Ice Ridge as Structure?

[whateverisbiting]

I saw a video with someone fishing on upper red lake and they referred to ice ridges as structure they set up around.  I suppose ice ridges could identify something different about the bottom or be a light transition from the top, but I have never heard of anyone keying on this before.  Perhaps it is more important on stucturless URL?  Anyone have experience with this?

Edited December 24, 2021 by whateverisbiting

[fishing_the_northland]

I watched a video in which a couple of guys were catching finicky daytime crappie under a pressure ridge because it offered shade for them. I think it is mainly a factor in first ice when there is no snowpack. However be careful, because pressure ridges can have significantly less safe ice than the rest of the lake.

[Austin12345]

I would think that like you said it would be more of a factor on a giant basin like red. I have fished on Red where a 1-2 foot contour made all the difference in catching fish. I have also heard that these pressure ridges provide ambush points for walleye to feed on bait fish where they will hide in the shade and dart out of the shade to feed on passing bait fish.

[Hookmaster]

I ran into Kelly Petrowske at Beacon Harbor several years ago. I asked him if he had any tips on where to fish. He told me of an area of broken up ice just off Beacon Harbor's ice road. Said he hadn't seen anybody fish it and everyone was driving by it. We set up there and fished around it for 2 1/2 days and did well. Cars going by frequently didn't matter. Kelly explained that the broken up ice allows more light penetration which attracts the phytoplankton, then zooplankton, then minnows, then predator fish. If the phytoplankton are in the area, you will see them when you drill a hole. They get frozen in the ice and look like dirt in the ice shavings.

[Rick G]

Many years ago while fishing Lake of the woods we discovered pressure ridge fishing success by accident.  Over the decades I have fished quite a few of them. They don't always produce, but when it does it can be pretty good action.

I have found ridge fishing to be best when fishing bowl shaped bays or basins that don't offer much for natural structure. In these places, the ridge is the structure, something about the draws invertebrates and that inturn draws bait fish and so on... 

 

[leech~~]

I'm not sure if pressures ridges are some magical spot.  Or their just a barrier most guys stop at and fish because they can't get past them?  

Edited December 25, 2021 by leech~~

[CaptainCanuck]

I have targeted perch fishing pressure cracks/ridges on Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada. It's a real thing. The lake bottom is relatively flat and featureless sand off of Beaverton. The same conditions as most noted. The ridges provide shade/structure and cracks provide light and oxygen I believe. It's a larger lake so cracks and ridges are common.

[Wanderer]

I’ve fished pressure ridges on Red and Winnipeg and done well.  It’s another edge or transition for the fish to relate to. Like mentioned, on lakes that don’t have abundant edges, any edge can matter.