OLD METHOD/FOR NEW ICE FISHERMEN

[ice phisher]

Thought I'd share this on "Bluegillin"..... Cause each new season brings more and more newbies in to the sport and the more they know the better it is for them..... OLD SCHOOL METHOD. When I first started ice fishing.... in 1959, I quickly learned that ......alot of old timers... used "double rigs" except that.....the jig was always used on the bottom and a lighter weight ANT OR PLAIN FLY....was above on the dropper line...... The lighter fly sinks at a different (slower)rate after your jig gets it to the desired depth.....In essence. you have two totally different presentations as you jig your pole.....The repetitive up and down action of the heavier bottom jig (pin-min) and the floating (pulsating, darting) action of the much lighter fly or ant.....Using two similar jigs works..and is usually reserved for a more agressive bite.........The fly and jig seems to trigger fish on those sometimes finicky days. NOW FOR THE DRAW BACK TO FLY AND JIG COMBO!!!!!!! WHEN LANDING YOUR FISH , AS THEY START UP THE HOLE COLUMN IN THE ICE.....THE FISH ( IF HOOKED ON THE BOTTOM JIG ONLY) HAS A TENDENCY TO PULL IN A MANNER....TO THE SIDE OF THE HOLE AND THUS ALLOWING THE LIGHTER FLY HOOK TO BE JERKED IN SUCH A WAY.... AS TO GET CAUGHT ON THE ICE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HOLE AND THUS LETTING THE FISH ON THE BOTTOM JIG EXCAPE. This does not happen all the time....but can be a pain at times.......and lastly.....Yes, I believe that there are times that any thing other than the smallest jig (singularly fished) has a negative reaction on the fish.......Bottom line!!!!!!!!! Never stick to one presentation.....Be versatile and use change to your benifit...........great fishin and be safe......jON sR .....

[firefish532]

Great post man that is what i think it is all about guys sharing little things to put more fish in your bucket

[davidhoheisel]

Great post. If anyone gives this a try make sure you tell us how it worked. I know that it can be deadly.

[Golden1]

This was a funny report to me,,,, Just started back ice fishing after close to 30 years of not going. Well the post described exactly how my dad taught me to ice fish. So that being said ,that is the way I still tied up my poles. I have been hitting some small waters close to me here in Mentor and been catching quite a few. Today I hit a pond and we caught at least 50 gills (  including 4 double headers ) and was able to keep at least half of them that were approx 9 inchers....It is fun doing it what I call the old fashion way...large sinker to determine the depth clipped on line.. and drilling holes till ya find em..no depthfindes, no cameras,, just search away
  I did discover that when they have quit biting lately that they moved up and suspended to within 4 ft of the surface...usually I start approx 6 inches off the bottom. Usuing the dopper fly this way allows you to cover two depths at once if you keep them about 12- 14 inches apart on your line. I hope this helps the next time you venture out.
Don

[pig puncher]

this time of year, fish will supend.the other day i was fishing in 20 fow, reeling up a fish. looked down the hole, and saw some really nice bluegills just below the ice. i personally don't like fishing shallow water, but i'm gonna try a pole 3-5  ft. below the ice.

[ratherbefishing]

These are the kind of posts that I always hope I'll see. My uncles taught me to ice fish when I was a kid, and they know all kinds of stuff like this. If I could learn half the things they've forgotten, I could write one heck of a contrast piece for in-fisherman.
They old meeting the new! To think that it's happening on our site. Anything else you can share is very welcomed!

[jaybird62]

thanks for sharing that. gonna give it a try this weekend.  tried it the other way with some success.  our younger guys need tips like that  and us older ones too

[Jiggn Fool]

How are you attaching to the line w/ your lighter jig leader?? A swivel of some sort or  just tying it on??

[TURKEY09]

Jiggin Fool go to ice videos and click on Dave Genz Michigan Rigging and that should answer your questions.

[Bigpapa]

I started using this presentation this season due to the slow fishing. This is great when searching for active fish or where there are multiple species present. It's not uncommon to catch a largemouth bass on the bottom jig and a bull gill on the ice fly. I went this a.m. fishing and in 2 hours caught 4 largemouth and about 20 gills  out of the only hole I drilled.

[slabslayer]

I've used this rig before and it works.  But sometimes a variation works great.  I call it a sniffer rig.  Sometimes a gill or crappie comes up to your jig and won't bite.  You know this happens because you can see it on your vex.  When it does, tie on a #12 or #14 fly hook on a one pound line directly to the bend in the hook of your main jig.  Put the hook about 6 inches behind the main lure and tip it with a single maggot.  It will suspend in the water column and drive them nuts.  I've caught many doubles every year on this rig, and I never have problems with the stinger hook catching on the hole. 

[Banker]

Lost a good crappie during first ice this year because of the top jig hooking into the bottom of my hole. Does work, and I am from Michigan, where i learned to fish this way, but man it sucks when you loose one.

[Golden1]

It worked again today.. another 40 gills and this nice largemouth....

[ice phisher]

Golden1....Thanks for sharing your catch with us......great pic' also.....

[TURKEY09]

Tried this yesterday when I wasn't having any luck and it produced a few fish for me.