Really poor fishing

[grizzald]

It seems like all the lakes around my area did not produce like usual this winter. Everybody I talk to says that they didnt have any luck all winter long. I've caught only about 20 fish all winter and I've definately put my time in. Anybody else find this going on in there area?

[tryhard]

its been an unusual year in my area as well. i have been able to put some crappies in the pan but even they are biting really light and not being aggressive.

[Ritz]

Really?? WOw, I fish the metro area a lot as well as northern Minnesota, and I have been doing great this year... I dont notice a change at all in fishing... THe only change I noticed this winter was that the ice around the Metro area, made driving on the lake quite difficult... But if you have a snow mobile, everything should be okay...... I actually found fishing to be better this year, compared to other years, due to less fisherman out on the lakes.... More fish for me to catch....

[yoppdk]

I second that notion that the fishing was poor this year - starting in late summer till now. Maybe I wasn't on the right lake at the right time, etc. ... but many of those I talk to in Grand Rapids say the same thing. It wasn't a good year.

[hanson]

I have had a pretty amazing year as well.

With panfish, the bite has been very light this winter and if you haven't switched to a finesse approach (small lures & spring bobber), you are missing all of your fish. You are marking fish on your flasher but they aren't pulling a bobber down, got to switch to a spring bobber rod, 2lb line, and small lures.

The only lake I really, really struggled on was Lake Winnibigoshish during the I.C.E. Series. The perch were very tight lipped. Even Upper Red produced for me last weekend.

[Captain B.R.K]

It is so much that the fish aren't biting as I haven't had the time to get out this winter!

I'm not saying I have had a bad year on the ice. Quite frankly everytime I've been on the ice, I've caught fish. YES, I have had to work for them but have been happy with my results! Just doing the small things on the ice and catching a fish this year has been more rewarding then popping holes and trying to catch lots of fish this year!

I'm trying to edgumacate meself

[smmurphy]

I'm with Brandon on this one. Thie winter's been very good for edgumacation.

There have been a couple of slow days, but for the most part I've been very happy with the fishing. I've had to adjust my style and presentation, and move around alot more than I had in previous years, but I'm still finding fish.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

There have definitely been some downtimes, but overall this winter season has been very good to me. I caught a big eye on mille lacs early on, and a 16" perch and a 15" crappie not long after. It did seem like the walleye and panfish bite slowed down in our area toward the middle of January, but I can happily say that I haven't had to fish for for either since trout opened, they've been keeping me plenty busy over the last month or so .

[Maximum12]

Strange year for me too - the fishing for me was terribly slow early, but has picked up, especially for crappie & northern, in the past couple of weeks. Last weekend had my best northern ice fishing day ever in the metro - six weeks ago I couldn't have caught a northern or walleye with a stick of dynamite!