PebHmong Discussion Forum

Sports Category => Outdoors & Recreational Hobbies => Topic started by: VillainousHero on December 12, 2018, 03:56:01 AM

Title: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on December 12, 2018, 03:56:01 AM
Been a few years...this time we're going ice fishing again in just a few weeks here.

New stuff, since old stuff broke or needs heavy repair.

Eskimo 949i shelter
Beaverdam Noodle Rod 32"

Some new lures
Z viber
Z darter
Rapala Rippin Rap ultralight
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: Mr_Mechanic on December 12, 2018, 11:53:13 AM
I don't see the fun in ice fishing.....ot her than drinking beer.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: ProudLao on December 12, 2018, 12:42:03 PM
No thanks for me but have fun.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on December 12, 2018, 03:55:35 PM
There's lots to do on the ice...outdoor snow versions of any sport you like.  snow volleyball, snow soccer,  snow golf, snow powerball, etc.,...

kite flying, sled drag racing, or just plain skidding your vehicle on the ice... ;D

Of which some of these activities are more dangerous than others and it may be life threatening to others including oneself.  So use discrepancies and be safe.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: DuMa on December 12, 2018, 04:32:42 PM
If you sit in your tent and have a generator outside to power the TV inside to watch some football while having a hole in the ice, I'm game. 

Fishing from a hole is like putting a line down your sewer and catching mystery fish. 
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on December 16, 2018, 08:26:13 AM
I have a Wicked Ice rod in UL power.  It's cheap like $20 when I bought it.  Trying to get used to such short handle on a fishing rod.

Same thing about the St. Croix Mojo Ice rods...weird unique rod handle.  Feels a little off because it's so different.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on December 24, 2018, 03:29:31 PM
Wicked or Widow? Cuz widow maker is around $100 bucks. lol

Wicked...it's the cheap one.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 04, 2019, 10:44:02 AM
Today is the day to go out ice fishing!!! where?  White Bear, St. Croix, or Forest Lake!  :D

I will be packing my stuff in the truck.  Will be walking out on the ice, since I have no idea how thick ice is now.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 04, 2019, 06:23:59 PM
Reporting back...I am still alive.

I went to White Bear Lake...close to home.

I was really testing out my Rigid Octane drill and wanted to see what all the hype is about using battery powered hand drills.   Well it works.  It worked a lot better than I thought.  In fact I thought I lost my auger down the ice hole several times, but it was still all there.

Ice is about 10-12 inches.  It should be safe for full sized trucks soon.  But remember ice is never 100% safe.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 05, 2019, 08:41:50 PM
Ah...the boss kept me at work...so no ice fishing today.  Or for the next few days...cuz of work.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 07, 2019, 08:17:40 PM
I cannot choose the good days off to go ice fishing.  I just simply have to choose to go or not to go.

Awe heck...going on my next day off.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: Mr_Mechanic on January 08, 2019, 06:11:13 AM
better make it out there during this time of the year or else, we summer fishing boys will be out there for force.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 08, 2019, 09:44:55 AM
I sure hate getting my lines crossed by them bank fishing guys who come out by the droves.  ;D

It's like winter makes them bad casting and they need a few months to get it right.

No line tangles in winter time unless, fish do it to you.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: Mr_Mechanic on January 08, 2019, 01:36:29 PM
I fish from a kayak.  So, I pretty much have the whole lake to myself. 
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 08, 2019, 06:16:17 PM
Some day eventually I would like to get myself a kayak too.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 09, 2019, 08:31:52 PM
Got back from a few hours of fishing.  I had no intention of using what was working.  I wanted to try something different.

The Z-viber 1/16 oz lure...terribl e.  I couldn't get a fish to bite it.  I may need more practice.

My stupid spinner trolling rig was hot cakes.  I've never tried it ice fishing, thought I would try it.

Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 10, 2019, 05:50:27 PM
Tomorrow 1/11 will be all about ice ice ice fishing...
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 15, 2019, 11:23:12 AM
How's biting? Ice should be at least 20" now but with the warm weather, it has melted at least 2" and now it's trying to re-freeze again. But like you said.. ice is never safe even if it's 20"+. Just becareful and watch out of water, heaves, and cracks.

I caught a few crappies...typ ical little ones 8-9" in length.  Caught a few feeder perch too...just pests.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 19, 2019, 05:38:46 PM
I might have some hot spots.. if you're willing to travel further up north.  ;)

Fishing is never guaranteed to catch.  O0  Sometimes, I get to a spot and being all alone, it can be crazy catching fish after fish.  Other times, it's a lonely dead sea.  It's sometimes weather related, high pressure low pressure.  Sometimes, ice fishing is all temperature... too cold and I don't feel like moving much.  Hence I sometimes don't catch much.

I went to a different spot yesterday.  Cold enough and high pressure came through.  Not much to show except for one catfish and one perch.  So I basically froze my hands and got a lot of exercise packing and unpacking gear.  Recovering today.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 23, 2019, 07:22:51 PM
OMG, we went out this past weekend too and it was frigid cold...brrrrrr .. Imagine drilling holes and trying to find fishes. After 1 hour we gave up and set tents. It was too cold. My fingers and toes froze.. can barely moved them. Had to jump in the car and heat it up. It was super cold. Went to 3 different lakes. One lake, we caught sunnies only but good size (palm size) sunnies. Giant crappies comes at night but they are super smart.

I didn't go out over the weekend.  It was too cold for just me alone.  Instead I sat around home and tweak some of my fishing gear and put on new lines and stuff.  I did sneak out yesterday as it was a bit warmer.  Still too cold to try to hole hop and I just stayed inside my shelter.  I did catch a few crappies.  For some reason I haven't had much luck at night, so I haven't been trying to do nights. 
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 25, 2019, 04:15:58 AM
Night fishing is mostly for walleye or northern. If you want panfish, they come early, mid afternoon only. After 6-7, you can just pack because it will be dead under unless you want the big fishes. Going up next week. Hope to catch something.
I remember used to catch crappies after dark was the norm.  Walleyes if set up slightly more shallow, but hate the dead wait game for nothing and if I miss, it's usually done.  Catfish at night is sometimes good too.  After dark some of the biggest rock bass.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 25, 2019, 11:29:44 PM
Never had rock bass before. Used to catch a few of them on shallow water on small river but heard it has a lot of bones so it's just catch and release. I do like perch though. That's something good to fillet but from last year.. I've had enough fillet jumbos.

Rock bass has big bones and big rib bone structure.  A 10 inch rock bass has about as much meat as like a 6 inch blue gill in fillet.  You think that rock bass is thick, but very thin meat.  They are just fun to catch when you hit a nice school of big size.  They can have a lighter bite than crappies at times, but they're can stay curious like young walleyes or hungry perch on lures.  You can have easily half a dozen or more try to hook set on Rock bass before it ignores your lure.

The bigger the rock bass is, more it begins to look like a smallmouth bass in shape.  They start to get more elongated rather than stay pan shaped.
Title: Re: Ice Fishing 2018-19
Post by: VillainousHero on January 29, 2019, 05:58:11 PM
Cold weather and snow is good for ice fishing...I will have full confidence driving out on the lakes now.