Do you love big bluegill?

East coast Ice fisherman

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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: Nov 25, 2022

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

Tipping with Perch eyes 2 Replies

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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.

Top Ten Ice Fishing Lures 1 Reply

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 Feb 7, 2018.

Ice Fishing Article links

Temp under the ice:…Continue

Started by John Sheehan Jan 18, 2017.

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Comment Wall

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Comment by John Sheehan on February 12, 2021 at 7:32am

Comment by John Sheehan on February 12, 2021 at 7:31am

Comment by John Sheehan on February 2, 2021 at 7:49am: Greg and I finally got out on the ice this past Sunday 1/31/21. The 1/4 oz. Purple Ice Swedish Pimple tipped with Salted Shiner Head or full shiner caught a decent sized Pickerel , a 14" Jumbo Perch and a 2,3/4 -3 # Bass. Greg unfortunately lost a Fish . I cut 12 holes and connected on holes 9, 10, and 11.

Comment by John Sheehan on September 18, 2019 at 4:19am

The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a warmer and wetter winter for most of the country.

This year, winter officially begins on December 21 at 11:19 p.m. EDT, when the Sun reaches its greatest declination south of the celestial equator. The days around the 21st may be the shortest and darkest of the year, but this means only that we’ll see more and more sunlight until the vernal equinox on March 19 at 11:50 p.m. EDT—the earliest in 124 years!

This winter’s forecast may be welcome news if you like slightly warmer weather. We believe that warming trends will dominate in the eastern and northern parts of the nation this winter, with below-normal temperatures limited to the Southwest.

You can expect below-normal precipitation in Florida and along the Gulf Coast area, as well as in Texas, Oklahoma, the Upper Midwest, the western Desert Southwest, central California, and western Hawaii. Elsewhere, precipitation will be above normal.

As for snow, expect more than normal if you live in the area from the southern Appalachians northward through western Pennsylvania and across most of the country, including the eastern Desert Southwest.

Comment by John Sheehan on January 25, 2019 at 7:17am: lol ,yea Slip that's it .I aint done i'll go back and catch fish!

Comment by Slip Sinker on January 24, 2019 at 6:22pm: John... you werent skunked... you just ran out of time!

Comment by John Sheehan on January 23, 2019 at 11:54am: Bad start 1/22/19 to the ice fishing season .Greg and I got skunked where we did so well 2 years ago for lots of Pickerel a some Crappie and Bluegills.

Comment by John Sheehan on February 15, 2018 at 7:06am

Comment by John Sheehan on February 15, 2018 at 7:05am: Thanks Carl .I am liking the simple spinner Rig under the ice .It bangs against the split shot and sends out the dinner Bell when the shiner struggles. Getting rain and warm weather so might be in fishing Limbo for awhile .