first ice gills

[sirslurpee]

since it's coming.. i'm going to be looking to some smaller pond-like lakes that are not fished heavily for first ice bluegills..
but, i'm not good at finding or catching bluegill at all.

so i guess, does anyone have any tips for me (and anyone else out there with the same curse) as to where to look (how deep, etc) or what to do to catch a decent meal when the ice comes?

in my case, one of the lakes is ~23ft deepest and the other I have no idea, but i doubt over 30 MAX.. I won't know till I get on the ice with the flasher..

[DaveW731]

I mean, both on this forum (lots of ideas already out there) and on the lakes in question.
To get you started, consider 15fow and less, key on any kind of weed edges you can find. Try 2# test line, spring bobber or a float that will just barely stay on top while floating a #12 teardrop (white, chartreuse and hot pink are good colors). Since you have a flasher, you can deternine depth to fish and then experiment with jigging action.
HAVE FUN!!!

[hardwaterfan]

theres a couple ponds here like that except theyre not very weedy. so i go right to the deep holes and drop a #12 or #14 horizontal style jig typed with some kind of grub. use the flasher to stay a bit above the marks and "pound" the jig to bring it to life. you can tell the gills dont relate to the weeds in these ponds i fish because the gills dont have the vertical green bars/weed camoflage. (has anyone else ever noticed this?) anywhere around the deep holes seems good on these ponds, even if the deep hole is maybe 25' anywhere over 18' or so seems good. since you have a flasher it shouldnt take long to figure if the gills are hiding in the weeds or the holes.

[GoneFishin]

Usually 1st ice when weeds are still green and numerous you'll find the gills in the same place they've been in the Fall. I'd start on shallow weedy flats 5' - 10' and work deeper if need be. Move til ya find fish.

[jimbo]

remember that your spring bobber must be fine tuned. if it ain't, you might as well stay home :D

[nscrfrk]

Yup...shallow and weedy. The thicker the ice,the deeper they go. The lake I fish, I start in 7' and follow them until late winter when they end up in 25', deep as the lake gets.

[Chad Smith]

First ice gills are too easy, use your flasher to find them, lower your baited jig and set the hook. Just ask questions to the guys out there with you, its always fun explaining the how to's, they wont make fun of you.