Cold water bite...

[Tony Livingston]

Well I finally made it out for a short time this afternoon. The fishing was tough, as the lack of fishable ice meant I was casting from shore, using a slip float. Combine that with a steady crosswind and it was nigh impossible to detect a bite. I only managed three small females, between 8-9".

I measured the water temp in one pond at 38 degrees, at a depth of two feet. All of the fish were taken on a size 14 horizontal tungsten jig, tipped with a beemoth. I was fishing at a depth of 10', across a flat that is 14' deep.

Here are a few pics,  you can see an area of skim ice behind the fish I'm holding up.. maybe 1/8" thick. I was casting right along its edge, from another position.

I'll try again tomorrow, see if I can do better.

 

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Don't know about up North Tony, but the weather forecast down here is still very mild through the next 10 days.....Good work to get out there and try your luck.......Your efforts will be rewarded at some point!  

[Leo Nguyen]

Nice going Tony. A few caught is better than the old skunkeroo here..and a skunk is better than not going fishing *LOL* Just wondering about the beemoth. Do you find them in a mature stages over there during the winter time? This may be a great fly in the making!

[Tony Livingston]

Leo, I'm not sure what you mean by mature stages. I was under the impression that their mature stage was a moth, and I have indeed seen them cocoon and emerge as moths, but only if I don't mind their storage temperature close enough.

I really want some maggots/spikes/eurolarvae, and I normally order a quantity for ice fishing, but did not do so this year. The local bait shops do not carry them. They stay alive on the hook longer, and they are just plain tough. They come in pretty colors, too.....

[Leo Nguyen]

Yep, mature stages are the moths. I read on their cycles as most were in cocoons and turn into the horned caterpillars. Looks like they go from cocoon before the frost, and mature into moths before winter just for the survival mode in your areas.

Hm..may check in our stores for such exotic moths. Otherwise, we just have to stick with meal and wax worms.

[Patricia Ramirez]

thanks tony, your information is very good allways.

[dick tabbert]

Thanks for the info Tony. I know although you didn't catch as much as you wanted it was still fun. GOOD FISHIN...