Prepping for ice out...

[DitchPanda]

So I'm in the north country and realize yes it's January and I'm early with this. But I've got cabin fever so I don't care! For you dudes and dudettes on ice lock down like me...what will be tied on for you at ice out?

[MN Fisher]

Crappie lures.

 

Average ice-out around here is mid-April.

Bass season doesn't open until Mother's Day weekend.

 

So it's a few weeks of no bass fishing after I can get the canoe on the water.

[Dens228]

Jigs, swim jigs, squarebills, spinnerbaits, wacky rig or drop shot. 

[jimmyjoe]

1/4-1/2 oz. spoons

1/4 oz. spinners

CD11 Countdown in Silver

Bomber 13A in Chartreuse Shiner

Zoom Super Fluke in Baby Bass

 

And then for my second hour of fishing ..............  ??       jj

 

 

edit: The river is open long before any of the impoundments.

Edited January 21, 2021 by jimmyjoe

[A-Jay]

 Perhaps something from the jerkbait category ~ 

A-Jay

[gim]

10 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Crappie lures.

 

Average ice-out around here is mid-April.

 

Hoping for an early ice out!  At this rate it'll be March.

[Spankey]

Majority of my first of the year river bass have come off a Rat-L-Trap or a tube. It/they are tied on all season. 

[12poundbass]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 Perhaps something from the jerkbait category ~ 

A-Jay

Did the Oysters show up yet? 

[A-Jay]

58 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Did the Oysters show up yet? 

 Yup

And the Pro Bone is pretty sweet too ~

 

A-Jay

 

[walt-14]

Jerkbait and jig are a must for me.  I've picked up a handful of new baits this winter that I'm looking forward to trying as well.  The Megabass dark sleeper is one i'm most excited about.  I also have had a 6th sense crush flat 75 that i need to throw.  There's a few ponds in my area that I know have some PIGS in it.  I have an S Waver that i'm hoping can trigger those fatties into biting.  Should be a fun spring for sure!  

[Fishin' Fool]

7 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 Perhaps something from the jerkbait category ~ 

A-Jay

A-jay you're getting low on jerkbaits time to stock up. What is that about $1000 worth of Megabass?

[A-Jay]

26 minutes ago, Fishin' Fool said:

A-jay you're getting low on jerkbaits time to stock up. What is that about $1000 worth of Megabass?

Not really sure ~ 

But IMO, these are priceless . . .

A-Jay

[detroit1]

Bladed jig, spinnerbait ,jerkbait, rattlebait, squarebill, shad rap, wacky stick, ned, small plastic swimbait, and bladebait. 

[MGF]

The plans are a little different this year. There are some mostly shallow weedy lakes close by that give up some nice bass. For one reason or another I don't fish them very often. This year I want to spend some early season time on them. Both are weedy. One has lots of docks and the other has lots of pads.

 

Jigs for sure. Swim jigs and the arky heads I like so well. Bladed jigs or maybe a spinner bait if I need some flash in the stained water. The bladed jig gets the nod where there's a dock or something for me to slide it under. Weighted and unweighted Texas rigged plastics. A frog is bound to come into it at some point too.

[Bankbeater]

1/2 oz lipless crankbaits, shallow running crankbaits, bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, jigs, and paddletail swim baits.

[waymont]

Jig, spinner bait, chatterbait, swim jig, swimbait on a belly weighted under spin hook. 

[Mobasser]

I'll be going with a jig and pig. With a real.pork frog.

[DitchPanda]

9 hours ago, walt-14 said:

Jerkbait and jig are a must for me.  I've picked up a handful of new baits this winter that I'm looking forward to trying as well.  The Megabass dark sleeper is one i'm most excited about.  I also have had a 6th sense crush flat 75 that i need to throw.  There's a few ponds in my area that I know have some PIGS in it.  I have an S Waver that i'm hoping can trigger those fatties into biting.  Should be a fun spring for sure!  

Ha....atta boy!

[MIbassyaker]

A Smithwick Suspending Rogue, a 3/8oz Siebert brush jig, a 1/8oz Punisher hair jig, and a Keitech Swing Impact on a 1/8oz ballhead.

 

23 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Crappie lures.

 

Average ice-out around here is mid-April.

Bass season doesn't open until Mother's Day weekend.

 

So it's a few weeks of no bass fishing after I can get the canoe on the water.

 

Heh, I bet you catch some bass on them anyway.  I can't imagine throwing crappie jigs and little roadrunners around in spring and not catching a bass here and there.

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

Heh, I bet you catch some bass on them anyway.  I can't imagine throwing crappie jigs and little roadrunners around in spring and not catching a bass here and there.

Probably - but as long as I'm sticking to pure 'crappie lures', the DNR can't cite me for 'targeting bass'...and yes, they're out patrolling and sticklers for the rules.

[gim]

11 hours ago, MIbassyaker said:

Heh, I bet you catch some bass on them anyway.  I can't imagine throwing crappie jigs and little roadrunners around in spring and not catching a bass here and there.

 

It happens occasionally.  Mostly small bass because of the size of the crappie lures/bait.  In 2017 I did pile into a 20.5 inch largemouth a week before the season was open on a medium/light setup using 6 pound mono and that was interesting.  Ironically, it was the biggest largemouth I caught all year even though it was not a legal catch.  So it didn't really count, but it happened accidentally.