Ice Out Conditions

[Hoosier Crappie]

Ok, I posted this to the Indiana state board, and thought this would be good for the main forum. Especially since there are more resources and more traffic on the main forum...

By now everyone is ready for the ice to melt off and start catching crappie. Since these conditions will be here before we know it, how about a thread for ice out conditions? What to target, depths, colors, strategies, times of day, baits, structure, bottom consistency, rigs, etc. for when the ice has recently melted off and then there's open water.

I'm so looking forward to reading everyone's posts!

Have a SUPER day!


P.S. (I believe I'm stating the conditions correctly as "ice out". If not, let me know; afterall, it's a Monday.)

[hotrodelrod]

Subscribed.......

[Hoosier Crappie]

If this thread interests anyone, there are couple posts on the IN state board...

[Tom 513]

Good idea, I did a similar thing in the Indiana section, wanting updates on Brookville lake. Ive got a newer boat that hasnt seen the water plus I am suffering from cabin fever.

[Hoosier Crappie]

Anyone?

[Kevin22]

Ice out is one of my favorite times to fish! Mostly because I have figured it out for my area and not many others have.

Ice-out fish locations depend on what time of year it is! Sometimes we have ice out as early as early to mid feb, sometimes it goes into april. We'll be into april this year. For late ice out the fish are moving towards spring patterns. They will already be transitioning towards the spawning grounds, so look for them out deep from the spawn areas. I'm already finding the crappies up around the spawning grounds under the ice, they are migrating early this year!

For baits, my rule is small and slow until 40º. Once the water hits 40, the fish turn on. From ice out to 40 I use small 1/64-1/80 jig heads and 1" gulp minnows, 1" micro tubes, #8 ratso (custom jigs and spins), and a variety of ice jigs tipped with waxworms or maggots. Once it hits 40 I switch on over to the standard baits, 1.5" tubes, 2" grubs, 1.5-2" shads, etc. By 40 the fish are heading to the beds, they will be around the spawning areas and up shallow around any exposed structure that will hold heat (docks, laydowns, rock shores, metal/concrete walls, etc).

[CrappiePappy]

Anyone?

This is as close to "been there" as I've seen on the forum, lately : http://www.crappie.com/crappie/showt...-after-ice-out

... cp

[Kevin22]

I forgot to say, light line when the water is cold! No bigger than 4#! I typically use 3# sufix ice magic until I move on over to the big baits, then its 4# seaguar fluoro.

[Hoosier Crappie]

Here are two really good articles that CP linked:

http://www.lindyfishingtackle.com/fi.../iceoutcrappie

http://www.mnfishingpros.com/knock_on_wood.php

Thank you, CP!