Do you love big bluegill?

East coast Ice fisherman

Information

A place to share tecniques ,past successes /failures and future prospects for fishing Gills and other fish through the ice.

Location: Ringwood New Jersey
Members: 21
Latest Activity: Mar 7

Finally...On the Ice!

We'll, the Carp Whisperer Bob and I got out for a little ice fishing today at a local pond that had 4 inches of good clear ice, We rigged up for bluegills with jigging rods and 1/10 oz Kastmaster spoons meal worms as a tipping bait. We didn't get a single bluegill, but we got some of these...

Ended up with 4 bass for myself in about 2 hours of jigging. Bob had two good strikes, including a bigger fish that ran his drag some. Bass went fro 14 to 17 inches. I lost about a 20 inch bass right at the hole...the fish just hovered slowly in the water just below the ice...giving me a great view of what I was losing! Would have been my largest ice bass had I got a hand on her. I got all my fish on 2 pound mono. Fish were 5-6 feet deep.

At least I got to feel a few fish today and get a slight 'fix' for my ice fishing habit! We have done good on gills here, but not today.

High today was 30 F with light winds. Might go tomorrow, but they are calling for sleet and freezing rain...sheeeesh!

The window for ice fishing here is very narrow...maybe only a few days this year. Calling for 65 on Wednesday! Crazy!

Carp guru Bob had to put me in my place..'.a 4 or 5 pound fish isn't a big fish to me" but I think he still had a good time. Glad to be out and glad to catch a couple fish!

Discussion Forum

Top Ten Ice Fishing Lures 4 Replies

TOP TEN ICE FISHING LURESNot sure I've ever caught a Fish through the ice on a lure un-tipped.1/4 oz. and 1/3 oz.Swedish Pimple,Nickle or Gold /Green Prism Tape/Shiner Head-Pickerel, Crappie Red…Continue

Started by John Sheehan. Last reply by John Sheehan Jan 10.

Plastics for Ice Fishing 3 Replies

I hope to get some safe Ice this Year 2024. Last Year I did no Ice Fishing at all. If I get the chance this Year, I'd like to get into using a variety of Plastics for Panfish and Predators. Any…Continue

Started by John Sheehan. Last reply by John Sheehan Jan 9.

Tipping with Perch eyes 2 Replies

Continue

Started by John Sheehan. Last reply by John Sheehan Jan 22, 2022.

Ice Fishing Chronicles 2009-? 7 Replies

In NJ we are allowed 5 rigs .I generally set 3 tip ups ,Jig a rod and have a dead stick rod hanging off a bucket. I switch on and off with the jigging rods .I have two set up for Gills and pan…Continue

Started by John Sheehan. Last reply by John Sheehan Feb 13, 2018.

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Comment by Slip Sinker on February 3, 2015 at 1:18pm

thank you for the addition!

just like you im disappointed in the ice fishing results on the lakes... and its just not you and i... its a wide consensus from many different lakes... i try to talk to as many fisherman as i can while im out there gathering input... its been rather slow even here.

i noticed on my last outing good algae and color on the bottom in about 6 ft of water... we had very little snow cover and clear ice.

my little ice fishing lake i selected for this winter

its close to home
easy on easy off
short walk to any structure
its private and protected
and its loaded with panfish!

The small deep basin was loaded with schools of crappie all soft water season… ive been concentrating on the edges of the break between the basin and the flats that start at 8 ft. now im thinking maybe the fish (the good fish) are still on the flats. The deep basins are absent of crappie and that is where you expect them to be.

The lake has been ice covered for three months coming next week and probably another month and a half to go.

Comment by John Sheehan on February 3, 2015 at 12:51pm: Welcome Slip Sinker, looking forward to your input!

Comment by John Sheehan on February 3, 2015 at 10:58am: Guys,I've been doing real Lousy .Fished three lakes so far and my sad total is 2 Yellow Perch, 5 Bluegills, 1 Pumpkinseed .Here are the lures I've used to get the waxies, spikes, worm piece, Shiner head or mealie down to the fish . All fish caught in the 7-5 ' range at 8-10' ranges .

Comment by John Sheehan on January 17, 2015 at 11:45am: Real nice haul Bruce! Excellent work!

Comment by Bruce Tomaselli on January 17, 2015 at 9:48am: Caught 6 legal largemouths through the ice yesterday at Lake Raystown. The biggest is 19" and the smallest 15." We were fishing shiners and minnows on gum ball jigs and Swedish pimples. I was fishing 4lb. test mono on tip-ups and jigging rods.dish pimples.

Comment by John Sheehan on January 12, 2015 at 9:08pm: Finally got out on some ice yesterday .Felt good to fish a different lake for the 1st time . Brother Greg got a few bass a Perch and a Gill .I got a two Perch and two Gills . I fished mostly in 8' .Bizarre moment of the day was Greg getting a Bull Bluegill on a tipup with a fathead minnow.

Comment by John Sheehan on January 12, 2015 at 4:36pm: Finally got on the ice yesterday: http://bigbluegill.com/photo/albums/2015-ice-fishing

Comment by Mark Sleeper on January 5, 2015 at 9:07am: yes before Christmas there was a lot of open water even ponds in my area we'd get ice then it would be open water, it was weird Christmas to wear a tee shirt outside.

Comment by John Sheehan on January 5, 2015 at 8:15am: I hear ya Mark. Patience friend! I've been getting things ready though I 'll tell you that!

Comment by Mark Sleeper on January 5, 2015 at 6:57am: This has been up and down temp wise ,we get cold then it's up in the 50's, now we are having a cold snap this week, I have a friend that went out with 3" if that I don't want to go for a swim,I live in midcoast Maine