Watch For White Ice
Test Your Fish Sense
True or False.....White ice is saver than black ice. answer at end of post
It's your turn to send in any type of fishing photos; I'll post a collage of the fishing photos in the next few weeks. Attach your photos to an e-mail and send to marc@maineheat.com. Don't forget to include a brief discription.
As you know from my earlier post, I went fishing this week on Sabatus Pond. The ice was ten inches thick, but when I looked down our jigging hole you could see an abundance of bubbles trapped in the ice.
When I was talking to John Peterson last week, the concern of white ice came up. White ice is formed when snow falls on a layer of ice and melts or is rained on. When it freezes, the ice looks thick and strong but it is actually weak. Its strength is also not consistent.
This appears to be what may have happened at Sabatus. Another clue to this is the way that the auger went through the ice. In some of the holes there appeared to be soft spots where the auger would quickly make head way. It also would get bogged down in these spots due to the amount of material.
I saw at least six different vehicles while on the ice yesterday; and with this January thaw we have going on, I wouldn't be surprised of a mishap this weekend. It isn't pretty when a car falls through the ice.
False....White ice is weaker than black ice because it is formed by snow and water.
Kittery Trading Post - nice seminar
Test Your Fish Sense
True or False.....When ice fishing, fishermen put live bait in their mouths to keep it from freezing when setting traps. answer at end of post.
I spent December 29th and 30th at the Kittery Trading Post listening to John, and Chad. I had only planned on going the first night but just had to go back for more.
On Thursday night they went over gear and clothing. We also got John to admit he's been ice fishing before and caught nothing. What's this....an honest fisherman?
What's a Sabaki rig!!!!? It's used to catch smelt and can be very effective. Try staying away from tangling it. Good luck!
Since there was some interest in smelting, Chad explained that Sabiki rigs are a bunch of tied hooks to form a stringer of six hooks. John usually cuts a few off and baits them with a small piece of worm. Hook a Swedish Pimple on the bottom swivel to add some weight to the rig.
Large smelt are referred to as Jack smelt whether they come from salt or fresh water. I had some luck catching a few at Jim's smelt camps this week. It has nothing to do with the sex of the species; it's just a term that has caught on for describing large smelt.
Chad's a big believer in electronics like Polar-Vision or Lowrance and is a user of the Vezilar Genz Pack system. Chad believes shoot through the ice sonar units are essential to having a productive ice fishing trip. He'll walk on to the ice with his Genz pack and find fish by sounding right through the ice. He doesn't even have to cut holes until he sees fish or structure.
Chad brought out a pair of Snow Stalker boots that he uses. They are breathable and rated for low temperatures. He uses them with socks that wick perspiration away from his feet. The moisture than passes through the boots helping to keep his feet warm longer.
When asked about the temperature rating on boots, Chad reminded us to keep in mind that those low temperature ratings are figured on people walking. When ice fishing, and remaining rather stationary for long periods of time, it's important to bump down your rating to temperatures well below the temperature you usually encounter.
As far as the sweaty feet, Chad recommends bringing an extra pair of socks. Jack, an attendee, mentioned using anti-persperant. He also mentioned a product that is oxygen activated and really keeps your feet warm if you shake it for a minute and a half before sticking it on your sock. Remember, it is oxygen activated and really needs a good shake to get it going.
That's what I like about seminars. You get information from numerous people in various situations, even the attendees. Hey, why learn everything the hard way?
If you need more information about tip-ups, check myprevious post.
True.....people have been known to stick bait in their mouth while fumbling with a trap in extremely cold weather to help keep bait alive.
Smelting fair at Jim's Camp's Thursday night.
Test Your Fish Sense
True or False.......When Smelting, a small piece of bait will catch more fish than a large piece of bait. answer at end of post!
I rode up to Jim's in Bowdoinham on Thursday night and picked up between twenty-five and thirty smelt. I was keeping the larger ones for bait and really lost track of just how many I caught. The catching was fast enough to hold my interest.
I had a good time! Jim's Smelting Camps are located where Little Fish use to be. At least that was the case in December of 2005
True.....I catch more smelt when using a small piece of bait. I usually cut my worms in 1/4" or smaller pieces. Hooking them through the skin and placing them on a #8 OR #10 hook or small jig.
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