Cold water Bite...part 2

[Tony Livingston]

 I had a little better luck today. It took me awhile to find the fish, and then more time was spent finding out what they would hit consistently. The air temp. was 45 degrees, it was partly cloudy and pretty breezy. The water temp. was 38 degrees on the surface, and there was skim ice extending out about 6' from shore in places.

I settled on a Fiskas brand,  horizontal jig made from tungsten. The hook size looked to be approx 14, and it was a ladybug pattern. I tipped it with beemoth, as I still don't have any spikes.

I fished at the mouth of a wide cove, right where it joins the main body of water. Depth to bottom was 12', and I fished the jig a foot and a half off bottom, suspended below a small slip float. The wind made it tough to register the light takes, as the float bobbed too much for my liking. I'm sure I could've done better with some solid ice  to fish from, and a flipover shelter to block the wind.

The fish were a mix of "pure" northern strain BG, and what appear to be Bluegill/Redear hybrids. It took two hours of fishing to find em', and figure em' out. Then only 30 minutes to catch a mess. All fishing was done casting from the bank, no boat.

 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

... and that is their downside. In Britain and Europe where they originate, they are primarily used with the long poles. They can be cast but you have to keep the terminal rig (shot and hook lead) fairly short. Even then, if they have to be cast far, they kind of flog along through the air after a little ways.

Still, some kind of hybrid might do. Anything to reduce the size of the buoyant body itself.

[Jim Gronaw]

The Thill Wagglers are excellent. They might take about 30 minutes to shot properly for a ballanced delivery, but they are one of the best strike indicators for the winter/open water giller.

I start with just the jig, then add soft lead Dinsmore shots spaced about 6 inches apart  about 16 inches above the jig/bait, until the red tip maintains above the surface.

Maggots are a great winter bait. And you're right Tony...wind can really mess up the fishing at this time of year!

[Jim Gronaw]

Excellent catch, Tony! I am so glad to see some mid-winter/open water success on bluegills for some of us who are just south of the traditional 'ice belt'.

Some of my best catches of big fish the past 15 years have been in January and February in some of the local ponds and small lakes in my region. But when I would tell people this, they would shrug it off and look at me with doubting eyes. Yes...you have to hunt around and experiment with different depths, and keep the bobber sensitive and light, but like you said...once you find the fish, just like ice fishing, you can put a bunch in the bucket in a hurry.

Congrats on a fine, hard earned catch!