Finding fish

[Richie]

I am having trouble finding crappie under the ice.... I'm tipping an ice jig with a wax worm ... I don't think its a bait problem I think it is a (no) fish problem. I'm fishing 3-4 acre ponds with little structure... Any help would be appreciated..

[Eager Beaver]

First are you using a depth finder. If you are than that is half the puzzle. Then clean off the ice and pour a little water on the ice and place your transducer on the ice and see if there are any fish under where you are. If not than move and try again. If you have fished this pond before than start where you have caught fish before. After first ice the fish will be around 10-12 fow and as the season moves on, the fish will move deeper towards the channel. Any structure at all will hold them. A small rise or belly will hold them if it is different than the surrounding area. If you are using a power auger than drill a bunch of holes in different spots and drop the transducer in each hole until you find the fish. Once you find the fish, fish that hole until they move on and then just drop the transducer in each hole again until you find them again. You will only catch a few at each hole if there isn't much structure there to hold them. If there is clear ice, the fish will spook as you move around on the ice, so keep your movement to a minimum. If there is snow covered ice, the better because they won't be as spooky. Noise doesn't seem to bother them as much as movement on the ice seems to. I have drilled a couple of holes and set rigs in them and then finished drilling the rest of the holes and have fish jumping all over the baits while I was drilling. EB