We are almost ready!!!

We are very close to having what I call fishable ice....a couple more cold nights as the forecast is calling for and...LET THE GAMES BEGIN....

Tipup fishing for Pike, Bass and Trout

This is a standand 40up tipup which I use that are made in Westfield, Massachuesetts


A flag is up... means a fish is eating the bait. People yell either "FLAG" or "TIPUP"....we usually set 5 to 8 tipups per person so it can get crazy busy when the "BITE IS ON"


feel for the fish and set the hook (jerk the line)


hand over hand play the fish up through the hole


and catch the fish which in this case is a small Northern Pike

Jigging through the ice

The three main species to target in southern Vermont while jigging are Yellow Perch, Bluegills and Crappies. The rods we use are extremely light action in lengths of 24 to 27 inches long....reels hold 2 to 4 lb test. I like 3 lb test Sufix Ice Magic line....this is like 6X all you fly guys! Jigs are never bigger than a 10 and mainly 12's and 14's....tipped with larva or plastics....I will at times hang a fly for a dropper.....for Northern Pike, Bass and Lake Treout we will set tipups with bigger baits....the forecast is for snow and colder weather tonight finally....please stay tuned

The showdown troller depth finder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGm3PlwPTxk

A month away!

It is going to be a month away until we go icefishing. I have already tuned and repaired tipups, painted and poured a ton of jigs, and will start to line reels with 2 and 4 lb test....tipup leaders....8 to 9 feet of 10 lb for bass and pike tipups, and 6lb on the perch and crappie rigs....I like eagle claw #42's in sizes 6, 8, 10....Icefishing is alot of fun! Give it a try this winter and thanks for your click:)

My favorite panfish target BURR POND

FALL SCOUTING

I plotted a route yesterday on Bomoseen from Crystal Beach to Black Rock...you would be amazed how different things look in the winter....I do spend a bunch of time getting ready for ice fishing....I really hope we find bull "gills" like we were into yesterday this winter....thanks for following!

summer time

All you icefisherman should be scouting targets and weed edges during the summer....a handheld GPS is an extremely important tool....

Ice fishing forecast

I looked in my Vermont ice Fishing Crystal Ball....and I think we will be able to fish about 3 more weeks...till around March 20th...especially on the smaller ponds like Burr Pond.

Leaders on tipups and light line on jigging rods

I have been seeing alot of folks without decent leaders on tip-ups and with heavy mono on jigging gear. I use 8 to 10 feet of 10 or 12 lb test mono on my tipups and 4 lb test mono on my jigging rods. I use a barrel swivel to connect mono to braid, a couple small split shot and an eagle claw #L042 in sizes 6 or 8. My favorite jigging spoon is a 25mm Hali or a 11/2" Shucks Jigger minnow....both tipped with 3 spikes.
We have plenty of safe ice.....conditions on top the ice varies greatly!!!

We want a BIG ONE....

Vermont Ice Fishing

I have been tipup fishing Lake St. Catherine for Bass and Northern Pike. The other is Burr Pond where we jig for Yellow Perch, Bluegills, Crappie and Pike...

Vermont Ice Fishing Report

The conditions on top the ice are now GREATLY improved....we had several very cold days and nights....one day it was -25 in the morning. Well it is "GAME ON"...finally the snow has settled or turned, the water and slush on top has honey comb hardened....its time to go ICE FISHING in southern VERMONT. All the guys that have hard side shanties will finally get them on.....all the snow we had was making it very hard to move around....not anymore, lets go jigging boys and girls!!!

Vermont ice fishing

We are having a huge snow year here in Southern Vermont. Ice fishing is in high gear, Trout and Bass season is open, the main part of LSC has 5 inches of hard black ice. Waterproof knee high boots are a MUST....it gets very slushy around the holes with all the snow on the ice. Snow depths on the ice vary between 6 to 18"....the places I'm fishing this week for Northern Pike have 8 or 9" of ice and equal that with snow....The Pike fishing has been very good!!!

Safe Ice Chart

The places I am fishing on have 8+ inches of ice. There is a bunch of snow on top and hopefully the wind takes can of that. Trout and Bass ice fishing season begins tomorrow.

Safe Ice

Lake St. Catherine has 8 to 9" of very safe ice at the northern end at twin oaks off of Fern Cliff, Burr Pond has 9 -10", Bomoseen from crystal beach north to and pass floating Bridge has 6 - 8"....Lets go ICE FISHING!!! My new tool "Showdown" works GREAT!!! You can even see split shot and micro jigs on it.....VERY, VERY COOL TOOL.

I just added this showdown troller depth/fish finder to my Ice fishing tools. It is AWESOME...you can see the fish, watch the jig and not fish like a blind man. Ice fishing is alot of fun...and I think you need to try it!! Call me today.