'm sure others on here can give much more info than I did.

[gonefishin11]

For sure get a vexilar or a marcum. Everyone has their favorite jigs but I personally don't use anything that doesnt glow because I fish alot in the evening. The biggest thing you can control is your location. Go to the DNR HSOforum and print off a lake map of the place you want to go. Find a sharp drop off or a sunken island if you have never fished the lake before and try to get located above one of those. You may have to drill a few holes but its worth it if you find the right spot. I personally prefer not to go near the ice villages but that might not be a bad place to start either if you don't know where else to go.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Just remember that somedays a plain hook and a minnow work better than any jig in the world.

[upnorth]

I sometimes need to be reminded of keep it simple. With all the gimicky stuff out there(I think most of it catches more fisherman than fish), sometimes a very simple setup works best

[spasticcp]

Agreed. My experience this fall in open water taught me just that. I caught more fish on just a simple fathead on a hook than anything else.

[muskybuck]

It might be kind of hard for you to run out and get a vexilar so this is what I would do. Go up to an old timer out there on the ice and tell him exactly what you posted here. Odds are he will be happy to clue you in on what it takes to catch fish on that particular lake. I still do that very same thing right now and many would consider me an old timer. Its the best way to go. Most of us "old timers" value a youngster taking up fishing and see it as a necessity of keeping the sport going. It sometimes takes something a little different on each lake you go to.

[tomfromblaine]

When I got into icefishin' I just used an old locator (find at pawn shop/garage sale)rigged up with a little motorcycle battery, some already have a spot to put regular batteries in it. at least this way you know your depth and if any thing is down there and what depth their at. it's no vexilar but I caught alot more fish, nothing worse then fishing below suspended crappies.

[vikingmeatwad]

If you need tips on jigs to try and jigging techniques just search this site as it is a great resource. I also found some links people have under their posts to have great info such as Matt johnson's page.

www.MattJohnsonOutdoors.com

Best of luck and be careful!!

[Corey Bechtold]

What area are you located? There are FM'ers all over who I'm sure would meet you on your lake and teach you some basics.

Let us know,

Corey Bechtold

[fishin4life90]

hey Corey,

im in minneapolis i usually go to silver lake in new brighton its kind of close to lake johannah

[Duffer]

when i first started really getting into it with techneques and locations. start by getting books and movies i read and read book after book till the point i couldnt find anything new in books and noteced repition in the books start at your local library and rent some books and movies.

[Corey Bechtold]

That's a bit out of my range. Have you thought about coming to any of the ICE series events? There are plenty of people who know their stuff and would be willing to teach you some good tips. Maybe you could put a post in your area forum and see if someone could hook up with you on the Ice.

Good Luck,

Corey Bechtold

[efgh]

The best advice I could give you would be, use your eyes and mouth, I am not trying to be smart, just get out on a lake with a lot of fishermen on it and observe and talk to the people who are fishing, tell them who you are and ask them if they mind helping you out.I have had any no.of people over the years approch me and ask ques. if I think they are sincere I give the best advice I can.

[Captain B.R.K]

fishin4life90 - looks like you are relatively new here...welcome. You have found , what I like to call HOME, for talking with people that know their stuff in regards to anything outdoors.

Continue to ask questions-everyone here is great about helping out. Granted, if you are looking for places to fish and specific hotspots, then you are barking up the wrong tree Guys will help, but you can't be to greedy.

What also seems to help in my search of knowledge is to use the search option on the main page. Type in key words and browse away.

If you take a look at all the forums we have to offer here, you will find forums specific to species such as eyes', panfish, bass, etc.

Good Luck fishin4life90 !