I was able to catch some bass and bluegill using a Custom Jigs & Spins glow colored Rocker with 1 or 2 Crappie Nibbles. Most of the bluegill were within inches of the bottom, while the bass were hitting from 1 to 3 feet off the bottom.
My Vexilar Inc FLX28 gives a digital readout of the depth, and the magic number seemed to be 6.1 or 5.4 feet. That may sound weird, but if the unit did not give those readings I did not find active fish. I did find fish in some of the other depths, but they were not active.
I fished 9 to 11 feet of water, and never saw anything on the flaser. Normally this time of the year the fish are in the deeper water, but this year I haven’t found that fact to be running true.
Technique used for the Rocker varied. I used a quick drop and jiggle, quick upward jigging and drop, quiver and dead stick. All caught fish, but usually had to be combined.
Don Banning was using wax worms, and never had a bite. Nearly the same happened the other day when two anglers were using wax worms without a bight, and Brandon Rogalla was using spikes, which helped catch one bluegill.
Most of the season I’ve been having good luck on the Custom Jigs Pro Glow Slender Spoon, but not the last two days. They have went to an inactive pattern. So the Slender Spoon and Panfish Road Runner was kept in the Frabill Rod Safe, which by the way, is a very nice way to store and carry your rods in the vehicle and on the ice.
By the end of the day the surface of the ice was starting to get soft, and had good footing. Earlier it was so slick that you had to be careful of slipping and falling if you didn’t have cleats. It was surprising as to how fast the melting started, and with the forecast temperatures, rain and heavy wet snow for the weekend and next week, it does not look good for keeping safe ice.
Until next time, get out on the water and have a great day of fishing.