Gills

[harvey lee]

Gills bit very well today, bite was light but many fish under the house so even with a finicky bite, lots of 8 plus inch gills iced. Spike and a pink and white tungsten jig in 18 fow. Hoping the crappies go well this evening. Hope I can get away from the football game to get out of the house and chase crappie. Beautiful day on the lake and Ton's of people out fishing

[pikerliker]

Sounds like a nice day harvey. I've only tried for gills a couple times this winter and have struck out both times. One time only little guys, the second time only a couple feisty pike! I've got some ideas though so hopefully I will get on some nice eaters soon!

[harvey lee]

Crappies were slow at sunset. But, here I am at 3:30am and up for the 4 time tonight with walleyed and rattle reels. Buggers won't let me sleep. Guess I can sleep when I get home at noon today. Gotta try for some crappie at sunrise. I sent you a message piker

[fishing_fire]

Sounds like you’re having some good fishing, good for you.

The last 4 times I’ve been out I’ve only been able to catch 1 little perch and then lost a decent pike at the hole.

Took the kids out yesterday for some pannies and we couldn’t even get a bite.

Safe to say I’m more than a little discouraged

it's been a tough bite all year

[harvey lee]

The gill bite yesterday was light, about as light as it could get. They would barely bend the spring bobber even the slightest. There were times I would just set the hook in hopes the fish was mouthing the jig and it worked from time to time.

[FISHINGURU]

I do that alot when they are biting light, when they catch up to my jig on my flasher I just set the hook. Nothing to lose really, sometimes they are on other times I miss but they would of just got to my lure took a little nibble and zoomed back to the bottom anyway.

I just think back to the times when I was always reading fish but using walleye rods with 6lb test, I was probably getting mad bites and never knew, it's hard enough to see and feel them on a noodle with 2lb test some days.

[fishinben351]

not looking for exact spots just wanna know what side of the lake is typically better fishing? it would be my first time on lake washington thanks

[fishdaddy]

Found some nice gills on French the other day. Most bites were in 21-25 fow. Nice day to move around which was key, didn't catch many in one hole. Also had a few crappies mixed in but not much for size.

Good luck!

[harvey lee]

not looking for exact spots just wanna know what side of the lake is typically better fishing? it would be my first time on lake washington thanks

I always fish the east side of the lake both summer and winter. Well, I fish the squirrel's nest point area a bit in the summer but not often. Lot's of houses on baker's bay but I hyave not been there so no report on that area.

There are alot of house off 3rd point and I believe they are mainly icing crappie. I fish that general area but try and stay away from all the houses and the noise on the lake.

I have been mainly fishing area's from 17-20fow and using a tungsten pink and white jig tipped with red spikes. They bite very light esp the larger ones so watch that spring bobber very closely.

The north landing is good but there is the usual ice ridge right at the edge of the landing. No issues with a truck but if you are pulling a wheelhouse, stay to the right said and there is a big dip there and the back of your house could bump the ice. If you are not familair with the lake, do not drive out from Westwood landing and go through the narrows to get to the east side of the lake, it is a bad area for vechile's.

I thought it might be a tough ice season for size and numbers on this lake but I have been overjoyed with both this past 6 week's.

Biggest tip I can give you, if you do not ice a fish within 5-10 minutes, move to another hole.

I typically drill 5-10 holes and fish each one for a few minutes, if no fish, drill another 5-10. Sooner or late, you should be on some fish. Bit harder than drilling a hole and just fishing that one but the results are alot better once you find them.

Sunday there were people and kid's all over the lake. The 3 other people I talked to were all on fish but a very light bite indeed.

[kojimep]

Harvey, I made an account on here just to thank you for posting the info. My fiance and I are planning on going out Sunday night, and it will be our first time ice fishing this area (we live in New Ulm), so thanks for posting the advice; it's great to see someone so helpful. Also, the tip about not driving through the narrows is greatly appreciated as I would never have known that otherwise.

[harvey lee]

Welcome to HotSpotOutdoor's and thanks for the complement.

If you have any other questions about fishing Washington, please e-mail me and I will do what I can to help you both have a successful trip to Washington.

[email protected]

To me, this is what HSO is all about, sharing info and hopefully seeing others enjoy the outdoors as much as ourselves.

[minky]

Just good people on here sharing a little info and tips to help their fellow outdoors person!

[ssom08]

I've in been bakers for the majority of the year, its been fairly consistent. Some days are hot and some are dreadfully slow. Lots of people have moved out of bakers in the last couple weeks, and I've noticed fishing has gotten better!

Iced a nice limit of crappies and a couple eyes this evening. Crappie size was great with the biggest one coming in at 13.5 inches, was the only person out there. Now that the weekend warriors and partiers are gone for the week!

[harvey lee]

Always's much better fishing when the crowd's are gone. That's why I try all I can to stay away from the big groups. That noise can push the fish out from that area and I like to be the one waiting for them.

[waterfowl101]

What depths have you been finding the crappies in the evening and over night

[harvey lee]

With the exception of this weekend good for eye's and gill's, I have been icing the majority of my crappies in 24-28fow. I jig one line and deadstick the other. The deadstick with a white glo demon and a crappie minnow has by far outfished the jig and minnow head. I also have a red stipe added to the glo demon as that seem's to also help, just used a permenant marker for the red stripe.

I have picked up a few smaller crappie's while fishing shallower for gill's but not that many and all the smaller sized ones. Deeper has been much better for size.

The low light periods have been much better for me than the overnight bite except for the eye's. Guy next to me last week had 3 pike and no eye's, I had eye's and no pike. Freak deal more than likely unless he was on different structure, that I did not ask him.