Getting ready for ice time!!

[williamdodger]

My how the time flies.Just built 2 ice rods.These are ultra light and 3 foot long.You can fight a large gill fairly easy.My knees just will not take the cold ice to kneel on anymore.So I take a chair and fish my long rods,and never forget my Vexilar flasher.I have lost some huge specks though,with long rods,so this is fair warning.Haul them big boys up SLOWLY!! This year I will fish 2 teardrops on one of my long poles.Size 12 on the bottom and 14 a foot up. Liked to hear what you all use.Tight Lines everyone!!

[Glen Wagley]

Post some pics of those rods if you get a chance. I use UL rods that are 24-26 inches long. I sit on my ice chest and I have a Humminbird 565 that has a real-time sonar flasher feature which is pretty nice. Just got a new Tica Cetus 500 to try out and I'll pair it with 3 or 4 lb test (I like the berkely micro-ice line). As far as lures, I like ratsos, rat finkees(both the 1/50 oz or 1/100 oz size), small tear drops, waxies, and crappie nibbles. I like having a heavier jig on the bottom and the lighter one a foot or two up higher. Those blue fox rattle flash spoons in the 1/16 oz flavor are also a good "attractor" for white bass, crappie, and bluegill. It doesn't discriminate.

[williamdodger]

Hey Glen,thanks for your input.We should be ice fishing here in central Michigan in about a week.I am working on some ic flies,trying to figure out what color hair to use.Will try red,and maybe some green.I have some red sparkle thread that was a killer on my ants that I made for spring.I never caught so many 9+ inch gills in April.I just let it sink,with a casting bubble 3 feet up the line.Good luck ice fishing,tight lines!!!