Fish-Hawk.Net

Hi guys,
I'm fairly new to ice fishing and would like to get into it, but the couple times i've went i'm usually the one who gets skunked I was hoping you guys had some tips for catching some pickerel or pike even.... we are fishing at Shirley's Bay, in about 10 feet of water on a weed edge. I have a jigging rod, but not a big assortment of lures... which ones would be best for pickerel?
Thanks for your help.

Your in to deep of water for shirley's bay, move closer to the dyke. We have been catching lots of walleye this year. Make sure if you are jigging to put a piece of minnow on it so the fish get a taste.

head away from the huts!!!!! to the east....that's i'll i'm sayin...oh and hopefully when you head out someones plowed atleast a little bit....stopped by today...and there was no way I was heading out on to it with my truck...

Good luck

that was me that plowed the landing and out to my shack, fishing has been great in that area this year.

clam where we you last week when i lost my 4x4 out there and i spent 1.5 hours digging myself out with my mitts???

tbone,
What time of day have you been fishing there?

orrsey

We usually go after 4 or 5 pm and stay for a bit... we went last night and caught 2 ling... that was it I think you guys are right and we should move closer to the dyke. Probably try that soon thanks guys.

Sorry boys about not plowing sooner, I had no problem driving out there this year so far. I have only been fishing in the afternoon. Walleye seem to be bitting between 1-5.

Clam I think I talked with you today. I was out putting my hut a couple hundred meters past yours. I am working through the weekend but hope to see smoke form your stove sometime this week.
By the sounds of it you wont have to clear the ice from the holes tomorrow, should be a great day.

Where exactly is the dyke?

It's our 1st yr @ Shirley and we set our shack about 50 yrds to the right of the road. We have been fishing for the last 3 week-ends with tip-ups and jigging with minnows and so far have only caught a small perch. Usually we are out until 5pm (kids get tired at this point) but by the sounds of it we need to stay longer.

It sound like your in the right area, just move around 50 feet in either direction. The fish in the area are bitting between 1-5. You should be in 7-8 feet of water.

Is Shirley's Bay out by Andrew Haydon Park?

West of Andrew Hadon Park at the end of Rifle Rd.

On the same road as the range.

If you are able to move around just follow the nicely plowed road (Thank-you Clam) to the end. When it stops walk another 50 yards NE in the deep snow and stop about half way out to the farthest shacks. It looks like you're in the middle of the shacks but you should be in about 10' of water there. It drops from 8 to 10. That is where I was Saturday morning and I landed a 16" eye and four not bad perch between 7:30-8:30 AM.

The night bite is usually much better. Everyone has their spots out there and because it is a flat bottom finding the smallest change in structure will go a long way. Last year I had pretty good luck but I was way further east but out a long ways.

Cheers,
Prairieboy

Thanks for the tips.

Hopefull we'll have more success this weekend. If you are in the neighbourhood drop by and say hi. We are in the camouflage shack behind the converted tent trailer with the blue top.

By the way, would anyone have a spare auger that we could borrow to cut some holes on the weekend. Our buddy with the auger is heading north this weekend and is taking it with him.