Thread: Oatmeal

O.k,

If you read my thread on the "Brown Bag" then you understand where I'm going with this one. In the brown bag theory, you start at the bottom with Rice and let it float up to the top. Still don't know where I heard that one from (nor have I tried it yet) but I'm itchen.

Well now I have a new one and I know where it came from. I was at the Dr. office today reading Michigan outdoors and a comment (I almost missed it) came out in one of the ice fishing columns. It said to pour instant oatmeal in the hole to draw and keep fish. I supposed that people carry the small bags of instant oatmeal. Unlike the rice that floats up, the oatmeal sucks up water and sinks. They say to use it once you have caught a crappie or two but nothing fast.

Now I must try both tactics. I guess if all else fails you will smell the aroma of cooked rice and oatmeal coming from my lantern! If you happen to smell it out on the ice stop by. A nice crappie or two would go with it nicely.

The magazine was "Michigan Sportsman". I didn't get a chance to try this out today but it would not have much mattered. I hit a new lake (for me today). I didn't have a ton of time to do my nomal prep work on this lake so I had to wing it.

The lake is almost a mile walk. No problem. No fresh tracks to the lake. Problem. That meant I had to work this lake over on my own with no fresh holes and no fresh tracks. It took about 15 minutes but I found a hole that was about 12 feet deep. I caught one Crappie right off the bat. It was a bit on the small side but a keeper none the less. I thought things were looking up. For the next hour I proceeded to catch fish after fish. I only ended up with three crappie and they gradually got smaller. I'll bet I caught well over 200 fish. The problem was that none of them (gills) were anywhere close to being of keeper size.

I worked over this hole really good. I more than likely punch 100 holes in the ice. In the end I was less than satisfied with the quality. I doubt I will go back unless I am pike fishing. On the up side, I did catch fish and I was fishing instead of working so I guess that isn't all bad.