Rock Piles/Silty Bottoms or Weed edges?

[Aqua Eye]

I consider you all experts based on experiences since I'm kind of new to this ice-fishing scene. Here's the latest,...

I currently have my shack placed on a long point coming off a mid lake island just deep enough to be on the weed edge.The weeds come up off the bottom about one foot with little open patches and pockets.Of course the shallower you move the thicker the weed are. I have Aqua-Viewed perch underneath me but anytime something sizeable shows up on the Zercom and I want to take a peak the camera spooks them away. I think I am near good year-round habitat because of the variety of structures near my location.I investigated some yesterday and realized that if I moved my shelter 20'over I would be about 2'deeper and over a sand and jagged rock bottom.I know from this past summers' explorations that there is a sizeable rock pile near the area but I'm not exactly sure where.(yes,I know,...GPS) I am primarily interested in walleyes and it seems like the fish we have been fortunate to catch have been passing by from deeper structure.The pattern is,.. perch bug out and then usually within a few minutes I pick up a nervous minnow,a light bite or two and then everything shuts down again. I wanted to stay near weeds to have a chance at a little daytime activity for my guests but now I'm wondering if moving to the rockier structure might be a more consistant alternative for walleye fishing and or daytime crappies. I have the area all to myself right now and I would like to get "settled in" before the bite gets people's attention. What do you look for,...Rocks,weeds,sand or silt? I almost always can pick up something on the flasher but like I said earlier-they just won't pose for the camera.Come on guys-let me in on some of your tricks before I go hire a "GUIDE". Not that there's anything wrong with that right?!--TROY

[Paul Rohweller]

Can you find any spots handy where you can get the rock/sand/weed combo under your house at the same time? Walleyes love to follow edges and finding a spot like this can up your odds quite a bit. I've moved a dead house less than 20 ft and had the action heat up just by moving off a "no mans land" onto an edge. Good luck!! Paul

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Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[RipJigger]

Wintertime walleyes and weeds go hand in hand.If you can find the weed edge that would be perfect.This time of year I feel that the walleyes are more on the deep side than earlier in the year.I have fished over just about every type of structure in the wintertime and have found that the weed edges hold a good amount of fish.My theory is that the weeds hold more baitfish in the winter.

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RipJigger

[GullGuide]

Aqua,
You said that the cam spooked them. Did you lower the cam AFTER you saw the fish on the flasher or did you have it down there already?
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[MnSportsman]

Aqua Eye,
I think if I was in your situation,I'd take an hour or so & "hard-water Troll".....
drill multiple holes in a "search" pattern out from your shacks present location.

Drill all the holes first,then Take your camera &/or flasher, and check out the bottom. It would help get a mental map/picture of the "lay" of the land/bottom. You might try fishing these spots also,especially if they look interesting enough.[ Those transition points you'ré asking about, should produce fish.]
If you find a spot that looks good & produces, "then" move the shack. This is basically what I do, when operating out of a permanent shack, & the fish quit biting & seem to have shifted on me.
And I also do this when searching for fish & a good spot to possibly set up; After consulting a lake map,and I know I'm in the general vicinity of the spot I'm looking for, but am not sure that I'm "right on" where I want to fish. I drill the holes & "hard-water troll" til I find them.
Just an example of what I do. It works for me.
Good Luck!
See ya out there!

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Good Luck & Watch your bobber!
MnSportsman
Proud to be a member in good standing, of the
"Church of the Divine Wilderness"!

[This message has been edited by MnSportsman (edited 01-22-2002).]

[Havin' Fun]

Definitely find transitions. Sand to rock, mud to sand, and just any old weed edge. Almost all of my fish have either come out of the weeds or on the edge this year. Some real nice ones too! I love a weedy sand break.
I also think you should look for bait fish. I look for perch and since they relate to the transition areas as well, I will set up over them. They are a tasty snack to a walleye and also keep you from getting bored waiting for the waldos to show.

[Havin' Fun]

Troy, you fishing Big Birch??

You ever work at SCCC?

[Aqua Eye]

Thanks Guys for the great responses and all the great advice.I hoped I'd get some tips and as usual you boys play nice. Gullguide-First I catch them on the flasher and then lower the camera down. I thought about taking the tail fin off of the camera and rigging up some type of stand like some of you guys have discussed but haven't got around to it yet. I think the fin is creating too large of a profile and that spooks the fish and they have been slow to move back in to the area once they dart away. That's the reason I don't leave the camera down underneath the whole time. Do you have any ideas I could try instead?
Mn Sportsman- I used your tactics of " Hardwater Trolling " to find the area structures and check my location but I haven't tried any fishing of any kind on these spots yet. The last few times I was out the Zercom started to light up pretty good about the time I needed to take off so it just may be that I'm in the right place but not during the most active times. I have a couple of guys using the shack tonight so maybe I'll hear from them how it went. Great suggestions. I would like to get a few more people together and put some willow rigs or tip-ups out in the area and see what happens. I just KNOW the walleye's are close by. I hope to spend a lot of time in church this weekend-maybe I'll see you there!!
Hammer em'--Great P.I. work !! I'm not sure what company SCCC is? If it once went by another name it is possible? I've been a few places I guess.As things stand now I can only confirm your info to be half right. Liked your post also,thanks again--Troy

[This message has been edited by Aqua Eye (edited 01-22-2002).]

[Aqua Eye]

Paul-I forgot your questions,sorry about that. I might be able to get the house positioned where the weed edge ends and the boulders/rocks start but It would mean fishing a tad deeper than I'm accustomed to. Basically I would be going from 18 to 20 feet in this clear water lake.Last year I had the best luck fishing shallower although I tended to pack things up earlier in the day because I had more to do with the portable and I was often by myself which means more work in the dark. The permanent should effect this problem for the better.-TROY