Ice Fishing On Tv - I Don't Get It 2024
hoosierbass07 reply :
I've been recording all the new (and some old) fishing programs on the sporting channels the last few weeks. Iv'e been seeing a lot of ice fishing programs. There is something I find perplexing about the ice fishing programs I don't understand.
Ok, when we catch a bass in the spring and summer you usually takes some effort/fight to reel them in. I've never done muskie fishing but from what I've seen in the spring and summer it takes some effort to reel them in.
Now these ice fishing programs on TV. First they did a hole in the ice. I understand that. Then they use small rods. But then when they get a bass or muskie/pike on the line all they do is grab the line with their hands and pull the line up. Were is the battle from the bass or muskie? I mean, when they pull the line up it looks as if there is hardly any hard effort needed to pull the fish up. Why is that? Why don't the bass or muskie, when hooked, run off away from the hole in the ice the way they do when it's summer and run off for open water/cover? Are the bass and muskie in winter very lethargic or zombie like?
Thanks
flyfisher reply :
they are cold blooded so the colder the water the less active they will be.
hoosierbass07 reply :
On 1/6/2014 at 6:58 AM, flyfisher said:they are cold blooded so the colder the water the less active they will be.
It's that simple? Cold water slows down those fish that much?
BassnChris reply :
Yep.
Besides, it's cold down there.
Wouldn't you go willing into a heated ice hut? 
trailer reply :
You gotta want to fish pretty bad when you drill a hole in the ice...
plumworm reply :
Up here we "commit" ice fishing.
J Francho reply :
If you're using a tip-up, there isn't a rod and reel. The only way to bring them in is hand over hand.
basscatcher8 reply :
I've seen some good pike fights through the ice.
Chief 2 reply :
While remodeling our house at the lake last winter I watched those guys ice fishing in below 0 and blowing snow. One guy didn't even have any type of shelter. He was sitting on a 5 gal bucket. Not the type of fishing I would care to do. Way to cold!
BassAssassin726 reply :
The water in my quarry lakes is ice cold. After landing a bass the fish is usually curled up the thing is so cold. Pretty much just reel them in.
CDMeyer reply :
Fish are cold blooded, so in the winter months and when the water gets cold they are a lot less active. Bass do not feed all winter like they do in the summer, it slows down. Muskie/Northern they feed all winter though. My best guess as to why the hole does not detire them is food is probably harder to come by in the winter so it is an easy meal.
Sam reply :
You don't get ice fishing?
I don't get ballet but thousands of people seem to love it.
Lots of guys and gals like the challenge of ice fishing.
For me, I hate cold weather so it is not for me.
But like the ballet, it is for thousands of gals and guys.
RAMBLER reply :
A pike, bass, walleye, or musky will fight even in the cold. You don't see, on TV, the entire "catching" of the fish. It takes a lot of patience and skill to catch a fish on those small rods. They use the small rods because under the circumstances it is pretty darn hard to use a seven foot rod while you're fishing through an 8" hole. Also, a lot of the ice fishing is done in a "shanty" that might only be 6-10 feet in width.
I fished through ice simply because the ice was there, not because I liked the cold. Some people live for ice fishing and have just as much equipment as the average warm water bass fisherman.
If you decide to try it, just remember you don't have to cut a hole, in the ice, big enough to put your boat in. Leave it home.
SirSnookalot reply :
I've ice fished many times with my dad when I was kid, I thought he was out of his mind, and I still do. I found absolutely nothing exhilarating about it. Maybe the most excitement is being on the ice at lake St Clair, wind pick up and the ice breaks apart leaving you stranded. Got kick out of that because we weren't there then, always some yo-yo out there when the ice wasn't safe.
Yakin4bass reply :
I miss ice fishing. I ultimately like summer bass fishing but when the lakes freeze over you pull out the old tip ups and auger. When I was younger we would get a football game going on the lake and when a flag went up it was an all out brawl to get to it. First one to it gets it rule, kept it fun. You do get some that put up a good fight and you feel the line cutting or burning your hand. I also was an unfortunate one too have there truck break through the ice and sink in 25' of water. Haven't been on the ice in a vehical since.
bass1980 reply :
It's quite comical reading to how some of you don't understand ice fishing. My wife doesn't understand why I need multiple setups and why I fish tournaments when it's raining out. Many people don't understand the reason to sit in a tree stand for hours with barely any day light just for a shot at a trophy buck. Ice fishing has it's own challenge and rewards. It's actually more expensive to get started. You need an auger to drill the hole, Flasher to spot the fish and depth, rods n reels, ice house, heater, and your snow suit and boots to name a few. If you like walleye, crappie, or perch fish fry, nothing better than catching some and put them aside and it'll freeze right away. As fresh as you can get.
As for the fish itself in cold water. Some fish like Bass normally don't feed in the winter. They are cold blooded so they slow down to preserve energy and fat. That is why in the fall you can get a lot of crank and spinnerbait bites because they are so active, trying to get fat to store for the winter. Northerns, Muskie, Walleye, Crappies to name a few feed all winter long. Yet they too are lethargic because of the cold water.
Mainebass1984 reply :
Icefishing can be a blast. They certainly do put up a fight. Its like you just them in like dead weight. It is completely different then fishing with a rod and reel. Your hand is the drag. If the fish want to make a run you have to give him line while maintaining tension on your line. I have had some pretty amazing days through the ice when you are none stop busy. Biggest bass through the ice was a 6-9 and he put up a hell of a fight.
Chris186 reply :
I dont see the appeal. I think its something you have to grow up doing. Its just not for me.
Mainebass1984 reply :
You can catch big bass all year long. Everything freezes up year. No open water. If you want to go fishing there is only one choice, icefishing.
ww2farmer reply :
On 1/9/2014 at 1:47 AM, CD1542 said:I dont see the appeal. I think its something you have to grow up doing. Its just not for me.
Why even comment on it then? There are plenty of popular things I don't care for, yet............to each his own, and I keep my trap shut. Btw...........I didn't grow up ice fishing, it's some thing I took up the in the last 5-6 years or so to pass the time in the winter and I like it a lot.
Chris186 reply :
On 1/9/2014 at 3:04 AM, ww2farmer said:Why even comment on it then? There are plenty of popular things I don't care for, yet............to each his own, and I keep my trap shut. Btw...........I didn't grow up ice fishing, it's some thing I took up the in the last 5-6 years or so to pass the time in the winter and I like it a lot.
No need to get snippy cowboy. I wasnt trying to bash it, I just said I dont see the appeal. You are right, to each his own, thats why I said its just not for me.
Ratherbfishing reply :
I can certainly understand why some people think ice fishermen/women are nuts. Seemingly staring down at a hole in the ice in freezing temps with the wind and snow howling around you does look pretty nutty. And there are times when I question my own sanity. It does, however, beat watching the idiot box all day. And it can be downright fun/rewarding when the fish are biting. Less so when they are not.
Yes, you can pull fish/line in hand over hand but a big, vigorous fish will require that you feed line out between your fingers when it runs. If you don't, it's bye bye fishy. As has already been said, cold water does make fish more lethargic but I have also had some larger bass and catfish give me a good run for my money-with many long runs peeling off yards of line from the spool on my reel. If my reel hadn't had a smooth drag, I'm sure I'd have lost those fish-especially with the tiny hooks I generally use. (You can't tell me a large fish won't eat a small meal).
I'm not very good at multi-tasking and trying to keep track of a bunch of tip ups doesn't float my boat (or ice shanty)-though if you're into that sort of thing, that's great. Instead, I drill holes in somewhat systematic way and then I dip the transducer on my flasher down into the holes until I find fish (or some kind of cover). (In shallower water this doesn't work very well as the cone-angle on the transducer doesn't spread very wide. But it does alert me when a fish approaches and where/what I ought to do with my jig). So really, I'm trying to fish one hole at time in a precision manner-moving around if I don't find/attract/catch a fish within around 5 minutes. I don't sit still a lot until fish are found.
I've found that dropping the jig to the bottom repeatedly will create a "cloud" of mud and debris which, in turn, often attracts fish to check out the distrubance. This is especially effective if the fish seem to be hugging near bottom.
Mostly I say all this to, in effect, explain some of the nuances of ice fishing and why/how it can be fun. If you're doing it right, it really isn't just staring down at a hole.
bass1980 reply :
Another thing is a higher percentage of ice fisherman eat some of the fish they catch vs the typical bass fisherman. A lot of people say fish like pan fish, walleyes, and perch taste a lot better during the cold water months. Meats more rich and firm. I've only ice fished a twice to kill time. Don't keep them because I'm lazy like that. However I was at a coworkers house and he cooked up some crappie slabs and walleye fry and it was delicious. If only I wasn't so lazy to touch fish I would keep one or two for a treat here and there. If you southerners never had walleye fry before I suggest you try it. It's the northern states favorite fish to fry.
mnbassman23 reply :
Ice fishing is a good time. I have grown up doing it and will continue to do so throughout life. Catching 8-10" Bluegill, 10-12" Perch, and 10-15" Crappies on 2lb line and a 20" ultralight can keep me entertained for hours, they all put up a good fight. We mostly fish walleye on bobbers and jigs using 6lb line and light to medium action rods, they fight extremely well and anything over 3lbs will peel drag and give you a run for your money. Just last night I ended up with 6 Walleye between 17"-22" and lost a solid 7lber at the hole that took me a few minutes to get in after ripping out drag. Most of those fish fought better than any 14-18" bass with 7' MH action rods and 50lb braid, which a lot of people find fun in the summer (including me). Anyways i'm done rambling, but just know that the fish do fight in the winter. Maybe it is for a different breed of people. Heck I enjoy late season deer hunting when the temperature is usually between 0 and -20 without the wind chill.
AQUA VELVA reply :
Out of desperation, I tried ice fishing once. By the time I chopped a hole in the ice big enough to launch my bass boat, I was to exhausted to fish. Really.
jkroosz reply :
Check out iceshanty.com, and ask the same questions...
Tiller reply :
It doesn't look like they're fighting because you can't see the rod bending and can't hear the drag screaming but they're fighting just as hard. I think fighting a fish through the ice is usually more challenging with the light line an rods that are used. Plus you have to get their heads turned up an 8" hole.
AK-Jax86 reply :
I have never seen a nice fishing show but I would imagine that it wouldn't be too entertaining unless the fishing was "on fire"
But I would imagine that would add to the stereotype that non fishermen have towards fishermen, or people who just think fishing is for lazy people watching someone sit by poles and waiting for action.
I have never seen a show before though
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