Ice fishing for bass

Help me figure this one out please. I live and fish in
Minnesota and have never found even a half respectable
answer to this question. Al and Ron Lindner ought to be
ashamed.

In the thick of the winter I can almost always find northern
pike, walleye, and a plethora of panfish through the ice.
But I have never caught a bass through the ice. Where the
hell are they and what are they eating? I' ve asked around
and nobody seems to know. Nobody even fishes for bass in
the winter up here.

Bass just dissapear after ice-over it would seem. I've
never caught a bass through the ice. I've never *met*
anyone who's caught a bass through the ice. I HAVE met a
few people who have HEARD of someone catching bass through
the ice but nobody who has witnessed it.

I fished Lake Minnetonka today. I can run this lake in the
summer and catch bass all day long. Nobody even bothers to
fish for bass in the winter though. What do bass forage on
and where are they during the thick ice of the winter? I
know they're in there and at least assume they're eating
something.

"GW" wrote in message ...
Help me figure this one out please. I live and fish in
Minnesota and have never found even a half respectable
answer to this question. Al and Ron Lindner ought to be
ashamed.

In the thick of the winter I can almost always find northern
pike, walleye, and a plethora of panfish through the ice.
But I have never caught a bass through the ice. Where the
hell are they and what are they eating? I' ve asked around
and nobody seems to know. Nobody even fishes for bass in
the winter up here.

That's because there's better fishing through the ice for walleyes, northern pike, perch, bluegill
and crappie. Walleyes and northern pike remain far more active in the iced over lakes than bass do.


Bass just dissapear after ice-over it would seem. I've
never caught a bass through the ice. I've never *met*
anyone who's caught a bass through the ice. I HAVE met a
few people who have HEARD of someone catching bass through
the ice but nobody who has witnessed it.

The bass are there, they've just gone into their winter mode, which is basically inactive and a
negative feeding mode. I've caught bass through the ice but it isn't often. Usually I've done it
while jigging bluegills, but they've been caught on tipups baited with live minnows as well.


I fished Lake Minnetonka today. I can run this lake in the
summer and catch bass all day long. Nobody even bothers to
fish for bass in the winter though. What do bass forage on
and where are they during the thick ice of the winter? I
know they're in there and at least assume they're eating
something.

Bass are still foraging on minnows and assorted critters that they can find, it's just that with the
cold water, their metabolism has slowed so much that they might only feed once a week. Ice fish
often enough and you'll catch bass, just don't expect them to fight anything like they will in open
water.
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

they fight as much as a wet sock ; )
"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in message
...

"GW" wrote in message
...
Help me figure this one out please. I live and fish in
Minnesota and have never found even a half respectable
answer to this question. Al and Ron Lindner ought to be
ashamed.

In the thick of the winter I can almost always find northern
pike, walleye, and a plethora of panfish through the ice.
But I have never caught a bass through the ice. Where the
hell are they and what are they eating? I' ve asked around
and nobody seems to know. Nobody even fishes for bass in
the winter up here.

That's because there's better fishing through the ice for walleyes,
northern pike, perch, bluegill
and crappie. Walleyes and northern pike remain far more active in the
iced over lakes than bass do.


Bass just dissapear after ice-over it would seem. I've
never caught a bass through the ice. I've never *met*
anyone who's caught a bass through the ice. I HAVE met a
few people who have HEARD of someone catching bass through
the ice but nobody who has witnessed it.

The bass are there, they've just gone into their winter mode, which is
basically inactive and a
negative feeding mode. I've caught bass through the ice but it isn't
often. Usually I've done it
while jigging bluegills, but they've been caught on tipups baited with
live minnows as well.


I fished Lake Minnetonka today. I can run this lake in the
summer and catch bass all day long. Nobody even bothers to
fish for bass in the winter though. What do bass forage on
and where are they during the thick ice of the winter? I
know they're in there and at least assume they're eating
something.

Bass are still foraging on minnows and assorted critters that they can
find, it's just that with the
cold water, their metabolism has slowed so much that they might only feed
once a week. Ice fish
often enough and you'll catch bass, just don't expect them to fight
anything like they will in open
water.
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

In New England I've caught many bass thry the ice. In fact I've seen a
number of quality bass come thru the ice including a few 5-6 lbers.

Shiners on tip ups, yes a few more pcikerel and a perch here and there but
the bass do bite. Note that I pretty much fisj small natural ponds (100
acres or less)

If it warms up, I may just go this weekend (currently -7 degrees here in MA
as I write this). It's too cold for ice fishing!

"alwayfishking" wrote in message
...
they fight as much as a wet sock ; )
"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in message
...

"GW" wrote in message
...
Help me figure this one out please. I live and fish in
Minnesota and have never found even a half respectable
answer to this question. Al and Ron Lindner ought to be
ashamed.

In the thick of the winter I can almost always find northern
pike, walleye, and a plethora of panfish through the ice.
But I have never caught a bass through the ice. Where the
hell are they and what are they eating? I' ve asked around
and nobody seems to know. Nobody even fishes for bass in
the winter up here.

That's because there's better fishing through the ice for walleyes,
northern pike, perch, bluegill
and crappie. Walleyes and northern pike remain far more active in the
iced over lakes than bass do.


Bass just dissapear after ice-over it would seem. I've
never caught a bass through the ice. I've never *met*
anyone who's caught a bass through the ice. I HAVE met a
few people who have HEARD of someone catching bass through
the ice but nobody who has witnessed it.

The bass are there, they've just gone into their winter mode, which is
basically inactive and a
negative feeding mode. I've caught bass through the ice but it isn't
often. Usually I've done it
while jigging bluegills, but they've been caught on tipups baited with
live minnows as well.


I fished Lake Minnetonka today. I can run this lake in the
summer and catch bass all day long. Nobody even bothers to
fish for bass in the winter though. What do bass forage on
and where are they during the thick ice of the winter? I
know they're in there and at least assume they're eating
something.

Bass are still foraging on minnows and assorted critters that they can
find, it's just that with the
cold water, their metabolism has slowed so much that they might only
feed
once a week. Ice fish
often enough and you'll catch bass, just don't expect them to fight
anything like they will in open
water.
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Don't forget that the Massachusetts immense state record (15-9) came
through a hole in the ice.

I don't ice fish any more, but my sone still does, and he catches loads of
smallies through the ice in VT. Here in CT, Candlewood, smallies are one of
the top target species through the ice. Same deal at Warramaug. The latter
was my favorite place to ice fish before I found sanity.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

test


"RichZ" wrote in message
...
Don't forget that the Massachusetts immense state record (15-9) came
through a hole in the ice.

I don't ice fish any more, but my sone still does, and he catches loads of
smallies through the ice in VT. Here in CT, Candlewood, smallies are one
of
the top target species through the ice. Same deal at Warramaug. The latter
was my favorite place to ice fish before I found sanity.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

GW

I've gotten LM thru the ice, and I can't argue w/ Steve's answer. For
the most part, LM are a first ice and late ice critter. At first ice,
they are still in their late fall 'mode', and at late ice, they are
getting just the slightest hint of the coming spawn, and becoming more
active as the water begins to warm and become more enriched with
oxygen as the ice melts. Right now, I'd say that we in MN are done
with first ice and are entering the "mid winter" period.

The problem we have in MN is that during late ice, the season on bass
is closed, so you can't target them. The folks who catch LM during
late ice are actually targeting panfish. Find the right spot during
late ice, and you'd probally find them stacked up like cordwood.


On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 02:59:00 -0800, GW
wrote:

Help me figure this one out please. I live and fish in
Minnesota and have never found even a half respectable
answer to this question. Al and Ron Lindner ought to be
ashamed.

In the thick of the winter I can almost always find northern
pike, walleye, and a plethora of panfish through the ice.
But I have never caught a bass through the ice. Where the
hell are they and what are they eating? I' ve asked around
and nobody seems to know. Nobody even fishes for bass in
the winter up here.

Bass just dissapear after ice-over it would seem. I've
never caught a bass through the ice. I've never *met*
anyone who's caught a bass through the ice. I HAVE met a
few people who have HEARD of someone catching bass through
the ice but nobody who has witnessed it.

I fished Lake Minnetonka today. I can run this lake in the
summer and catch bass all day long. Nobody even bothers to
fish for bass in the winter though. What do bass forage on
and where are they during the thick ice of the winter? I
know they're in there and at least assume they're eating
something.





Jim

2003 R.O.F.B. NWC
Largest Non Bass Trophy Winner