[wapak ice dawg]

My first trip out on Indian yesterday did not end as good as I thought it was going to after the fast start I had on the panfish. I was one of the 1st to arrive at my favorite early panfish area, I drilled 2 holes and within 5 minutes I had my 1st keeper crappie through the ice, the pace didn't stop and continued to catching quite a few fish, there were times when I couldn't see my jig on my vex due to all the makes on my sonar, then it happened. I could hear the cavalry coming in from a distance, they came in like vultures on a dead carcass, walking within feet of my shanty and drilling holes even closer, by 8 am there were over 25 people in a 100 sq foot, fishing in 4' of water you could guess what the fish did with all the walking, dropping, drilling  and shanty moving noise from above. When we were kids our dads would crack our ass if we as much as moved our feet in the boat or god forbid we tossed a rock in the water anywhere near his fishing hole. I know it's a popular sport and the internet/cell phones have made tracking the bite that much easier, it's the times were in and I get that, but when a guy set up shop on my back door and instead of fishing, he was calling all his buds and telling him the instant replay of every fish he caught, I caught and everyone around him caught I was done, I knew more about that guy in 30 minutes than what I know about my wife, I was at the point wandering if he had my phone number on his friends list, I gave in, I gave him the fish I caught, move to another area, only caught 3 fish but they were keepers, by 11 am I moved to where I normally catch saugeyes, ended up there with 2 keepers, 2 shorts and lost 3 at the hole. I'm giving it up on Indian until the work week starts and will hit local ponds and Grand Lake to fill the urge. I love to ice fish but I can do without the crowd noise. This is not a bitch post, it's just how my day went

[chub]

I love Indian but it is turning into a joke

[slabslayer]

I get that ice fishing is increasingly popular, but it doesn’t mean we need to be inconsiderate. Nobody would dream of doing that in a boat, tying off to the same tree someone else is on. Why do some think it’s ok to do on ice?  Be noisy and drill on top of somebody. I get ice fishing is a little more social, and I’ll sometimes stop and chat for a second or two, but there’s no need to drag your shanty over to a guy and drill on his hole if you see he’s on fish.  Most of the fun of Ice Fishing for me is finding fish, but some don’t want to put in the work.  That’s why I never post my spots on any social media/internet.  I’ll post Ice and Fishing reports with an occasional pic or 2, but just generalities on fish and water depth and presentation.  I won’t give up my spots unless you’re actually with me on the ice by plan, not walking up to glom on.  But that said I don’t mind being approached on the Ice, I’ve met some great friends who’ve walked up to me, and we still Ice fish together years later, but they left their shanties way away when walking quietly over and didn’t drill on top of me.  Bottom line: show etiquette!

[toadfish]

We'll put slab.

One other thing, when you are quitting and packing up your gear and shanty, remember that others may still be fishing and would appreciate if you did not make as much noise as possible.  Pick a route to stay as far away from other shantys and fisherman as reasonably possible.  The other fisherman will appreciate your consideration.

I had one guy walk right through a pack of shantys dragging his gear over bare ice right as the sun was setting when fishing for saugeye in 4' of water.  He went straight from his spot to his truck.  A small detour would have only caused him a few extra yards.

[wapak ice dawg]

Indian Lake has become so crowded over the past few years and is making it hard to find a quiet area, I know there are lake rats over there who never run into a crowd because they have "secret" spots away from the "outsiders" but for us, parking has become a real issue. I will not go over there after a snow just so I don't impede the state and county workers from doing their job and bringing more negative attention to us and I will not park on the side of the road in someone's front yard. Last season I found a great area to fish but I parked at a campground that looked abandoned, I just got set up when a guy walked up to me and said he watch me on camera pulling in, he said if it weren't for me picking up someone else's trash he would make me leave, he extended my welcome by telling me to check in at his trailer or leave a note and I could fish there anytime, nice of him I thought. I have contemplated getting a 4 wheeler, park at a state ramp and go wherever I want, but the lack of good ice from year to year doesn't make sense for me to spend the money on a toy. Those of us who were lucky to ice fish when the limit was 10 saugeye remember that there was no pressure anytime of the day, but those days are long gone and it's up to me to try and adapt my methods of fishing to keep up with the times. Funny thing is when I go over to Grand Lake St. Marys I look for someone to fish with, the glory days on that lake are another long story, although we have had some hints of the return of great ice fishing there from time to time. Toadfish if you're reading this,we need to hook up on GLSM and give it a whirl

[snowcone]

I hear you guys , i don't mind having guys pull close to me and set up , heck i may even drill some holes for ya, but come over and chat don't just crowd me out . noise is a big deal in shallow water , the fish will run away lol     but then someone comes out and has no clue, just a big spud pounding a hole like crazy dips a rod for 5 min then leaves..   but I'm like you guys i post and say whats goin on but not my personal spots . oh well it is what it is. good luck folks

[30inthabucket]

Dawg if you want someone to go explore at glsm with you sometime id be game. Only place I've ever tried there was Andersons and it's been dreadful. I would love to track down some of those big st marys crappie. Walleye would be awesome to find too. Saw pics of some pigs that came from below the spillway over there. Gotta be some good ones in the lake.

[nags]

Hey guys i live in St.Marys seems like when ice comes on the fish disapear i know a few years back they caught the walleye in mouth of coldwater creek ODNR lets water out for winter pool and fish vanish 10 or so years ago was very good ice fishing not sure what has changed but i would like to know.