Ice fishing without the ice

Someone did a study once showing that ice fishing is the most productive of all angling sports, and it’s probably true.

Follow just a few basic rules, and you can sit other, and still bait with over an ice hole and waxworms. catch bluegill, bass, Sometimes I’ll switch perch, crappie, even the scenario just a little bullheads and channel if they’re being picky, cats at a rapid rate. and use gaudy little ice

So, right now in the flies or equally small late part of Ohio’s long panfish jigs with waxworms. winter is a perfect time to go. And while you Next step is to drop might say “But, there’s the rig to bottom and no ice,” my advice is the drift along just tapping same “Go ice fishing , mud occasionally to anyway.” make sure you’re down

Actually, winter fishing there properly, and jig without ice has the baits gently. some advantages over In a one acre pond or normal fishing, and can so, you’re sure to find give you an even better them soon, then you can catch. anchor and load your

Take farm pond boat. Nothing to it. action, for example. A distinct advantage

To do it in mid-winter of this open water fishing on ice, you may need to is that if the fish bore half a dozen holes, are in mid-lake or shallower, even more. you’ll make no

The reason is that grinding noise with an while early season bluegills ice auger. and bass are usually Boring holes is like in the deepest part of scratching a blackboard the pond, by now oxygen to fish not far below, levels might have and they’ll flee in all diminished (weedy directions. It might be ponds, especially), and a half hour before they the fish moved to midlake, return. and you’ll need to Shore fishing is a little hunt for them, drilling tougher, but not much. hole after hole. You’ll use the same

But if you have a small gear, but this time fish boat or canoe, you can with a slip float. Adjust cover that lake like a it to the depth you think blanket and find customers you’re fishing, then cast in a hurry. out again and again,

I still use standard and adjust further until ice fishing gear for this the float is just right. open water fishing, Then cast in all directions, and I favor a sinker on and let the baits lines end with two waxworm sit, twitching them baited ice fishing occasionally. Again, spoons on short side you’ll find them sooner lines above. or later.

I always have white Larger lakes almost on one side line, and require a boat of some perhaps yellow, chartreuse, kind, though you might or red on the get lucky from shore.

Look for points that slant to deeper water on both sides, and drift over them again and again. Look for weed beds too, because these are banquet tables for panfish who love to forage among even dead strands for insects, snails, and amphipods.

A fish locator is a big help, but once again you can move until you find them without drilling hole after hole.

Keep in mind that many of our larger lakes have fishing piers, and these are worth a try in winter if you lack watercraft.

Finally, come Lake Erie marinas, and they’re far better fishing without ice than with.

I hit them every winter and always have to contend with boring holes in shallow water since most marinas up there have depths of six feet or less.

Again, fish flee instantly and won’t come back for a while, so I’ve learned to drill half a dozen in widely separated areas, then go back and fish them one by one.

Without ice, it’s simply a matter of walking along each pier with spoons, flies, or jigs and waxworms, and jigging around the pilings as you go.

No noise, no frightened fish, and you can cover a whole marina in an hour or so, instead of a few specific areas that might or might not have fish.

It goes without saying that on such expeditions you’ll want to dress warmly, carry hot coffee or chocolate and sandwiches, and fish patiently until you hit the jackpot.

But that jackpot will be filled with fine eating, and a good catch is waiting out there right now.

Hooks & Bullets

— The Miller Ferry to Put-in-bay is running again following its early schedule of six runs per day from the tip of Catawba. Island. Businesses are beginning to open on South Bass Island now, and are excited to welcome visitors back to the island. The ferry print schedule will begin on March 18. Questions? Call the ferry line at 800-500-2421.

— The Crawford Park District has many events of interest to visitors, but two will be of particular interest to relic hunters and those who love spring flowers. These will be an Artifact Hunt on Saturday, April 10 beginning at 10 a.m. at Lowe-volk Park. Wouldbe collectors will walk nearby fields looking for remnants of prehistoric cultures who inhabited Crawford County. A second event is a Spring Wildflowers walk on Sunday, April 11 at 3 p.m. under the guidance of Warren Uxley at the Sears Wood parking lot. Call the Park District to register or ask questions at 419-683-9000.

— Ducks Unlimited is now offering its unique online film series with hunting footage that tells a story. See them at www.ducks.org/ dufilms.

Dick Martin is a retired biology teacher who has been writing outdoor columns for over 30 years. You can reach him at richmart@ neo.rr.com.