How does weather affect ice fishing?

[Perchpapa]

I would like to see how the weather changes everyones presentations or how everyone sees fish react to cold fronts, warm fronts, wind, sunshine, clouds, etc.?

[Guest]

Great topic!

Weather can be an important part of successful ice fishing. One day you could be catching fish out of a hole like there's no tomorrow, and the next day you can't find a fish within miles of that same hole (ok, myabe not miles ) but ar the fish really that far away? If thats the case, weather might the problem.

A change in weather can mean a lot of different things. You have cold fronts, change in pressure, all types of storms, sun, the list can go on and on.

A change in pressure, or when fronts come through, you can expect fish so either hug tight to the bottom, slid down the nearest drop-offs, or actually even relocate in really shallow water. I know one year we were catching crappies in about 17 feet of water, then a storm came through and they were gone, the next day we found them huddled up in 5 feet of water only about 20 feet from shore, right below the ice. In any case, its often best to scale down your presentation and fish "light", meaning smaller jigs and slower action. This is where finessing comes into play. Finessing can also be a productive method for active fish too, but I've have a lot of luck using this method when fish go negative after a change in weather.

Give it a few days and fishing will often times go back to normal and you will once again find fish in their respectable areas.

Overcast days can bring out some of the best fishing. Fish tend to increase their activity level and they feed more frequently throughout the day. Spots where lowlight periods produce the best will start producing throughout most of the day. Look for a few extra suspended fish as well. Clear lakes produce better on overcast days too. Locations might not vary but I've definitely seen a change in fish behavior. More nuetral presentations can be used and you can fish more heavy. But, if the overcast days are caused by cold fronts, pressure changes, etc, then the fishing might not be so superb. I've had some of my best bluegill outtings during overcast days.

I don't know if I'm the only one, but I've had great success when ice fishing during light snow fall. For some reason the fish activity level increases, especially for crappies. Fish seem more eager to meet the bait as I lower it to them. Fish also tend to suspend higher in the water column as well. Early in the hard water season when there is no snow cover and we get a light snow, the night bite has always been great for me. Small jigging spoons tipped with maggots has always been a good bet for crappies.

So, as you can see, there are a lot of variables that come into play with weather. A lot of ice anglers will pack up and leav if their favorite spot isn't producing, but in most cases, the fish just moved due to the weather and you have to change your presentation.

So my best advice would be, keep moving, the fish didn't die, they just relocated and you might have to change your presentation. And another point, the fish didn't swim accross the lake, they will relocate to nearby areas so you don't have to pack up and go to the other side of the lake or to a different lake. Check the adjacent deeper water, or look for fish to be tight to the bottom in the thick nearby weeds, or in the shallows. Fish can relocate to a lot of different areas, so keep punch holes and try and find a pattern.

My last piece of advice would be to fish the holes you drill, even if you don't see fish on the flasher. Sometimes those fish will be so tight to the bottom that you can't seem them, or your jigging action will attract them into the cone. You might surprised when you drop your jig down a hole that looks vacant, only to find out that a bull gill appears to brighten the day. Give the hole a minute or so, then move on.

Weather can be so unpredictable, and it can call for drastic changes, always best to be prepared incase of an event where it calls for a change.

Good Fishin,
Matt

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Catch-N Tackle
MarCum

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 11-12-2003).]