So the big plan my 14 year old nephew is coming up Friday afternoon. He will get the wheel house experience Friday evening eating pizza hanging out jigging for crappies staring at a screen. Saturday we are jigging for pike in the dark house and tip up fishing. No depth finder needed but we will have a camera down so we can watch the tip up line and rotate to watch the jigging if we want. My nephew caught the fishing bug, neither of his parents could find their ass with both hands outside much less fishing so I am taking him under my wing, last summer I taught him that you don't just cast and reel in, jigging and twitching. I just hope the pike are biting site fishing for pike is so fun.
I will post some pics from the dark house so you all's that never drove a truck on a lake can see what it looks like.
It's safe my neighbor plowed roads with his pick up the other day. I have learned to not screw around put on the rain suit grab a chainsaw and cut ice. You cut the block tuck it under the ice, don't pull it out. Cut a hole to move the chunk with a bar back in place when you are done, big hole freezes up faster but also makes it easier if you want to reuse the hole. One other thing I learned that I feel kinda dumb about, tip up holes freezing up. Take your minnow bucket aerator and put it in the hole, ice free. Put the battery pack in a wool sock with a warmer, or if you are an older fella in the midwest, one of your choppers.
Sota, seems like an excuse and reason to go fishing. Next spring, find a place loaded with bluegill. Make sure you have plenty of worms ro crickets. Non-stop action.
Pic of my fish through the ice. I left out the prices so you can’t find my spot! Seriously, I’m glad you’re out having fun on the ice. 60 degrees to now freezing. Waiting for the ice to refreeze.
I over think stuff about presentation, the lake I live in has 12-15' of visibility during the summer so in the winter is more clarity. The store bought quick strike rig has a bead and spinners and steel leaders between the trebles. I am going with a fluorocarbon set up #2 treble in the nose a #3 in the back no spinner just a 6" sucker swimming. Tied it up myself, sometimes what you buy in a box store doesn't work that well. Pike tend to hit the minnow broadside
So we went out yesterday and the crappies were on 4:30 till 7:30 limited out 3 people. My nephew also learned what happens when you catch a mess of fish you have to clean a mess of fish he also learned how to fillet fish we spent over an hour cleaning fish.
View from the dark house 10' of water. Pike were very neutral were not hitting just sucking the minnow in. So fun when the pike are aggressive to see them fly in and hit, not today.
So planning on fishing again this weekend trying to get my son in law to come out. Kinda nice to have the fish figured out, they start hitting about 4:30 slows down at 7:30. Spoiled my neighbor tells me use his wheel house it when I don't. I do let him use my auger and humminbird depth finder so it all works out.
Was out last night for a bit I wasn't fishing I was visiting and delivering my depth finder. Crappies coming up from the depth with bugged out eyes, you rub them below the side fins till their eyes quit bulging and the will swim down the hole when you let them go. House is set up in 40' of water jigging 32-35'.
I’ve never seen that happen. I always figured if the were popping out the were done and would die under the ice if you threw them back down.
Weather and health permitting ill be fishing the Kissimmee chain lakes in 3 weeks. Going to start getting new line loaded on reels today. Changing out my light line 6-10 lb mono for some 12-17 braid and fluorough carbon. Plan to get gear and boat organized for the long drive down next week. Starting to get excited. This will be my SIL first big fishing trip and he is beyond excited. Were going to join a couple of his buddies from work that's been going down for several years.
