Ice Fishing

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GO TO WILSON HARBOR ICE FISHING CONTEST 2011

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 WILSON NY
See more Wilson pictures below
PLUS Lake Simcoe and information for Irondequoit bay!

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Is your car here?
Good Ice Fishing at Wilson Harbor on a Sunday!

Goodneow gives up ice
fishing secrets – By Will Elliott At bottom of this
page

Also
make sure you check out Bill Hilts Jr. Column on this page
[below]
A good story featuring the modern
grandfather of ice fishing Dave Genz
of Minnesota

Mike Heyink
GO
HERE FOR MAP

Matthew Pauley / Jerry Pauley
Target: Lake Trout and Whitefish
in the Innisfil area

$45 for Perch and $50 for Trout and Whitefish.
 >>CDN funds<<
Includes Bait & Heated Bombardier transportation

Shanty’s are 8X8 in size and are heated.

You can call anytime for local updates.Ask for Mike, the owner Steve, or
Jack, the man who runs the office.

S and R Bait & Tackle
4423 Culver Road
Sea Breeze NY
Phone: 585-323-1182
All Baits – Certified Minnows
Open at 6:00 everyday

CLICK
THE PIC FOR A MAP!

Ice Fishing Secret Tip You Might
Know, and Yet, Maybe Not!
A Great Story For you anyway


“OLD BILL”

by Mark
Daul

Some years back I learned a little thing from an old
timer who loved his ice fishing and never shared many of his secret
tactics with anyone. This one he shared with me. He was always the most
successful fisherman in any ice fishing community. Lets just
call him “Old Bill”. 

One day some guys were talking in my tackle shop about
their recent weekend outing at a local hot spot and they were complaining
about how slow the fishing was that weekend. Old Bill was listening to
them from a short distance over. After these weekend fishermen left, Old
Bill told me he was there in the same spot fishing and he had a really terrific
morning fishing, and in fact had left after only a few hours because he
had plenty of fish. He told me the same group of fishermen were there
when he was, and were still fishing after he left. 

Everyone was fishing open air including Old Bill ~ [no
huts etc.] Old Bill told me his secret tactic after they left and I was sworn to secrecy
and wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, especially “those guys”.
Well, Old Bill is gone now, and I feel it’s OK to share this story at
this time. I’m sure other hard water anglers know about this, but at the
same time there are just as many that don’t. Those that do, probably are
reluctant to tell too many others. Well, here it is. It is so simple, I
don’t want you to get mad at me, but I had never thought of it until Old
Bill swore me to secrecy.

Old Bill always fished with his 5 gallon plastic pail
that he had fixed up to look like he was carrying his fishing supplies
in it and it also served as a warm cushioned seat with a wooden
top.  He carried a separate minnow bucket if he was using minnows
that day. Most often he used mousee grubs or spikes on small jigs.

The cushioned seat top was fastened securely and a small
hinged opening cut on one side. [for perch, crappies] Through the
opening he could reach in and supposedly fetch his ice jigs or other
things. He didn’t do that, it was only a decoy. His things were kept in
his snowmobile suit pockets or strapped to the outside of his bucket
within those small plastic containers. The inside of the bucket was
lined with a black plastic garbage bag. The kind you can’t see through.

When Old Bill would catch a fish, instead of standing up
and drawing attention, he quietly removed the hook and silently slid it
into his bucket. He would occasionally rotate himself with his bucket
trying to keep his back to the other fishermen. With a big old heavy
suit, or coat on, it was hard for anyone to see whatever activity there
was around his bucket.

Whenever another fisherman came around and asked him,
“how ya doin?” Old Bill would say, “oh, not too good,…
got a couple”, or, “boy, is it slow!” And they would walk
away and go back to where they were or roam around the ice asking
questions like that of other fishermen.

Old Bill said that if you tell someone that you are catching
fish, now they want to be your friend and fish right next to you. That
involves them cutting another hole next to you, then his buddy comes
over to do the same thing, then another, and another, and pretty soon
there is a crowd around you and away goes all the fish!

The moral of this story is, there are lots of fish for
everyone but when ice fishing, “mums the word”, and all that
racket on the ice sure doesn’t help, especially in shallow water if you
found the honey hole. The black plastic bag kept prying eyes from
looking through a opaque plastic bucket especially if the sun is shining
right. No water is needed mostly because it is so cold, the fish freeze,
therefore staying nice and fresh until you get home.

Do you have a helpful story to tell? email
it and we will print it here.
We reserve the right to edit it and misspellings are fine. We will
correct if necessary.

Help us add to this page. Send your
URL or other Information!

Ice Fishing at Wilson Harbor, Wilson
NY
Click pictures to enlarge! Scroll down for more!

Wilson Ice Fishing

These pictures were taken on January 17, 2010 at
Wilson Harbor, Wilson N.Y.
Some pictures were forwarded by John Eddy [Lucky Eddy] and the rest were
taken from the Ice Shanty forum.
The fishermen were from Buffalo N.Y. and were fishing in the Ice Shanty
ice fishing contest. [
www.iceshanty.com ]
The “2010” tag you see in the pictures is the official tag from the
contest entry.

Anyone can access this area through Wilson-Tuscarora
State Park free – Parking is free too. – Easy access
Portable Ice Tents – snowmobiles ok for travel – Careful on ice – you
are on your own.
Remember: NO ICE IS SAFE ICE – See ice chart above for a guide

Mixed Bag Browns, Rainbow, Pike Before the day was out “between 7 & 12 o’clock we had 5 browns, 2 steelhead, 2 pike”

This man is the “Irish Jigger” “We got them on Jigs & tip ups with pike shiners & large emeralds

“The smoker will be full this week” That’s the Beccue Boat Basin in the background

See the background?

This little girl was a spectator and we let her reel this fish in. Thrilled!

Click any picture to enlarge

All Wilson Harbor pictures below by
Terry Swann and Mark Daul

What a great place to rendezvous

Temperatures in low 40’s

Counted Approx 20 huts

Lone Fisherman

Picture of hut on the West Branch of 12 mile Creek.

CLICK THE PIC FOR A BETTER VIEW!

Eddie
Money must have been an ice fisherman. In his rock song “Walk On
Water,” he rolls out with the lyrics “If I could walk on water,
would you believe in me?” Of course, we’re not talking about the
type of walking that is left to a much higher power. And with
winter here in all of Mother Nature’s fury, ice fishing time is
here. This up-and-coming outdoor activity is one of the fastest
growing pastimes in the country – at least, where it’s cold
enough to produce safe ice. The big question seems to be is: How
do I get started?

It seemed appropriate to go right to one of the best – Dave Genz
of Minnesota, the grandfather of ice fishing. I had the
opportunity to rub elbows with the man at a recent gathering of
the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers meeting in
Wisconsin, picking his brain along the way for getting some
started in the sport. It seemed a most appropriate line of
questioning for a novice hard water angler such as me.
For those of you who don’t know Genz, he is a person who has
changed the face of this entire winter sport. His innovations
and philosophies have altered the way ice fishermen think.
Because of these influences, fueled by a fiery passion and a
dedication to this outdoor art, he is being honored as one of
the inductees for the 2011 Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

You need to be comfortable when you are on the ice. If you’re
not comfortable, you won’t enjoy yourself; you won’t learn; you
won’t want to return to the scene of the shivering. “Dress for
the weather,” says Genz. “Layer your clothing, making sure you
wind-proof your body and keep your head and feet warm.” We could
do an entire article on keeping your body warm in the winter.
Because of the importance of this aspect alone, Genz was brought
in as a consultant and spokesperson for The Clam Corporation,
one of the top companies when it comes to ice fishing products
on the market. Their line of clothing called Ice Armor is an
outdoor system designed specifically to keep fishermen warm in
the most brutal winter conditions. I can vouch for it – it
works! But Genz was quick to point out that you need to do
whatever it takes to keep warm – Ice Armor or not.

Because you are fishing on top of the water, the next important
piece of equipment is the auger – the tool that allows you to
drill through the ice. When the ice is only five or six inches
thick, it’s not too much work to drill a hole manually. It’s
good exercise, too, helping you to warm up in the process. A
“lazer” auger will probably run you around $100, but it’s not
essential. The thicker the ice, though, the better off you will
be with a power auger to do the dirty work.

As far as ice fishing rods, Genz recommends not using your
grandfather’s rod and reel and just putting new line on it to
save time and money. “This is a common mistake among novice ice
anglers,” says Genz. “There must be good balance between the rod
and reel for it to be the most effective. There is a cost factor
involved. A graphite rod will give you more feel, but if you are
using a bobber or float, that won’t make as much of a
difference. A beginner should use a bobber, allowing them to
detect a light bite, especially with panfish. And panfish is a
good species to start with ice fishing. You have a better chance
at catching fish for yourself, allowing you to gain some
confidence and develop your own technique.”

It helps to pick the time you go out, too. Genz recommends new
fishermen to the sport to target the “golden hour” – that time
from just before sunset to sundown. “You have a much better
chance at catching fish during this time of day.” That said,
it’s important to get out to some of the local tackle shops and
pick their brains as far as what bodies of water are producing,
what depths are working best and what lures or baits are getting
fish to cooperate.

“An ice skimmer is important, too,” said Genz. “It allows you to
keep fishing without taking a break. It also keeps your hands
warm versus the alternative. Keep the hole slush-free. Your
first trip should probably focus on live bait like minnows,
spikes, wax worms – matching as best you can to what they are
selling at the local bait stores.” Small “Fat Boy” jigs are a
preference of Genz and red glow is best for that last hour of
light. He doesn’t like using sinkers, either.

Genz is also known for his ability to move around on a body of
water. Don’t be tied to any one place when you are ice fishing.
You need to be flexible in your approach, be it targeting
shallows, drop offs, reefs – wherever fish may be congregating.
Study the contour maps of a lake and get to know different
areas. To start out, it’s not a bad idea to go where other
people are fishing. And pick a day when the wind is not blowing.
A shelter will not be as critical during a day when it’s a bit
more pleasant, but finding a pop-up type shelter that’s easy to
put up and take down will help you be more successful … and more
comfortable. If you can find one that also incorporates a sled
for hauling your gear, you’ll be more mobile with it.

As far as your fishing line, Genz prefers a low stretch mono
like the Ice Emerald line that bears his name. Micro Ice Line is
another good one to use. Three or four pound test line is
perfect for panfish and your lure will still take the kinks out
of the line when you are fishing.

While electronics aren’t essential, they will make you a better
fisherman. For a first time or two on the water, check out what
other people have and see how it works. Don’t be afraid to ask
questions about anything, like what depth the fish are hitting
on any given day. Ask them why they like a particular unit. Genz
is a Vexilar man, either a FL-18, FL-20 or FL-22 model flasher.
“I can see the lure working, where the fish are and anything
else that might help me like weed location. For the kids, it’s
like playing a video game in real life.”

Ice fishing is a great sport to involve the kids or some
friends. Very similar to shore fishing, it’s also a good
opportunity to meet new people. It’s important to get that next
generation of sportsman into the great outdoors and enjoy all
Mother Nature has to offer.

In talking with one local expert, there are a few other
considerations. Safety should always be at the top of your list
when venturing out on hard water. “One of the rules of ice
fishing is to never go alone in the interest of safety,” says
Bill Snover of Lima, NY, a Pro Staffer for Clam Corporation and
an avid winter angler. “If an ice fisherman decides to go
without a friend, it is common practice to go where there are
other anglers in the area to offer conversation and emergency
help should it be needed. A safe ice fisherman will know how to
read the ice conditions as well as having a few safety items at
hand in case of an emergency. A few of the safety items may
include, a rope about 35-40 feet in length; a certified PFD
(personal floatation device), and a whistle.”

“Ice should never be considered safe and make sure there’s a
minimum of three inches under you. Places to avoid are areas
with protruding rocks and trees; large cracks; pressure ridges;
and places with rapidly moving water under the ice or flowing
into a lake via stream, creek or river.”

If you want to see Snover’s entire article on first-time ice
fishing, check out the Clam website at
www.clamcorp.com  and
check under “resources.” Because he lives south of Rochester,
his favorite ice haunts are the Finger Lakes. At the top of his
list is Honeoye, Conesus, Hemlock and Silver lakes. For a long
distance trip, Lake Champlain is excellent. Chautauqua Lake is
another good ice fishing water. We have numerous waters that we
can fish here in New York. To find out information about some of
these spots, check out some key websites. One covering much of
the state is
www.iceshanty.com  Utilize Genz as a resource, too, at
www.davegenz.com . Use
www.clamcorp.com  for
additional information as well.

Walking on water is all in a person’s reality. If you enjoy
fishing, take the time to give it a try this year.

Fish Where The Fish Are!

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Fish Where The Fish Are!

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