Question

[Dano2]

One weekm ago i was nailen the wallys in about 9 feet.

went out last night and it was DEAD.
I have caught several at this depth, many times, but am wondering if I should move deeper now becasue of the ice thicker and the cold temps, I hear theres less oxygen with these circumstances and the fish move deeper but is 9feet considered pretty shallow right now?

Also, we had a second lantern and borrowed afriends 10" auger so were fishing through bigger holes than usuall, can this combo, (bigger holes more light) spoook the wallys more?
thanks

OH, and had alot of sniffers I saw on the flasher, this ,leads me to think they were spooked.

[Dano2]

up

[Dakota Iceman]

You know.....i read and hear this alot on the forum and it has always puzzled me . Every since i can remember, myself and the majority of those i fish with use a coleman lantern or some type of light fairly close to the hole. In fact this was the case last night...im using 8" holes with a portable shack and i set my lantern down on the ice between the holes so i have good light to veiw my rod tips. I was fishing in 10 - 12' water. I pulled up some nice pigs last night...leading me to believe my lantern and light/shadows it puts out have no ill effects on walleyes and if they will be spooked or not. Obviously it doesnt affect them and their aggressivness. Now I know there are plenty who will dispute this and all i have to base this decision on is 20 years of ice fishing experience and watching others.....a coleman lantern has been stock equipment for ice fisherman since i have ever known. Also it should be noted that i do not use vexilar....so maybe i am not seeing some shy away from my lines but based on what i pulled up last night i dont care what swam away. I like having good days and bad days when fishing....its what makes the good days all that much better. signed, Old School.

[muchowja]

If the fish were there I don't think that they were spooked. You maybe just weren't using the right presentation. I have had nights where numerous fish came in and looked at the bait but nothing would bite. Other nights they will just hammer whatever was down there. The fish were probably just in a neutral or negative mood.

[Steve Foss]

The only time I think such a light will spook fish is in very clear water or in very shallow water, particularly when there's no snow on the ice to reflect the light back up instead of letting it penetrate. From what you've said, I think your presentation was off or the fish were off. It doesn't take much to change fish from eager to standoffish, or back the other way, for that matter.

Weather plays a big part, on lakes more than rivers. I've rarely had good luck, for example, when it's blustery and snowy. Baromter changes can change fish behavior, as can sunshine/cloudy changes.

Heck, who knows? Keep a journal of each day's fishing and all the conditions, techniques, results, etc., and after 20 years you'll know a WHOLE lot.

I've got a buddy who's been doing this since he started fishing, but I don't have the discipline.

Also, were you jigging only? If you were, try one rod with a bobber and bare hook and minnow or a tip-up. Many's the time I've had fish come in when I was jigging and the sniff the lure, turn away and smack the more natural presentation of bare minnow.

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 01-26-2003).]

[Dano2]

The lake is pretty clear.
When its still light out,
you can see the bottem very easy
when your in the house.

Wasn't jigging all the time,
when the fish sat and stared for awhile
I then would jig it a little,
then hold it still again, then maybe twitch it back and forth a little, even bring it up a little sometimes and they would follow,
but no takey.
these are the same techniques I was useing earlier and had great success.
I think they just weren't biting that night.
I tried everything that I've used before that they seemed to like, such as a gem-n-eye, when I wasn't jigging, then I tryed a little more jigging with the angel eyes, glow devils, forage minnows, swedish pimple, and even tryed holding still, I was useing fat heads which they seemed to like before, heh!
My buddy was useing a different presentation next to me and a bobber, he had a couple nibbles but no takers.

Oh well, I will tryer again this weekend, then perhaps will move to a little deeper water.

Sounds like it will be nice by this friday,
but I wont count on it, heh, heh!

then they say theres a cold front coming through.

hmmmm, not sure about this predicting the weather a week ahead thing