scottyhoover
01-19-2004, 10:16 PM
It has been a tough beginning to the year in my usual crappie hot spots. Fish numbers and size seemed to be down on my favorite lake, or so I thought. I made a drastic move to fish far to a different part of the lake that I have never ice fished today. Started at about 4pm and right off the bat had 2 crappie in the bucket. Fish were aggressive and appeared on the vexilar and random depths between 8 and 18 down over 20fow. Most popular depth was around 15, but I wouldn't have half these fish if it weren't for a vex....see a fish cruise through at 10ft down, bring the minnow to his zone, and bam...fish on. I lost about 7 fish, some if which had some serious weight to them. Also threw back a half dozen little ones. Took the first few on a treble hook under a slip bobber but that rod slowed down as light faded and from then on anything that glowed was hot. Fishing slowed considerably when my lure flasher broke (again). Fish were on fire from 5pm until 7pm, at times i had both rods out of the water, broke off a few lines...good thing for many spare rods pre-rigged that I carry.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/529/475901-19-04a.jpg
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/529/475901-19-04b.jpg
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/529/475901-19-04a.jpg
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/529/475901-19-04b.jpg