Heading into late ice

Heading into the late ice fishing season

Now that the month of February has passed those that ice fish are starting to become a bit giddy. Why you may ask? Well it’s the melt down of snow draining into our lakes bringing that hot bite back. While most states that had ice have lost it. Those of us living up here in the north country are just starting to get into that magical time when the pan fish’s activity really heats up.

No longer will we have to be bottled up in our heated shanties. Peering out the foggy windows will be a time past, traded for running and gunning active holes.
Enjoying the sun on our faces and the warm breezes that the late ice season provides us.
Watching the geese flying overhead, listening to their musical honking and ducks buzzing through the air with the promise of spring and the new life about to be born.

Late ice is a time like no other. It makes most die hard fishers hearts pound.
We know full well what this time of the year means in terms of the hot bite.
It pushes us to take chances. Getting on the ice from a melted shore. Walking across honeycombed ice for a chance at the big bluegill or monster slab crappie.
Since we are out of our confines in the open we also get a chance to converse with our fishing counter parts. Sharing true stories of the years catches or just lying to be entertaining all adds into the camaraderie on that sheet of ice.

Late ice is not a time that lasts long, three to 4 weeks at best. There is this internal clock we have ticking in us that say’s get out there because there is not much time left to fish on that ice. We become driven, obsessed with that aggressive hot bite.
Late ice sure is a hoot and it is short lived, but then there is open water just around the corner and a whole new season of fishing begins. It is sad to see the ice go. Yet the promise of the new season is a great consolation.


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The photo above is a good friend who goes by the nickname Mallard from the Mora area.
We both love to eat smoked tullibees and so we have been on the hunt over the past few weekends for them
There are many lakes in the state that have them. Mille Lacs has them ,but Big Sandy has been the lake we have targeted.
You can access the lake in a few spots on the north end. Willey’s bait shop on Hwy. 65 just north of McGregor could give you exact directions.
Pick up some waxies while you are there as that is what has been producing. Tip them on small pan fish jigs in orange or blue

There are starting to gorge on the mayfly larva so any bait with that profile could also work in the form of plastics. They can be found in the 25-45 foot deeper basins about 5 to 20 feet down and anywhere in between.

Satururday we saw many folks on the lake.The snow levels are low so even cars are out there driving without much trouble to speak of. The high pressure and 20 below temperatures made it a struggle but we did mange a few smokers.
Sunday’s bite was much better ,but it did not come easy to find. We drilled over 150 holes in 2 days to locate where they were. At this time they seem very scattered.
I use a H2Oc gps with a Navionics map chip that has BSL in 1 foot contours. Marking waypoints where we caught fish over the last few weeks has enabled me to see a trend of where we should begin our search upon hitting the ice. Developing a pattern is key here to shorten the down time in locating our target species….tullibees.


There will be several more reports over the next 6 weeks until we loose our ice. I think Mallard is about to be my new roommate for the next 6 weeks.LOL
Now that the warmer temps are sliding in ……IT’S TIME!

good story,

around here i see about 2-4 weeks so i will also be hitting the ice more. In general what are crappie doing during late ice, still deep or heading in shallower water for spring time spawning

thanks

Still deep ,just more active.

:mad:

well my 2- 4 weeks didn't hold up, it was like 2-4 days , most ice around me is gone or close to it but had a fun season and learned a lot , cant wait till next season

Made a great day today with Dad on the ice.
We got into them pretty good again.
Ended at 1 with 14. I lost 1 at the hole and Dad lost 5.
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Here's Gred Austin's 17" at work!
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So getting back to my Dad loosing them at the hole.I said to get them up the hole you girlscouter.
He say's .....getting it up is only part of the problem.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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So it was a fun 1/2 day ....we sure did have some great action and awesome pole bending.
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Hit BSL by 7:30 am and went straight for one of my way points.
I don't think I was down for 2 minutes and it was tullie time.

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The action was fast and furious.We had several fish when my Dad say's we have only fished for an hour.
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We both lost a few at the bottom of the hole.I guess Mallard 10" would have come in handy ,but I drilled over 60 holes today and I know as bad as I hurt now with my 8" a 10" would have buried me. :o
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We stuck a few smaller slabs and then the ole man tags this beauty.
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Around noon the tullies had moved,where I dunno.So we decided to fill up some more on crappies and made the move to where I knew we could get them and we did.
I left Dad in the house to fish and since it was soooooo nice I drilled a bunch of hole and gunned them.
Having been using some wazies I stayed with them and low and behold I drilled several gills along with many average eater crappies.
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Pops needs to work on his picture taking a bit.
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We had a great multi species day. Oh snagged a few rockies to add into the mix.Boy do they give a guy a good battle.
Heading back out in the am with Dad.
Rumor has it a few others may join.