Great pics just wish I could have done that a few more times this year.

Definently has a unique look hopefully it solves the broken tail fin issue that plagues the jigging rap.

Outdoors4life: It’s possible that we have crossed paths I,ve done some fisheries work on the big river as well as other places. Send me a PM if want to discuss anything else.

I hate to burst your bubble armchair but that fish you are holding is a spotfish shiner in breeding colors. If you happen to catch another one take a close look at the dorsal there is a dark spot about 2/3’s of the way back. On a lighter note a good place to find a variety of speicies suseptable to your micro gear is in small streams and dranage ditches anything from redbelly dace to mudminnows and even sticklebacks can be caught in these places. There are a few streams in your area that have redfin shiners which are fairly rare in MN.

Thanks for the responses fellas. It looks like the majority vote is to target SE MN and NE IA and that was what I was thinking also. As far as the coment of fishing the Okoboji’s and Spirit lakes is that they don’t offer the peace and quite that a trout stream does. On the other hand the fishing in these lakes is pretty darn good I have been spending the better part of the last 4 months fishing them. I kinda looked into what MN has to offer in the south central region and it turns out the nearest stream is still an hour drive and is listed as marginal but could be worth taking a look at. I have also been looking through the driftless trout angler forum (thanks for the link) and it has some good stuff hpefully I can make it out in the not to distant future.

Thanks again fellas.

From what I gather you are more interested in haveing a duel purpose rod rather than one of each correct? I would go with a 7 or 7 1/2 foot med heavy but if used mostly for pike I would go with a heavy action. I realize you are not interested in braid but you should give it consideration as both a casting and trolling line. It gives better hookups tears through weeds better and is overal stronger for its diamater. If you are worried about the fish seeing the line then a florocarbon leader is easily added for both pike and trolling.

thats my $.02

I am no expert but I would say they are the equivlent of birth marks. Bass seem to get them pretty regularluy but for some reason other fish don’t. Black spot is a parasite that usualy infects panfish and pike but it apears as numorous small spots as each spot it a parasite.

In order to use dead bait in wisconsin it has to be able to sit on a shelf and not spoil. The linke below has the accepted bait preservation methods. As far as where to get it the prepacked bags from feet farm are one option another would be to buy it raw and preserve it yourself.

http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/vhs/vhs_preservation.html

Looks to me like its a mondo gizzard shad the things can get pretty big.
Gizmo on the left mooneye on the left.

Drove by Maiden Rock this morning and I couldn’t belive my eyes there were a half dozen or so vehicles on the ice including full size pickups. I’m having trouble beliveing that there is enough ice for this even with the recent weather change. I realize that the area they were in toward pine creek doesn’t have much if any current but can there realy be that much ice?

Unless you need the cash I would keep it. I’ve taken plenty of friends out that didn’t have a flasher and if they arn’t catching much it seems they always peek over your shorlder and quit fishing. Kids especialy like to watch the screen and fishing with 2 lines in the hole or eventualy without a flasher is frustrating at least for me.

just my 2 cents

Well the plans fell through but there is still time in the next few weeks if the water doesn’t get to high. I’ll be sure to post if I make it out and thanks for posting the conditions.

I killed river smallies with them last year. I’ve used them for largemouth a little with good success but trout fishing with them is the real secret . I like to cut them a little short and use a 1/16oz jig and fish them slow.

It’s a battle of witts between me and the fish. The fish’s will to survive vs. my will to pound away for hours trying to out smart a fish . Knowing that sooner or later I’m going to catch THE ONE or ONE’S . You know just thinkig about it makes me feel like fishing I think it may be an adiction

My mouth is watering
Now the big question does it tast as good as it looks or better

I had a similar problem with mine last year but if I pushed the cable into the ducer and set it in the water gently it would work for a while. I called them up and they told me it would be hard to get the warrenty on it being that it would work on and off so I just ordered a new one over the phone and had it it 3 days. I know some people have had issues with marcums cusomer service but I had no problems.

Now your making us jelous! That would be a blast with a school of jumbos in clear water.

In regards to not getting any new tail fins you may consider trying to modify some colorado or indiana blades by cutting and bending them to the desired shape and glueing or soldering them on. I’ve done this on a few of mine then repainted them. They arn’t real good looking but an airbrush would solve that. Another thing you may consider is when you get new raps put some supper glue or epoxy on the inside of the tails to try and keep them from falling off.

Just some thoughts.

I have a VX-1 and have a similar problem when the ice gets thick and letting more cable out to get the ducer either near or under the ice seems to help. There is still clutter if I’m in realy deep water when I turn my gain up but I’m usulaly using large baits for either eyes or lakers if in over 30ft so my gain stays down. Hope this helps.

I’ve started using sufix ice line since gamma doesn’t make ESP any more. I have no complaints and have used it in single digit conditions.

Good job all i’ve called in are crows. I think you can hunt between the tracks as long as you stay on the side of the river of which you live/have a license for. You may want to check with someone that knows for sure just to be on the safe side.

well we took it out for another trial today with better luck the clutter was still there but wasn’t as bad. We were also in deeper water where looking at the top of the screen didn’t matter as much. We ended the day a little chilly but with enough fish for a meal and a now happy huminbird owner. Thanks for chimming in guys.

HOLY MR. WISKERS did you get that thing jiggin?

Quote:

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kept enough for grilled crappie melted cheese sandwiches

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Good job and those sandwiches sound interesting care to share the recipe?

You may want to consider trying tip ups with medium shiners as these bigger fish tend to eat more fish than inects. It is not uncommon for us to catch a few big crappies through the winter while targeting northerns and bass. Suspend the shiners at various depths then if one depth starts producing put the rest around that same depth. If nothing else you might have fun catching bass on the tipups.

The original poster said the unit “worked good.” So that would mean… there’s nothing wrong with the unit. And I reinforced that.

So are you saying the clutter isn’t normal and there’s something wrong with his humminbird? If so you might want to share that so this guy can get it fixed.

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First off thanks for the responses and Happy New Year. Back to the clutter issue it seems as though there is an excessive amount of clutter but this is my first experience with this unit and I’m just trying to help him out. The clutter is mostly in the top 3′ of the water colum with the worst in the top 2′ which leads me to believe that it is bouncing the signal off the ice but it doesn’t go away when lowered under the ice. Like I said earlier if it were my unit I wouold live through it but I’m just trying to help him out. Normaly this clutter wouln’t be an issue but when fishing for suspended crappie that hang out close to the ice keeping the ducer high in the hole helps tremendously due to having the wider cone angle. Sight fishing isn’t much of an option due to the water clarity and these fish just seem to stair at your bait before comitting.

I would also like to know what it out there. Made a drive to maiden rock yesterday and there is no sine of anyone venturing out from there but could see a few people out from frontinac from across the lake.

Hope it comes soon and this rain doesn’t screw up the ice.

Yup I’ve got some thin flashabou I guess I’m going to have to go with a single blade to keep if from knotting up.

Thanks guys I apreciate it.

Thanks guys I’ll have to give your tricks a try.

My trailer lights are not in sinc either but as long as they work there should be no problems. The reason for the off timing is most likely due to the length of wire running to the lights just remember that that signal takes a little bit to get there.