Heading into the late ice fishing season
Now that the month of February has passed those that ice fish are starting to become a bit giddy. Why you may ask? Well it’s the melt down of snow draining into our lakes bringing that hot bite back. While most states that had ice have lost it. Those of us living up here in the north country are just starting to get into that magical time when the pan fish’s activity really heats up.
No longer will we have to be bottled up in our heated shanties. Peering out the foggy windows will be a time past, traded for running and gunning active holes.Enjoying the sun on our faces and the warm breezes that the late ice season provides us.Watching the geese flying overhead, listening to their musical honking and ducks buzzing through the air with the promise of spring and the new life about to be born.
Late ice is a time like no other. It makes most die hard fishers hearts pound.We know full well what this time of the year means in terms of the hot bite.It pushes us to take chances. Getting on the ice from a melted shore. Walking across honeycombed ice for a chance at the big bluegill or monster slab crappie.Since we are out of our confines in the open we also get a chance to converse with our fishing counter parts. Sharing true stories of the years catches or just lying to be entertaining all adds into the camaraderie on that sheet of ice.
Late ice is not a time that lasts long, three to 4 weeks at best. There is this internal clock we have ticking in us that say’s get out there because there is not much time left to fish on that ice. We become driven, obsessed with that aggressive hot bite.Late ice sure is a hoot and it is short lived, but then there is open water just arou
nd the corner and a whole new season of fishing begins. It is sad to see the ice go. Yet the promise of the new season is a great consolation.
Now that the month of February has passed those that ice fish are starting to become a bit giddy. Why you may ask? Well it’s the melt down of snow draining into our lakes bringing that hot bite back. While most states that had ice have lost it. Those of us living up here in the north country are just starting to get into that magical time when the pan fish’s activity really heats up.
No longer will we have to be bottled up in our heated shanties. Peering out the foggy windows will be a time past, traded for running and gunning active holes.Enjoying the sun on our faces and the warm breezes that the late ice season provides us.Watching the geese flying overhead, listening to their musical honking and ducks buzzing through the air with the promise of spring and the new life about to be born.
Late ice is a time like no other. It makes most die hard fishers hearts pound.We know full well what this time of the year means in terms of the hot bite.It pushes us to take chances. Getting on the ice from a melted shore. Walking across honeycombed ice for a chance at the big bluegill or monster slab crappie.Since we are out of our confines in the open we also get a chance to converse with our fishing counter parts. Sharing true stories of the years catches or just lying to be entertaining all adds into the camaraderie on that sheet of ice.
Late ice is not a time that lasts long, three to 4 weeks at best. There is this internal clock we have ticking in us that say’s get out there because there is not much time left to fish on that ice. We become driven, obsessed with that aggressive hot bite.Late ice sure is a hoot and it is short lived, but then there is open water just arou
nd the corner and a whole new season of fishing begins. It is sad to see the ice go. Yet the promise of the new season is a great consolation.The photo above is a good friend who goes by the nickname Mallard from the Mora area.We both love to eat smoked tullibees and so we have been on the hunt over the past few weekends for themThere are many lakes in the state that have them. Mille Lacs has them ,but Big Sandy has been the lake we have targeted.You can access the lake in a few spots on the north end. Willey’s bait shop on Hwy. 65 just north of McGregor could give you exact directions.Pick up some waxies while you are there as that is what has been producing. Tip them on small pan fish jigs in orange or blue
There are starting to gorge on the mayfly larva so any bait with that profile could also work in the form of plastics. They can be found in the 25-45 foot deeper basins about 5 to 20 feet down and anywhere in between.
Satururday we saw many folks on the lake.The snow levels are low so even cars are out there driving without much trouble to speak of. The high pressure and 20 below temperatures made it a struggle but we did mange a few smokers.Sunday’s bite was much better ,but it did not come easy to find. We drilled over 150 holes in 2 days to locate where they were. At this time they seem very scattered.I use a H2Oc gps with a Navionics map chip that has BSL in 1 foot contours. Marking waypoints where we caught fish over the last few weeks has enabled me to see a trend of where we should begin our search upon hitting the ice. Developing a pattern is key here to shorten the down time in locating our target species….tullibees.
We have several posts with pictures and videos about the recent trips at http://www.ckoutdoors.com/. Come visit us and become a member. Join in on our conversations for free. There will be several more reports over the next 6 weeks until we loose our ice. I think Mallard is about to be my new roommate for the next 6 weeks.LOLNow that the warmer temps are sliding in ……IT’S TIME!
There are starting to gorge on the mayfly larva so any bait with that profile could also work in the form of plastics. They can be found in the 25-45 foot deeper basins about 5 to 20 feet down and anywhere in between.
Satururday we saw many folks on the lake.The snow levels are low so even cars are out there driving without much trouble to speak of. The high pressure and 20 below temperatures made it a struggle but we did mange a few smokers.Sunday’s bite was much better ,but it did not come easy to find. We drilled over 150 holes in 2 days to locate where they were. At this time they seem very scattered.I use a H2Oc gps with a Navionics map chip that has BSL in 1 foot contours. Marking waypoints where we caught fish over the last few weeks has enabled me to see a trend of where we should begin our search upon hitting the ice. Developing a pattern is key here to shorten the down time in locating our target species….tullibees.
We have several posts with pictures and videos about the recent trips at http://www.ckoutdoors.com/. Come visit us and become a member. Join in on our conversations for free. There will be several more reports over the next 6 weeks until we loose our ice. I think Mallard is about to be my new roommate for the next 6 weeks.LOLNow that the warmer temps are sliding in ……IT’S TIME!
