At least someone knew it was a good line when it was gifted.

I agree that we never truly know what the fish actually wants. As it goes sometimes the simple traditional rigs of weight, hook, plus a blade out performs any retail lures. Then again sometimes the hot lure of the day, just happens to be that one modified lure.

Or one thing is that one certain lure that’s seen so much wear and tear with busted paint job, is always the hot lure. Still out performs it’s same duplicate brand new one.

I think I’m one of the softer hook set myself only because it’s on a ML or L power rod 95% of the time. I don’t really lose hooked fish, unless I’m horsing them in and bumping into the bottom of the ice. I can’t remember the last time I lost one, cuz it’s very rare. About as rare as a walleye lodging itself perfectly bent into middle of ice hole.

So it goes with the kind of hook and size of hook. Since it’s ice fishing my hooks are on the fairly smaller size. Owner Mosquito hooks size 1, 2, or 4. Owner cutting point dropshot hooks size 2. Trebles on lures are like 12, 10, 8, maybe 6. Mixture of Owner, Gamakatsu, VMC.

When landing/icing the fish, I pay attention to how the fish is also hooked. Is the hook just on the outside of the lips? Is the hook just inside the lips. Is the hook inside and encompassed around the jaw bone of lower or upper mouth. Is hook or lure inside of mouth? Is lure down in the gully? Is hook in the gill rakers? The worst case scenario is hook point isn’t in anything and the fish had the lure mouth only or the hook bend merely is on a tooth/fang.

It just depends, and I feel for myself a somewhat finesse snug pull works for me. Maybe the fish still thinks the lure in it’s mouth isn’t going to get away. I am pretty sure that all it takes is an open mouth and one head shake and the whole lure would be spit out easy. Guess that’s just attributed to luck or the bait casting set up.

If one last thing, the harder the bite, the harder the hook set I tend to give. I can’t remember the last time winter fishing had I experience such hard biting as compared to spring fishing.

Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra in XL. Fits my Lacrosse Extreme PFT boots size 10 that comes in 14″ length and 5.25″ width snug. They are just like fat bunny boots. Something that needs to be done at home where it’s warm and easy.

Sounds like a good solid plan to me. Everyone will have some preferences.

Always have variety.

As some fish, when they mouth the lure, sometimes not having a front hook, will allow them to engulf the lure without the hook point catching on the outside of the fish’s lips.

Some fish are just head biters, some are just tail biters, so there’s those hooks for hooking into them.

When trying to pull a lively fish into the hole, as sometimes the fish will get a hook point to catch on the ice edge. One of the worst scenario’s of losing fish. Less hook points, less potential unwanted hooks sticking into something else.

lanyard your rods. Some boot lace works great.

Stroft GTM

I always worry about stuff going through USPS because several times they said that I had go to the office to pick up my package only to be told, “We don’t have it.” or “It was sent back already.”

It’s got character!

Those braid fibers probably have over 20 yrs shelf life.

That Scheels’ price is just awesome.

Depends. crappie fishing, walleye fishing, pike fishing, etc.

For crappie fishing, it depends on how aggressive the fish are taking the minnows. Cuz sometimes they get finicky and like to nibble. So either one lets them mouth the minnow for a time or somehow get a hook into some lips. If you hook minnow lips and keep loosing fish then try tail. If both are no hook ups, then try dorsal.

Sometimes it depends on the jig. Your typical gumball jighead or perhaps something more like a CJS Demon Jig.

Not necessary but the feeling of just winching with just one finger on the reel handle with ease just feels like cheating the fish in. That feeling. And you never have to go back to the big rod lifts and handle scramble method. Cuz you won’t find that necessary to do anymore. Well you still might do it because of old habits as it has become the norm. That feeling when everyone thinks you have a little fish until you reach down the hole and pull the huge one out.

Once you feel how stupid easy it is to winch fish in. You will just forget the struggles and heart pounding fish fight of old times. Those days are sort of behind me now. I just want to calmly and cooly winch them in and slowly reach in the hold to retrieve my fish.

There’s a noticeable difference when there’s a need to winch the handle on a large fish. Try this on your reel. put like a 5# weight on the end of your line and try winching it up. Some reels struggle a lot more than others. The Stradic does a much better job vs the lower tier reels.

I used to run ASSO lines, but they’ve sort of became nonexistent in supply so I haven’t tried to source anymore. I still have left over Gamma Touch and Gamma ESP ice fluoro from years ago, so rarely do I actually use some of them. Most of what I’ve used has been from 2# to 5# listed strength only.

And that’s why I quit buying gulp. Or rather quit saving them. Always leaked on me too. So annoying, yeah.

It’s really something to catch walleyes off a top water lure. Next up, crappie challenge.

The problem with freezing temps is that water turns to ice. The problem with metal line guides is that water tend to stick and freeze onto that very easy. The problem with reeling up your line fast is that now you get all that water up into your guides and spool. With freezing air temps, it’s gonna ice up really quickly.

The joys of ice fishing and what ice fishermen will put up with.

Spend more time in the warmed up shelter. Problem solved.
Choose ceramic guides over metal line guides. Problem solved.
Pinch your line between your finger and thumb and you won’t get a frozen spool. Problem solved.

The issue with braid is that it holds less water. Yes that’s right it holds less water than your mono line. Take one string of braid and one string of mono and dip it into your cup at home and pull it out and put the tip onto a piece of towel or paper. You will see which one holds a drop of more water. There’s a bigger drop of water from the mono line.

With less water, it freezes up faster with smaller ice crystals forming faster. Braid lines are lousy for hole hopping with freezing air temps. Metal line guides are lousy for hole hopping too. Put the two worst combination together and you get the worst results for ice plugging your line guides.

Try this test at home. Bucket of water and identical fishing set up with braid vs mono. Strip off like 50 feet of line into the bucket of water and make sure all your line is submerged or soaked up well. Have your rod tip about three feet above the bucket and reel up line at a moderate pace. You will see which line draws up more water above the surface of the water from the bucket and which tip guide is shedding more drops of water. There’s more water dripping off from the mono line.

You want one that hangs straight: Diawa J-Braid Grand x8 . The Grand version is a softer fibers than the standard J-Braid x8.

You want one that tricks you into thinking it’s mono: YGK Upgrade X8.

You want one that won’t wrap around your tip guide: YGK SS112 Sinking braid

I would look at the listed line diameter. Somewhere between 0.100mm to 0.150mm. Those would be listed anywhere from 4-10# braid strength. And it’s comparable to 1-3# in mono diameter.

Fishy McGanzer wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>slipperybob wrote:</div>
Simms are fairly snug fit. I wear the medium bibs and large jacket.

I’m not sure if you’re referring to the uninsulated Challenger series, or the insulated. I had a set of the regular challenger rain gear, it is indeed a snugger fit. But all reviews suggest that the insulated series is a completely different fit and seems to run slightly on the large side.

Insulated. It feels closer in size to a Columbia M winter ski/snowboard jacket. Compared to Striker Ice, Strike Master, Eskimo, HUK, in L size, all of those have lots more room. I’m only 5’7″ 40 in chest and 30 at waist 140# now, so fairly slim average build. I was 150# when I purchased it years ago. The reason I went L instead of M, is for shoulder room and range of motion. Too much fabric pull on the M size.

Simms are fairly snug fit. I wear the medium bibs and large jacket.

Old school walleye spinner rig. Nothing special just some beads, slider weight, and a blade.

Sometimes one just needs to pick a rod and go for it. Typical cats I catch are 16-20″ size. I started out with a Zebco Rhino 6’6″ rod like 30 years ago. Semi beefy MH power and easily casts 1 to 2 oz. sinker rigs. Sometimes later I purchased the Shakespear Ugly Stick Catfish rod 7″ MH rod. It’s a little less beefy compared to the Rhino rod and handles slightly lesser rigs. Pretty much a 1 oz. rig set up.

I also have a St. Croix Premier 7′ H power spinning rig that’s been wonderful. A Shimano Teramar SE 7′ H power spinning rig when I need something a little slower than the St. Croix Premier and faster than the Ugly Stick Catfish rod. Then when I want all graphite rod, I go back to my old Cabelas XML 7′ H power spinning rods. Caught a super fat channel around 34″ that probably was about 15 lbs while casting a 1 oz. Kastmaster spoon. Hit like a snag and fought like a swimming sunken log in the water. But with line peeling sound effects.

Active jigging and dead stick. Don’t be afraid to use something large to actively jig as it will often just simply attract attention. It doesn’t have to be lure sized for target species.

Never discount that just dead sticking a jig and plastic, will get bitten.

Avoid a direct overhead casting technique and ease up on the casting speed. High speed means the rig creates more air vortices that twists the hook and line into a tangle.

Choosing a more stiff line for the leader portion. Sometimes it’s just using a larger diameter mono. It also helps to reduce the rig from twisting and catching in flight.

Introductory discounted price is over…now the profitable price tag is current.

sometimes that’s just how it is.

Medium power and fast tip. Jack of all anything middle of the road rod for a variety of things.

If one must, mono for backing. There’s always a partial spool of line somewhere.

Sometimes it’s about triggering a reaction bite. Whatever the trigger be. It could be the flutter of the spoon. It could be the lift of the spoon. Sometimes it’s the attractor blade that triggers the bite.