newbie help

[stckthrwr]

hello,

I am a newbie for ice fishing. a buddy and I are going up to Mille Lacs next weekend. It is also my buddies first time ice fishing.

I am wondering what people would suggest as bare bones set up for ice fishing, aside from a rod of course. It seems like people are saying to use a specific color of hook on Mille Lacs? Is it preferrable to use a plain hook with minnow as opposed to an ice fishing spoon?

When we get there, is there a bait that we should get/not get? I have seen people talking about rainbows vs suckers. Bigger better than smaller?

We are heading up next friday-sunday and hoping to get into some fish and have a good time. We aren't going to be going around on the lake, just to the house we rented. Not expecting to catch a ton of fish since we aren't moving, but just getting some time on the ice.

Any help would definitely be appreciated. Thanks all!

Nathan

[pikerliker]

I don't know the lake the best newbie but since nobody seems to want to help you out I would suggest looking on line for some resorts on the lake near where you want to go out. Give them a call and ask them what is working, what would be a good idea to bring, etc.

The bite changes from week to week generally and what they are biting on (jig color, types, etc) probably changes too so the resorts/bait shops in the area are probably your best bet. Other than that bring whatever you need to keep you warm and dry, auger for drilling, ice scoop to clean out your holes, poles, tackle, bait, bucket to bring home your limits of fish , some money to pay the resorts for use of their roads (and bait you may purchase), etc. Oh yeah and fishing licenses are probably a good idea too!

[bassinboy3]

I would suggest having a deadstick with a red hook and a fathead sized rainbow and a smaller jigging spoon with a rattle and one without (see what they prefer) with a minnow head on it and you should be fine. Adding to what was said above call a resort like Red Door or something and see what they say.

[iFishStu]

Newbie, what bassinboy suggested, Also a silver Swedish Pimple, the 2 1/2 inch side, with a minnow head has produced more than anything else for me over the years. The aggressive fish will hit it when you are jigging and it will draw in the curious fish which you could pick up with the deadstick bait. That seems to be the only repeatable pattern other a night bite this year. Good luck and enjoy!

[stckthrwr]

Thanks pikerliker, bassinboy3 and ifishstu. I appreciate your responses. Was begenning to think i wouldn't get any response.

I am new to ice fishing, so I do appreciate what you have told me. I will be calling up to Terrys this coming week to see what I need to pick up before heading up there. I picked up red hooks and have put them on a couple rods, will put some spoons on a couple others.

Would a jiggle stick work good for deadsticking? Or is it better with a regular rod? I was given a few jiggle sticks awhile ago, and thought maybe I would bring them up with me.

Thanks again!

nathan

[bassinboy3]

You could if you wanted to but generally rods work better.

[greenbackslayer]

I would use shiners for bait but make sure you have fatheads as well. I killed them on a gold and pink macho minnow (the smaller one) the last couple times up. Pink glow jigs worked great for me as well. Make sure to fish deep. I was in 31 feet when I did well the last two times. Good luck hope you do well

[greenbackslayer]

Oh And STAY AWAY FROM THE GROUPS. Those areas are pounded if you can find a flat that hasnt been hit or has noone on it. Its not that there are no fish there. Its that its a big lake and there are soooo many good spots.

[stckthrwr]

Hey all.

Just wanted to send a note about the weekend.

We got 3 walleye the first night, 2 21 inch and one 24 inch on deadline. We were set up in about 12 feet of water on the west.

All our hits were at night. At 7:50 in the morning we had all 4 of our rattle reels go off at the same time. 2 lines broke, and the other two weren't there when we tried to set the hook on them. Kind of sucked. And we had a rattle reel that we missed a northern on. It seemed almost like it was just holding the bait.

We didn't get anything all day Saturday, and ended up having to leave around 9:30 that night. so we didn't get to fish the second night.

We had some amazing ice cracking going on around our house in the evening. Actually had the house settle a little bit, and had more water coming out of our holes. Not sure if that is normal or not.

Thanks for all your help!

We rented a house from Terrys. It was a pretty decent house. Had plenty of room in it. There were a couple of houses just down from us that were also from Terrys. Nothing too close. so we had our space. Not sure how anyone else did. I talked with a guy I know who was fishing down at the beginning of Terrys road, and he only got 3 Friday night as well.

[bassinboy3]

Thanks for reporting back! I have heard a lot of reports of night fish as well. Sounds like you had another pike come in and grab all 4 of your lines.