Missed fish

[portageman]

I had the most frusterating experience on Sat. I was panfishing and I lost about 10 fish right at the hole. I could actually see them. When I got them up close to the hole they would dart to the side right under the ice and I would lose them. Any tips?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Could be a few things...

-Sharper hooks

-Change color of lure, could be that they were not taking it in all the way and only skin hooking them.

-Open the gap on the hook slightly

-softer rod, one with a little more give to play the fish better.

[The Grebe]

A long handled, stainless steel gaff hook! No use half steppin! Then move to the Billy club, once you have em on the ice. That should cut down on the lost fish?

[Tofishem]

Try using a 6" hole. If you are catching some nice panfish they are less likely to go back down a smaller diameter hole. Almost like coming up a chimeny.

Bruce

[metrojoe]

Deitz has pretty much got it covered. Your most likely to loose a fish right at the hole. We always refer to it as bumbing them off.

[JohnMickish]

Yep, it could be that they are getting caught on the ice and your pulling the hook out. Open the gap and sharpen the hook so it catches your thumb nail

[portageman]

Hey Grebe - you think I wasn't contemplating the gaff? I actually reached down the hole. My brother in law was laughing his butt off. I am sure the other guys on Chisago were enjoying the running commentary.

[Surface Tension]

Sharp hooks and a good hook set. When using a soft tipped, light action rod your hook setting suffers. Personally I don't like a rod that double overs on a 8" gill for that reason. Yes it's fun but I prefer something with a bit more backbone. Crappies are known for having a paper mouth but when fishing vertical most your hooks will be in the hard/bonny roof of the mouth. I soft hook set won't get you deep and you'll often bump them off at the hole.

[The Grebe]

Portageman...I've done the arm in the hole thing myself, quite a number of times in the past...sometimes I'd get em, sometimes not. Sometimes I get a busted off dorsal bone in my hand, sometimes not. Sometimes the hook pops loose from the edge of the ice at a critical time and I have to make a quick trip to the local clinic, sometimes not.

Seriously, Deitz pretty much nailed it...the old gaff thing is kinda tough on catch and release anyways...they have a tendency to kind of swim in a circle, quivering in the ice hole!

Knowing that Mr. Murphy of Murphy's Law, (Not to be confused with L.A. Law) is always watching for an opportunity to make an appearence, if it was I that was using a gaff, and maybe you to, it would more then likely glance off the ice and stick in my, or your shin!

Either that, or I, or you, would forget it was there, drop the cooler on it and it would fling up into the air, like a stepped on rake, and impale me, or you, right in the forehead, which I might add, is ample in my case and provides a big target! I don't know about you?

The grand dads gaff is something that should be left right where it's at, embedded through the dried out bat in the rafters of the attic! Maybe try a .44 magnum with wad cutters?

[portageman]

My dad gave me a gaff years back. It hangs in the garage.