Ice Fishing Help !!!!!!!

[brushnjigs]

Some days are like that. You didnt mention if these ponds are bowl shaped or if they have drops, weeds? Pay attention to points or cover on the drops. Sometimes they have their dorsal fin scraping the bottom of the ice, could be why you didnt see anything over the deeper water. On ponds they dont always leave the shallow water, there are always shallow fish.

Also some days they will bite so light they wont move a spring bobber. Get some rubber bobber stops and use 1 of them. Just place the rubber at the depth you want to fish. If they are biting super light the rubber will just barly quiver, almost like your eyes are playing tricks on you. You will think????did that just move??? If they are shallow you can also get back to the right depth quickly. Be glad for the short ice time. The longer the ice is on the more the fishing will slow. Best times are at day break and again just before sun set. Also no snow on the ice can make it more difficult to get bites.

Also if the ice is good ice,, no air bubbles. Just pour some water on the ice and the ducer will shoot thru, you dont have to drill. Saves a lot of time looking for them.
Just carry a gallon container with you.
If you dont have any vertical jigging baits, small minnows or bee moths would be the best to use.
Never go alone, if you go thru you cant get out by yourself. If something looks different in an area of the ice surface,, thats telling you something is wrong with it.

[Caught-a-tree]

Wow, thanks for all the responses and tips. I went on Friday afternoon with the same tune different pond-caught one little bass. Tried deep, shallow, slow, fast, up, down, left, right, and managed to spend 4 hours making the claim that it was still better than working. Still scratching my head a bit, but we'll keep trying as opportunity presents itself.

[bluedrifter]

I hit the ice on Friday. I drilled a hole on a steep break from shallow water with timber on the edge. I dropped a small jig and minnow down 30ft to the bottom and went to reel it up and it was heavy. I set the hook and continued to fight the fish to the top. the fish would feel light then heavy then light again. I thought for sure I had a big walleye on. I was yelling at my buddies and telling them the fish was almost to the hole. when I got the fish to the hole it turned out to be anchor rope with a ten pound anchor attached to the end. whats the odds!!!

[Watertooner]

Some lakes and ponds give up their secrets only after you put the hours in. We have a lake like that where I live. The locals who live on the lake know where to find them. The rest of us learn a bit more each time we come and leave. If you can't see the fish hanging on the bottom or suspended somewhere in between, stands to reason they might be right under the ice and therefore a bit skittish. I use a long pole (54") for ice-fishing so I'm not standing right over the hole. Good luck. We may have good ice all the way to May here in WI if things keep going the way they are.

[Crappie Crew]

I have been having success in 4.5 to 6 foot and especially on the areas that drop off.. So no wax worms or super worms try the pet store! Pet Smart seldom runs out... Shiners been ok... the 1/32 red headed and white body jigs been hot.. I pond fish all over by mound city Missouri... Find the areas that drop off and fish shallower... Ive caught over 500 keepers last 3 weeks with the groups that I have gone out with.

[bluedrifter]

pet stores are he best places to buy bait. it is cheaper then bait stores and they have a large selection of worms and bugs to choose from.