Hey all, i got a cottage on a small lake in southern ontario, lots of carp in the lake but after july they seem to disapeer… where do they go? I want to find them ice fishing but i cant even find them after july! Any tips would be appreciated thanks!
Carp go dormant, we see in on lake Winnipeg all the time. You will still catch them occasionally, but they go into a semi dormant state like channel cats and drum.
Catfish can easily be caught threw the ice but you have to be careful not to ruin the population. Catfish group together in large groups up river in the deepest hole. But as I mentioned they can easily be over harvested.
Thanks! Someone else mentioned that also, but then how do all these people target carp and catfish through the ice? How do they find them if they dont move and there are so many places they can go? Thanks
I’m thinking it’s a bit different in the warmer parts of the ice belt. They probably don’t go as dormant as they do in colder parts like where I am. You could try the same open water techniques through the ice, locating them will be the harder part.
Yeah ive tried for years but no luck locating them. I guess ill just have to keep looking and looking. I mean theres thousands in the lake and its a small lake lol they cant just disapear
Yeah that makes sense. No rivers going into my lake besides a few creeks. Its a very small lake. Ive never rly caught catfish in the lake i know they are there but i mainly want to target carp if possible. Either way im not rly a fish eater so i usually just catch and release anyways
Livescope will find them pretty quick, I would find the deepest part of the lake and start there.
Use to spear northerns in my home town lake. Shallow mud bowl. We’d see many carp cruising the shallows/weed lines while waiting for pike.
Even during the winter?
Whats live scope?
Livescope will find them pretty quick, I would find the deepest part of the lake and start there.
Catfish don’t go dormant…just leave it at that.
Catfish don’t go dormant…just leave it at that.
Radio telemetry tracking of channel cats up here says that they do.
I think where im located they dont go dormant i have caught them accidentally. I think they just roam around less and gather in large groups. Im trying to find carp though not necessarily catfish
Can be very true that carp school up in big groups and move very little. Friend got on a project using telemetry in our area. One of the things is that carp could get in a big enough group in a small enough area to erode the ice. They were using drones, pretty cool project.
I’ve sight fished bluegills in extremely clear water and have seen carp cruising around just as they do in the spring and fall
I’ve also caught catfish through the ice. Look up some lake petenwell ice fishing videos and you’ll see people catching cats as they actively move and feed along the river channel edges.
Drum would not often be iced as they are still cruising places of current similar to walleyes in the winter on river systems – idk about lake bound drum
Can be very true that carp school up in big groups and move very little. Friend got on a project using telemetry in our area. One of the things is that carp could get in a big enough group in a small enough area to erode the ice. They were using drones, pretty cool project.
That is an incredible project! What type of area were they in. Depth, mud, seaweed, etc
Interesting thanks!
patk wrote:
Can be very true that carp school up in big groups and move very little. Friend got on a project using telemetry in our area. One of the things is that carp could get in a big enough group in a small enough area to erode the ice. They were using drones, pretty cool project.That is an incredible project! What type of area were they in. Depth, mud, seaweed, etc
Sorry I don’t recall for sure, would have to ask him. I want to say it was shallow’ish. Meaning not your typical crappie hole or where a ton of fish houses congregate.
The biggest channel cat I’ve caught was through the ice. Bit a buckshot spoon with a minow head that I was ripping for walleyes. Sure didn’t feel dormant.
I’ve also witnessed an ice fishing tournament won with a big mouth buffalo.
I’m sure they decrease their activity level, but they still have to feed.
Yeah they are definitely out there. Just finding them is so hard and i dont have any high tech sonard, just an underwater cam and a cheap fish finder.maybe someone could look at some lake maps for the lake im on and make some suggestions? Its lake eugenia ontario
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