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skinne
02-04-2003, 01:34 PM
me and my buddy plan on hitting higgins this weekend and this will be the first time either of us have ice fished it.i was wondering if anything is hitting and what some of the best baits to use are any help would be great also how much ice is there?



Mike
02-04-2003, 01:48 PM
skinne,

My friends and I caught 285 smelt last Saturday. Hali's tipped with wax worms/spikes. Swedish Pimples are usually pretty good for perch in the morning.

There was about 12" of ice, trucks driving all over (not me).

Mike
fishnett
02-05-2003, 08:48 AM
Was up to higgins sat. and sun. lots of ice and lots of fish. perch were hitting good on halis tipped with minnow, and smelt turned on in the evening with halis tipped with wax worm/spike.
skinne
02-05-2003, 10:03 AM
thanks for the help and info guess its time to go spend some more money seeing i dont have any halis. any reconmendations on size or color.thanks again
garyrodbender
02-05-2003, 10:09 AM
Went out on north-end monday.In 50-60fow,just off bottom was the most productive! Also when the perch slowed,changed colors.Seem`s they hit like maddogs with every color change.I`ll have 3-4 rods pre-rigged next time out.Saves time re-tieing.Hali`s on bottom & teardrop tied on 12"-16" above hali.Mountainman and I kept a couple dozen perch,7"-11".Pretty slow just before the storm. See you guys on the ice...
RJF
02-05-2003, 11:58 AM
Blue Fish Trap. FRS Radio Dispatched. Channel 8. Anybody going out?

Last Year met Mike and his father there. Had a pretty good day.
Mike
02-05-2003, 12:13 PM
To bad the perch weren't a little more cooperative!:)

Sure would like to go again this weekend, but I think it's going to be a few weeks before I can get back up there.

Mike
skinne
02-05-2003, 08:11 PM
ill be up there on thursday evening and early friday not sure what part of the lake my buddy has a cabin on the west shore of the lake. now can i get some advice on the best way to rig up for the smelt? due you use 2 teardrops or just a single.thanks again for the info.
garyrodbender
02-05-2003, 08:50 PM
They (smelt) seem to be so agressive, I run two.WAY FUN having a double on a 2'noodle.IMHO. :eek:
Tony Y
02-05-2003, 10:23 PM
I have had success with a very light rod, 1 or 2 lb. test and tiny hooks. I generally tie a series of them (3 or 4) about 8 inches apart with a hali at the bottom for weight and flash (and an extra hook). That way if you let the same amount of line out every time and start getting hits on a particular hook you know what exactly how deep the smelt are. The drawback: more hooks means a better chance of getting your line tangled.
scottyhoover
02-05-2003, 10:32 PM
Isn't there a 2 hook per line limit?
Tony Y
02-05-2003, 11:40 PM
"You may use any number of hooks on one line for taking smelt in recognized smelt waters." I copied this directly from the DNR website.
scottyhoover
02-05-2003, 11:53 PM
thanks :)
Tony Y
02-06-2003, 12:01 AM
No problem.
garyrodbender
02-06-2003, 09:22 AM
Wow! a triple or a quad on a 2' noodle:eek: I`ll be working it harder out there next time out.Thanks for the insight Tony Y!
riffminer
02-06-2003, 09:37 AM
We us bicycle wheels with 12 or so hooks. It covers the whole water column.
riverboy
02-06-2003, 09:39 AM
What are Hali's? A type of tear drop? Thanks for the info guys!
Mike
02-06-2003, 09:46 AM
Here you go: http://www.nilsmaster.com/Hali35.htm

Mike
DaveW731
02-06-2003, 09:50 AM
a "Hali" is a slender, heavy jigging spoon with a small hook suspended under it by a gold colored chain. Sizes of the spoon itself range from about 1" (1/8 oz?) up to about 3" (3/4oz?). Similar to the old Rapala Pliki, if you remember that one. Works great with any type of bait: I usually use it with wigglers or minnows.
Don't go to Higgins without one!
riverboy
02-06-2003, 09:53 AM
Oh OK I have seen those before in my Uncles tackle box, but never knew a name for them. Thanks guys!!!! I still have a couple of those rapala's pliki. Dont use them much though.
Jigster
02-06-2003, 10:27 AM
Me and 3 goofballs from work will be doing our annual ICE fishing
extravaganza this weekend. Were staying at Houghton Lake but are planning on giving Higgins a shot on Saturday then back to Houghton for the evening Walleye bite. I've never fished for Smelt but it's sounds like a blast with the multi-hook setup! We'll be on the ice Fri-Sat-Sun on Both Lakes. We'll be in 2 Blue 2man
portable shanties with a red quad and LOTS of fish on the ice.
Stop in for a wobble water or two :D

Jigster