Fishing the pit s question

[Selmer]

Okay,

I've got access to a private pit in northern Iowa that I fish quite regularly in the summer time. I take lots of bull bluegills and nice largemouth home, I return lots to the lake. I have no trouble catching them in the spring/summer/fall, but when the water gets hard I can't locate them ANYWHERE!!! It's a gravel pit that varies in depth all the way down to 30 feet. The water is crystal, and I mean crystal, clear. I can see my blood word jig 15 feet down with no problem. I'm using UL equipment, 1 lb. test line, small jigs. I've also tried jiggin raps to try to "call" them in from a distance. I know for a fact the pit has big gills, a pile of largemouth, and some big crappies (15"+ that I've caught, and released!) I'm not marking any fish on the Vex, and I can't get anything to come in. I've tried the weed beds where I KNOW they were this last fall, nothing. Any suggestions? Or should I enjoy that I can't catch them here in the winter and use it as an open-water ace in the hole?

Selmer

[Doop]

lol...they must be there somewhere!...right?

I used to fish a pond while in college and had the same situation you wrote about. Caught big gills and HUGE crappies in this little pond all through the fall and spring. 2 years I tried ice fishing that pond and NOTHING!! Finally in year 3 while ice fishing I caught one of the biggest crappies I've ever seen!

It's weird you don't mark anything on your vexilar? Have you tried using reel weeds? Maybe all the fall weed growth has died off and if you put some fresh new greenery down...you can get some to at least show up. I wouldn't give up. Keep us posted!

[Selmer]

I haven't tried reel weeds, I have a hard time shelling out cash for articial structure... I won't get to fish it very often this year, I'm on internship in southern MN. I got out yesterday and tried all over the place, I just couldn't graph a fish anywhere, let alone jig one up. I know they're in there, it's like they're hiding in a corner laughing at me while I run around the pond!

Selmer

[Out fished by my]

Are you in a house? If not, you are probably spooking the fish when you move. In that clear of water, it is easy to do. I had that problem on a pond in w Iowa. If you don't have a house, try an old rug or blanket with a hole in it. It will cover your shadow through the ice.

[lookincalifornia]

hey selmer, if i had some gps coordinates, it would help.

have you tried after sundown? i used to fish pits in northern iowa as well. it can be tough. i would think there is more than enough snow cover to eliminate noise. i would check the deepest water. i used to fish a clear pit in winona that we would pull gills from 30' it was like ocean fishing, we could see em comming up a good 15' before they were in hand.