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Ice fishing for Bluegills

drl50drl50 Member Posts: 2,496
edited January 2011 in The Fishing Hole!
Gonna try it for the first time this winter. Any experience with bait, jigs or where to find fish? I am in Wisconsin on a large lake with varied structure. I have fished them in summer but never thru the ice.

Comments

  • fastcarsgofastfastcarsgofast Member Posts: 7,179
    edited November -1
    Good luck. I think they hybernate.[;)][:D]
  • wpagewpage Member Posts: 10,204 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Why ice fish for bluegills?
  • Liv2FishLiv2Fish Member Posts: 655 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You got to keep the worms warm! Just joking I have never really ice fished but have caught them on maggots. The crappie seem to bite pretty well. My son goes up Wisconsin to fish an Ice fishing tournament every year but the way it sounds they mainly party.
  • dcso3009dcso3009 Member Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Been out a bit myself. See the hall of fame pictures I just posted.
    The Gills I was catching where 8-11.5" and the crappie where 10-14". Great little pond, but over fished bad so all where released.
    My hot combo this year is a horizontal perch color jig tipped with pink Power Bait. I hang this on 2lb Fluorocarbon line under a noodle rod. This rod has a glass tip and a graphite backbone so I get a super soft tip, with enough rod to set the hook, and bring them up. No need for a bobber, or even a spring.
  • victorj19victorj19 Member Posts: 3,642 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I usually catch a couple while perch fishing. I like the Hali line of lures. The kind with a short chain and hook suspended under the lure. Caught a small gill today. The gills usually hit about 45 - 30 minutes before sunset. Spikes, mousees or small waxworms work.
  • drl50drl50 Member Posts: 2,496
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the tips. I'm kinda finding out as I go, but as you say, light tip glass jig poles, chartreuse jigs and waxworms seem to be the way here. One old timer told me ya gotta pinch em (the waxies) so the guts hang out.[:)]
  • torosapotorosapo Member Posts: 4,946
    edited November -1
    Waxworms and mousies are common in Mich for ice fishing, small minnows work for crappie. Can you use tip ups in Wi.? That's what we use for pike.
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