Hiawatha

I have been plauged with this disease ever since i started fishing and i don't seem to be fighting it off. It seems that i hook the fish play it for awhile then as i am getting its head in the hole the fish hits the hole and pops off the hook. Now i try and be very cautious, i get right down to the water level and often stick one hand in the water slightly to guide the line up the hole but still i am gettin worked over. I fish 2 pound walleye or so, they shouldn't be giving me as much trouble as what i am encountering. I tied on a small stinger hook, which seems to be helping a bit but my problems are still there. To catch my limit or 5 fish i often have to hook at least 8 or 9. Does anyone have any suggestions to put more hooked fish on the ice?

CanWoodsman

Three possible solutions.
1. Bigger holes
2. Tire the fish more
3. Always keep tight line on fish

Best Wishes

PikeTipper

Do you have barbs on your hooks? Not sure if they are legal where you fish but you shouldn't lose too many if you have sharp barbed hooks. Other than that make sure you keep constant tension on the line and keep your hooks sharp.

Hiawatha

Hooks are barbed and brand new. I am using a 8 inch hole now, but i am toying with the idea of getting a 10 inch auger blade.

finner

Ok hia... now where talking my kind of fishing!! sounds like maybe you got bad hooks. make sure there sharp gotta be able to scratch your finger nail with them. What are you using for a lure? i know on some of the jigging spoons i use for ice fishing i had to go one size bigger on the trebel hook or i would lose quite a few too. also one other thing what type of line are you using? braided or mono?

Carpmaster

Hiawatha.....for walleyes we take a large treble hook (3-4" diameter) weld it to a 24" piece of rod, and make a small gaff, works great as they get under the ice, youll never lose one again. Also as far as the hole when we fish saginaw bay we put two holes tight side by side and spud the center out to make a somewhat rectangle shaped hole.

PikeTipper

I would stop grabbing the line, look down the hole and pull the fish up once you see the head. As long as you have the fish lined up directly with the hole then you shouldn't have any problems.

redheadjoe

i think you should give up on ice fishing and go on a reg. lake

CanWoodsman

Give up ice fishing. Whats next give up beer?

NOT Fn LIKELY FOR EITHER

Hiawatha

Hmm well problem is bud i think water tends to turn to ice when it gets below 0. Finding an open water lake in winter here is like trying to figure out your post. Impossible.