Or if you have spikes put one on after the minnow or the gulp imitation spikes. The minnows will live for quite awhile despite being hooked through the eyes
Yes Pollock and Pacific Cod are two different fish caught by similar methods in the same general fisheries. Pollock is also the fish used for surimi (sold as imitation crabmeat)
Great... glad to hear it. Just don't set the battery out on the ice at all as it sucks the power out of it even if not for long I always keep a spare warming up in my pocket just in case but haven't needed it thus far. I feel that it is the best option when the ice isn't super thick especially early season. I have yet to get out but real soon.... P.S. I hear ya on the torque.. mine almost pulls me into the hole sometimes
Very nice!... I hope my derby winner brown comes out... I haven't heard anything back since mid June but it is a skin mount and since it is the first mount ever for me I have no idea how long it takes. Maybe if Paul C. sees this he can comment about what someone can normally expect in that regard and I'm sure it also depends on how busy the guy is .
When they aren't mortally wounded they can travel a lot further than you might think Hop. All you can do is try your best. I remember looking for a huge buck north of Sampson for hours yers ago in the dark and then the next day and even navigating down a ravine without success. It still bothers me a bit not finding it but I'm pretty sure other hunters found him first. It sucks especially with the snowfall but it is also part of the game for many folks. Don't give up you'll get one yet.
Pretty crazy being out there without others around just for starters. It also is a fact that snow is an "insulator" and that ice can't be all that thick yet. Might want to keep an eye out for the rescue copter
You sure can tell you've taken very good care of your "baby" too John. I cherish my 18 Ventura and have never had a nervous moment in her on Lake O. Whalers are second to none in the boat department and yours is a wonderful specimen. Best of luck with the sale. I would imagine once someone gets a look at the price of a new one at the shows they will be VERY interested
I've been really enjoying this thread despite the fact that I gave up hunting years ago mainly so it didn't conflict with fishing (same reason I don't golf). A lot of good opinions expressed here as well as important ethical information for folks new to the game.
Thanks Esox. The one thing I should add regarding the drill/auger approach is something that I have mentioned in previous posts is that the majority of the fishing I do is a foot through15 inches max. of ice or less. Up north I know the ice can get much thicker than that so the results would differ greatly with the much thicker ice (e.g. 2 or 3 ft or more etc). That is where the power auger approach excels.
The latching and holding is a main reason I switched to the Duo locks years ago as well as the fact that they have a well rounded snap face so that the action of the lure whether spoon or stick tends to be better than many of the other options I used to use (e.g. coast locks etc.). I guess the bottom line is whatever option you have faith in and what seems to work best for you is what you go with and personal preference is a factor in all this stuff
A few things to consider:
1. I'd be leery of anecdotal reports of increased catches because it can be a function of many unrelated factors even if true so it probably shouldn't be a main factor for switching.
2. When the fleas are really bad or heavily clustered in spots both wire and braid will; collect them and when it happens on either you will probably be thinking 'I wish I had gone with the other"
.
3. With the frequency of lost probes that have been reported with cable I wouldn't be thinking that braid would be better.
4. My hunch is that braid might cut through the water a little better with the same type and size of weight for similar pound test because it has a smaller diameter (yielding less "blow back".
5. Braid is quieter in the water given that all other things are the same in the comparison but the opinion about whether the noise from wire either repels or attracts fish or certain fish for that matter is still open to question. This issue is a bit like the depth finder/transducer signal noise in the water as some view it to repel fish while others(myself included) believe that it isn't always the case because in ice fishing where the signal is constantly used in shallow water the fish do not appear bothered by it and it may depend on something like frequency). As in other aspects of fishing sometimes it is best to try your own experiment and make your own experience based conclusions.
You'll have a lot more and better control of things if you do hand load and experiment along the way. Once you have a good feel of it your confidence in your shots will increase dramatically.