half iced lake.....do i fish?

[little_stephen]

Okay, so...... the weathers nuts. and its been warm, then freezing, then warm, then raining, then freezing, then warm......... u get the picture.

the lake i moved to is semi thawed. its wierd. theres spots i can almost get to on shore that are open water, and others that are iced still. i think it had something to do with the wind forming thicker ice in some spots or something!?

but the lakes thawing out kinda, i know because the large creek it feeds is bursting its banks....... and im wondering. if anyshore line access to water opens up.... if theres a way to fish that open water?!      

(mind u this lake has bass, and pike. so I know the pike come shallow as soon as the ice melts.)

But is it even possible to catch bass off of an opening in a slowly thawing lake?

[zach t]

What size lake is it? If it has any depth at all, I would say that, if you can get in, its worth it. If it doesn't have depth in excess of 40 feet in spots, I wouldn't bother.

[Crestliner2008]

If the edge of the ice corresponds to some underwater structure, such as a point or drop off, it could very well produce big time for you. If the thawed section is over a barren piece of shoreline, it may be a waste of time.

Depends on how well you know the lake and what presentations you prefer to fish with. You can probably "test" the edge by casting a nose hooked or wacky hooked 4" Senko up onto the ice and dragging it off the edge. Letting something like that just fall down from the edge is almost too much for bass (or pike) to resist. That is, if there are fish located in that particular spot.

A drop shot or split shot rig can work fine as well. Just about any slow, soft plastic presentation should get you bit.

[little_stephen]

What size lake is it? If it has any depth at all, I would say that, if you can get in, its worth it. If it doesn't have depth in excess of 40 feet in spots, I wouldn't bother.

Im new to the lake so i dont know alot about it. and its tiny. smaller than the old 88 acre lake i used to fish. BUT the gentlemen whos been talking to me has lived her for years, fishes from a nice little pond prowler with a sonar system. he says the lakes 25feet in the middle.......    but..........   i dont have a boat, and the kind of boats u can get in this lake dont require a ramp.... ie they dont bust ice.    think smaller.

[little_stephen]

If the edge of the ice corresponds to some underwater structure, such as a point or drop off, it could very well produce big time for you. If the thawed section is over a barren piece of shoreline, it may be a waste of time.

Depends on how well you know the lake and what presentations you prefer to fish with. You can probably "test" the edge by casting a nose hooked or wacky hooked 4" Senko up onto the ice and dragging it off the edge. Letting something like that just fall down from the edge is almost too much for bass (or pike) to resist. That is, if there are fish located in that particular spot.

How does a few fallen trees on a slope sound?     Or a "stair step" drop off?     the other option is a cove i fish from alot where theres a storm drain that lets run off out and has carved a nice "mini-creek channel" that winds thru the cove to deeper water thru what im guessing are semi flats that the pads really frow thick on.

[NasTMcfingas]

Man, I wish any of the places I fish were half iced.  Whether you catch one or not, you can always try to get better at, or try  some new techniques, check out some new lures, or reels.   

[Eternal Angler]

Hmmm, I think dealing with the cold is not worth it. That's what it's like in Michigan right now and I'm going to wait.  There's a lot of places I could fish right now, but I bet it's too slow.

[BUCKEYEone]

Man, I wish any of the places I fish were half iced. Whether you catch one or not, you can always try to get better at, or try some new techniques, check out some new lures, or reels.

I'll second that and add that while your chances of catching a fish might not be great, your chances of catching a fish if you don't try are 0%

[ctbassnut]

Try ice fishing it next time it freezes. You'll get to know where the fish are on the lake and will have the same results when it starts to open up. Its also a good idea to start off where you left them last fall.

[Hammer 4]

Man, I wish any of the places I fish were half iced. Whether you catch one or not, you can always try to get better at, or try some new techniques, check out some new lures, or reels.

I'll second that and add that while your chances of catching a fish might not be great, your chances of catching a fish if you don't try are 0%

X2..get out there...

[little_stephen]

Try ice fishing it next time it freezes. You'll get to know where the fish are on the lake and will have the same results when it starts to open up. Its also a good idea to start off where you left them last fall.

plain and simple. NO!    lol   the reason why, a LARGE group of people literally floated off onto lake erie last year..... becuase they were ice fishing over a reef and the ice float broke off the main pack and away they went!       Ice fishing, not my idea of fun. and this year, the ice in this part of ohio hasnt froze over enough to risk being out on the lake anyways.

And i actually am a huge advocate of fishing in any situation...... i was just trying to practice my jig presentations last spring like a week after ice out when i landed my personal best Largemouth!

I think Ill try the ice ledge idea tho!

I never thought of using the ice to my advantage! thats a cool idea.

Should I be worried if my lines rubbing on an ice edge tho?

[Grey Wolf]

Stay at home with your girlfriend.

[Goose52]

If the edge of the ice corresponds to some underwater structure, such as a point or drop off, it could very well produce big time for you. If the thawed section is over a barren piece of shoreline, it may be a waste of time......

That was my problem. As my lakes iced-up, I kept fishing until the remaining open spots next to the bank were the size of swimming pools. I started fishing again on ice-out as soon as I had another "swimming pool." Problem is, fishing from the earthen dams on these lakes, that these open areas were where there is no structure or cover. No reason for the fish to be there ... but I had to try !

Man, I wish any of the places I fish were half iced. Whether you catch one or not, you can always try to get better at, or try some new techniques, check out some new lures, or reels.

I'll second that and add that while your chances of catching a fish might not be great, your chances of catching a fish if you don't try are 0%

See above! I haven't caught a fish since end of November - but I've got plenty of time on the water since then and one of these days, probably when the water gets above 50deg or so, I'll hook up again. In the meantime, I've been "swimming" new baits that I've bought over the winter, checking how they run, etc. I may not have caught any fish, but I enjoy looking around seeing whats going on outside, like the Canada geese wondering where all their water went ( ;D ) ... better than staying at home. :

[little_stephen]

Stay at home with your girlfriend.

would if i could. shes a new nurse up at the Cleveland Clinic. New Grad means crappy shifts! she works all day and goes to sleep at 9pm one month.   then the next she works all night, sleeps from 9AM until 9PM with a wake up for dinner the next month. then back to day shift....

im basically living with a coma patient when shes asleep......... lol    makes for a lonely Stephen..... but more time for fishing when the waters not hard. :-/

[Hammer 4]

So...lonely Stephen...did you go fishing..?