Hey now, that one is all you! Haha! Don’t make another thread septic. 😉
Yup, the Looper Bug. I couldn’t remember that catchy name for it. 2lb test is a little crazy, especially for the line quality back then but I can see that being a thing too. Such clear water. Looking down the hole watching the fish swim around and them looking back at you. The further out I got, the easier it was for them to see me.
My one looper charged in when my jig was just below the ice while I was laying face down like you said. It hit basically right in front of my face. The fight was me rolling over and pulling it out of the hole. That was shortly before the guys in the shallows packed up their little black shelters and left with their fish.
So, by the end of the day I learned: black looper bug; light line; conceal movement; and/or fish shallow. And then never went back.
Cuz like I said, he was breaking off a lot and they were like gold at the time. Guys an't giving up anything when combat fishing, I'm sure he pissed off some folks running around jumping in and out of open holes. 😉