Erik's fishing rants

Since it seems like my fishing posts are more or less all over the place, I am making a single thread for me to rant about all things fishing.

Think of it like a build thread, but with less building, and more fishing.

 

So it was tuesday again, that means I get to drop my daughter off at dance and spend a hour walking around walmart! I picked up the eagle claw bass rigging kit, its like 300 pieces (100 of them being beads) but now I have more terminal tackle than fits into two 3600 boxes. So I need to figure out a better way with my terminal tackle. I think I might pick up a few 3700s so I can put all my terminal into one of those big bins, then I can take out what I plan to use into a smaller bin.

I also picked up a bunch of pre-rigged paddle tails, they are all smaller ones for crappie or mini bass. But I plan to throw them tomorrow night while the sun is still out.

Ive also started rigging up my ice fishing tackle boxes. I have 1 thats nothing but tube baits, and another thats nothing but rapala jigs.

 

What are you going for ice fishing-wise with tubes and rapalas? I see your location is Minnesota so was curious if it’s pike you’re after or what.

I live in CA now but lived most of my life in Iowa and am a die-hard ice fisherman. A simple small tungsten jig and a maggot was a kickass setup and my go-to. A minnow on a bobber was usually my second favorite way to go.

 

Trout and northern pike. The trout in the lake I normally fish are aggressive as fuck. They were taking my giant bass jigs last time I was there.

 

Have you tried spoons for pike?

 

Yeah, Have not had any luck with spoons, but have good luck with blade baits. When I was a kid we used to catch them off a yellow curly tail grub... infact, pretty much every we got on yellow curly tails... bass, carp, catfish, pike, pan fish, everything. Its gotten to the point I have a yellow curly tail grub pole, its just used for the same style grub I fished when I was a kid and it still gets them biting.

 

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/pro-king-salmon-spoon freakout and spartan are good colors

 

Ill have to check those out. I plan to hit up cabelas when ice fishing season gets more in swing. They are a hour drive from me, so I dont get to go there often.

But these do pretty well around here, Gay Blades... the northern love em.

$5 Cotton Cordell Gay Blade - Chrome/Black - 2 in

https://www.amazon.com/Cotton-Cordell-Gay-Blade-Lure/dp/B0000AUWYU?th=1

 

I have to order the spoons online, in store is always out or never stocked. The freak out by far has caught the most pike

 

I enjoy catching pike, but only if I am not on my kayak. I in no way want to try to land a toothed noodle in a tippy boat. I'll either end up in the water or with a hook in my hand and a pike on the other end.

I think next year me and the neighbor are going to plan a kayak camping trip further up north. Just trying to figure out if we want to do river or giant lake.

 

Is ice fishing a night or day thing? You have a shanty? (Is that the correct word?)

 

Definitely both! Depends on what you’re going for and how late you wanna be out. Some of the giants come out at night! An ice shack is a must-have in those cold areas. Lol

 

It can be both day and night, but here in MN, we have about 35 minutes of daylight (really its more than that, but sun sets at 4pm)

You can either get a ice house, or you can sit on a bucket if its not a windy night.

 

Oh and when ice fishing season starts, I will be taking my mini bike out on the ice to drive to my spots. No point in risking my truck in early season, and I dont walk so great, having wheels will make things nice for me. Just need to stud the tires on it.

 

Too cold..i dont nor ever will ice fish

 

Last time I did it was 26 years ago. But, I have a heated jacket, heated gloves, heated boots. Im going to go a few times, and if I get into it I will be dropping the money on a pop up ice house. They are heated and insulated, so its nice and warm in there.

But, I have also spent the past 36 years in minnesota, so I am used to the cold.

 

me in cold

 

This past season was using the whopper poppers........kept me busy! Bass loved em......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UI5nw3HDHk

 

Ive caught maybe 1 or 2 little fish with that