Haris122

How much of a fight do you guys think that was? Never caught a redear myself personally, but been hoping to soon.

Turns out uploading the pics of the 2 bass is too much of a pain in the rear right now.

I was up there yesterday. First I went to lake 21, a good couple 6 or so people and cars were there, so I went to lake 28, and there were probably twice that many people there. After a little indecision I wound up going to Lake 37, which I had all to myself since there's no trout there. Cut away a total of 8 holes and got action in 3 of them. In 1 I was getting light strikes like from Bluegill, but they weren't getting hooked, just cutting off pieces of worm with each strike it seems. The other 2 holes took a while to get going. First I thought I had a snag, then a good but sluggish fish. It turned out to be a small kid fishing rod, then to my surprise I caught 2 Largemouth Bass. One on a plain roostertail of all things, then the other on a kastmaster type lure with a worm on it. Was fishing live bait to increase odds, yet in the end the plain roostertail was the first thing that produced. Neither bass was big, first one maybe 11-12" second probably 13" or barely more, but I'm just glad I finally got something ice fishing. Now if I can just figure out what and how to work other species too. But I wouldn't be sad if things thaw and I have to wait to learn that next winter. It wasn't exactly warm most of the day, but once the clouds parted, the ice around the holes was getting slushy/rotten within not more than an hour or two. I think the thickness around the holes by the end of the day was around 4-5" on average, but it looks like ice fishing will be coming to a close real soon. On an unrelated note I had gone to Simpson lake on Saturday and it was surprisingly thick there. Probably another 2" thicker at least, than Lake 37. Let me see if I can upload the pictures from my phone.

I caught 2 Largemouth at Lake 37 at Bush yesterday. Hacked up 8 holes in the ice and 2 of them produced. With another one giving me light Bluegill like bites that I couldn't capitalise on. So my ice fishing persistence finally paid off. Now winters hold the potential not to be quite such a drag as far as fishing is concerned. Now that I figured out what might work for Largemouth every once in a while, I want to see what works for Bluegill, Redear, etc. But judging by the temperature this week, I might have to hold off until next winter. And truth be told I'm perfectly fine with that.

I never understood that myself, especially when they toss them from several feet above the water surface so they smack the water hard, or with no regards for what kind of submerged structure they might get banged up against as they fall into the water.From a foot or so high I imagine it wouldn't be too bad, but otherwise it's like a person doing a belly flop or some other painful jump into the water, if not worse, from twice their body height. I always try to wet my hands a little, and then just hold them horizontally around their midsection until they swim away. Granted it doesn't always work like that. I've had a few slip out of my hands and squirm around on the shore, or slip out of my hands and smack the ground even harder, but by and large I think I manage to give them a pretty soft release. I bet it doesn't do them any favors when people hold them just by their mouth vertically too. Basically all the fishes weigh is hanging from it's mouth that way. Some species might have strong enough mouthparts to support that weight for a bit, but I think orienting them horizontally, like they swim through the water, and supporting their weight by holding around or underneath them is probably a good idea as well.

Cool. Thanks a lot guys. So keep at it with the holes, and eventually I should hit gold. Will do.

At the lake I went to both on Friday and Sunday, the ice was about 4-5 inches thick. I'd hate to have to hack away through 10 inches of ice with a little camping hatchet.

The limited fishing opportunities in the St. Louis area finally caused my withdrawal to reach the point at which I went Ice Fishing. Wasn't much of a believer in going out on ice and cutting away at it just believing everything will be fine, prior to this week, but I saw last week that the weight could hold me as I stepped on some at a local lake, coupled with the january conservationist article, and stuff I read online on ice fishing, I rolled the dice. I kind of got the basics on minimal equipment and how to proceed down, but now I'm trying to understand, that once you've figured out what's needed to not fall through, what exactly can someone expect in the actual fishing department? As in how active does the bite range, what species are most likely to bite, how close to a fish holding structure do you have to make the hole to recruit fish to the lure/bait, what are some good set-ups, what are some good criteria to determine if the lake will ice fish good or not? The reason I ask is because I went friday and today to a lake I was confident in holding me, ice thickness wise, and even though I tried jigging 3-4 different types of lures at more than 1 hole (cut out 3 different holes each day for a total of 6, not too close to another), and even though today I resorted to using live bait (worms), I still failed to so much as get a bite from anything. Now I haven't had any luck in the past at this lake either (Preslar lake in Fenton), but nonetheless I doubt the lake is that scarcely populated with fish that I should just write it off. Any input would be appreciated.

Well, I went out today to test the ice (but not at Bush CA) and thankfully it held without a problem. I got a late start so I just ended up going to the nearest suitably small lake I could think of, so I went to Preslar Lake in Fenton. Have to say it was exciting. First not knowing how thick the ice really was and whether it would truly hold, then cutting holes in thick ice with a camping hatchet, felt like it was impossible to do without getting some water on you, but overall I was proud of the ways I thought of dealing with the challenges involved. Unfortunately I had no bites but important thing was that I didn't fall through. Was surprised how deep Preslar lake seemed to be. It felt like it was easily 7 feet deep not more than 20 yards from shore. Maybe tomorrow or sunday I'll try my luck at bush or someplace else where I feel like there's more fish than at Preslar. Haven't had any luck there personally no matter the season. Anyways, of the lures I tried to jig around, I had 2 roostertails, and a roadrunner type deal first with one of those white plastics with the twirly tails that look like frog legs, and then just a plain old trout worm.

A few days ago I drove to one of my usual spots I try to fish at (Unger Park), and the lake there seemed frozen thick enough that ice fishing was doable. In the end I tried carefully venturing onto the ice 10 feet away from shore, and at that point I felt I shouldn't push my luck and walked back again. But point being, it didn't seem to have problems holding me any. I'm considering going out to Bush or back to Unger park tomorrow with a camping hatchet and some rope, to see how thick the ice is, and assuming it's near 4", just trying out some ice fishing. Granted today being a bit warm might not help matters. I'm thinking the Bush Wildlife lakes being in most cases smaller and shallower, would lend themselves better to a thicker sheet of ice, than Unger lake and such bigger ones. Sound about right?

I did try something like that a few times, when the jig was sinking too fast for my liking, just to keep it within their field of vision, but it really didn't matter much to them the way I did it. Even when I tossed the jig in some of the "chutes" and left the current to take it right past them quickly, they still didn't commit. I had a few chase the jig, and even more the roostertail, when I did that, but they would always chase it for a bit, and then just turn away. I didn't exactly go all ninja on them and sneak up to them and crouch or hide, but nonetheless, it shouldn't have mattered in each and every case. I know not all of them saw me. I don't know what it is about me and trout but they just really don't seem to buy into my methods. Though of the few others that were there, I didn't see any others get anything either that day.

Mind pointing me to the video. I primarily threw different colored roostertails, with a small egg sinker above the swivel on the main line, to let me cast out further. I couldn't get it real quiet cause my reel kept hanging up when I tried to slow the line down with the finger, before it hit the water, but still not a single one went for it. That's actually what I got that little bass on. In-between I tried tossing a couple marabou jigs, one a yellow black one, the other a smaller white one, can't recall their sizes. I threw those with swivels to have a smaller line, but without weights, in hopes of the current taking it towards them in some areas where it was stronger. And no luck with that either.

We sure could use it. I drove down all the way to Meramec Springs today, just to get some actual fishing done. Of the heap of trout there, I couldn't get a single good bite, and in the end it was a little largemouth bass that came through for me, and let me go home having had any luck.

You were right Seth. No ice. I went today to catch anything, Trout, Bass, Sucker, whatever, but primarily targeting trout. Saw a good amount of them (as expected), got barely 2 light quick bite and let go type deals, and that was it as far as the trout go (as expected again) . Frustrating to cast out and watch the whole bunch of them just give me the proverbial middle finger as the lure went past them, or act like they would take it, only to turn away. Be it 4lb or 2lb leader, neither helped the situation any. Luckily I didn't leave empty handed. A small largemouth bass cooperated and bit, and that was it. I let him go, and kept on fishing without success till the horn blew. These trout, they really can be annoying.

I take it no issues with ice on parts of Meramec Springs? I might finally get to go tomorrow, if ice isn't a big problem there. I know the BUsh wildlife lakes here are pretty much all still frozen, but they are lakes.

I headed up there today and all the lakes I saw were still frozen over. Guess the last couple warm days didn't last long enough to do much yet.

I was crossing into Illinois and back Wednesday, and even most of the Mississippi, except a narrow channel in the center was pretty much ice covered as well. Didn't look like 2 barges could pass by each other even, that's how narrow even it was.

darn. That's something new. All up the river to the bend, or just at certain spots?

I for one am liking it. I hate cold, windy weather, that screws you on fishing, without any snow accompanying it. I won't like it as much tomorrow on the way to work, but right now it's pretty awesome. That being said, I too would not dig a long cold spring like last year. That stuff better go someplace else.

Good to know that not driving up there yesterday probably turned out to be the right decision.

Hope so. I'd hate to drive an hour and a half down there, only to find them closed. Though I suppose some of the accesses nearby would still be fishable even if the park itself is closed.

Yeah I heard even during c&r season they're open most of the week cause of the whole different ownership thing.

Was thinking of going down there Tuesday, but I've been wondering if the park would be open. Anyone know?

Cool site.

I caught about 14 different species I can remember for certain, in the 3 or so years I've been at it. Some though I snagged purely by accident, others I was very surprised to find on the end of the line, and totally wasn't consciously fishing for. But that is one of the draws to fishing for me. Not knowing what exactly is on the other end of your line, and how big it is. That's why winter gets rough. At a lot of places with any decent chance catching a fish, you pretty much know it will be a trout.