Cool fishing!

It can be tough this time of year bearing the cold and winds, but this can be your best chance to get some big walleyes from Tetonka…. shore casting.

I fish from Best Point Resort (on the center/South shore of the lake). The resort is closed there and it is easy to find parking! Deep water is within casting distance, you can hit 25 feet. Floaters rigged with minnows can be very effective, slowly dragging the rigs up the drops. I use a one foot snell and a 1/0 hook. Weeds are down and throwing Raps is a great way to go, if it is overcast or after dark. I plan to hit the lake this week. It should be getting good after this little cold snap.

Hawger

Been out yet?? I’ve got to get down there and try out some of these lakes. Do they get a lot of pressure in summer or ice fishing?? How’s access in the winter to the lake??

Hey Waterfowler,

Depending on the body of water, you will see moderate to high fishing pressure on ice. Time of day is key.

A lot of people usually have left by the “good bite” time in the early evening. ALso, I have noticed, more so on ice than open water, people tend to school up more. So even on smaller lakes you can find a decent spot to drill some holes and catch fish, fishing by yourself!

Yes, the “shanty town” are “generally” over some of the better structure spots, but not always on/in areas that produce fish. This comes probably as common sense to most, but something to keep in mind when hitting the ice.

More often than not the plowed roads only go to the main “Shanty villages”, so alternate methods of transportation could be essential. Modes such as, Four wheel drive, snowmobiles and ATV’s can make or break a day on the ice. Usually(since I don’t have any of the aforementioned) I take a chance, put’er in high gear and go “off road”, keeping steady pressure to the gas. The only times I have been stuck is when I have made real bad choices, like driving into drifted areas or off the main drive etc.

Personally, I like to be by myself for the most part on ice. Mostly, so I don’t bother other fisherman by all of the drilling and moving around I do.

Do some research before heading out to a lake, get a map and check out creel surveys etc.and never forget to ask ‘locals experts”.

Keep in mind, there are probably a lot of ice fisherman(like myself) who would love to hook up for a day on ice. So don’t feel shy people! Good time to meet different folk while reelin’ ’em in!!! If I’m going ice fishing, I’d rather have someone along. For the comradery more than anything else.

Sorry Waterfowler, probably didn’t help you out one bit, but I’m really starting to get excited for this year on ice!!! SO I got off track a little?!?!

Jim W