Bass through the ice...

[Steely-Head]

Lately I have seen several ice fishing pics with nice sized bass. It got me thinking. How do you go about it? With tip ups? Do you use the heavy dacron line like with pike, or does that spook the bass? Do you use shiners/suckers? Do the bass suspend, or hang near bottom? Is it a morning/midday/evening bite? Im not looking for any secret spots just good solid advice...

[jeremy L]

that bass season is now closed. anyways, i don't know anyone who ice fishes for bass, but they get them by mistake while fishing for other fish with tip ups, jigging, etc.

[Steely-Head]

Very good point. I have no plans of keeping them, but I would like to catch one anyways.

[jeremy L]

bass on the ice might be a very productive way of getting hogs, but no one trys it because of the closed season. Anyways, i would suggest using a tip up/big shiner. U may not get a bass, but u could get a nice pike or walleye or even a brown/steelie depending where u are fishing.

[Banditto]

Most of the bass I caught through the ice were suspended like panfish rather than off the bottom like pike. I have watched them in shallows under my shanty but they never took the bait.

[Fidel Casserole]

I don't think there is really a secret to it. I don't target them but have caught many while fishing for pike. If they are hungry and see a free meal that can't flee...they'll eat.

I use the thick/heavy plastic coated tip up line with a steel leader (quick strike rig)...normally suckers but at times shiners (whatever is available).

Odds are you won't catch bass if you try for them so shoot for pike and you might get a bonus lunker bass. I've managed a 21" and 20" so far this season. But all in all I caught 8 bass and 26 pike thru the ice in 2002.....the odds don't seem to favor bass.

[TBone]

How deep do fish take tip ups? Don't you purposely let them eat it before setting the hook? Wouldn't that result in a lot of gut hooked bass?

[ice fishin' nut]

Hey Art,,, come home and fish at Millers with your famous Purple and Pink tear drop,2 spikes just as before,,, you will catch a ton!!!!! Of course the biggest will only be about 4" but you will still catch bass through the ice!!! LOL:D

[fmontie]

The hogs hit sucker minnows on tip-ups just like pike do. Fish 1 foot over suspended weed beds in 8' to 10' depths. Be careful not to get your bait in the weeds, just over them. We like finding drop-offs to 14' and find our 8' to 10' on that drop-off. Our Zercom flasher is a fanastic tool for finding these depths and setting your baits.
Swedish Pimples have been killer for us this year. Work the bottom 3' to 4'. If your not bringing up weeds once in a while-move. Sometimes I find bringing the pimple up 4' and then letting it free-fall really attracts fish. I call it "radical jiggin'". They really hit it hard,too.
We don't worry about seasons since we release all our bass year-round. For bass to qualify for Master Angler Awards they have to be caught in-season. They sure are a lot of fun through the ice.