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ice out

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:11 am
by bassranger
Hi.I live in southern new hampshire and the ice is just out. I've been out fishing a few times but have had no luck. the water temp is still in the high 30's low 40's. having trouble locating fish. seen few small clusters on my finder in deep water 30-40ft can't get them to bite. My question is where are the bass and what can I catch them on. thanks.

ice out

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 4:08 am
by johnnie crain outdoors
Hi Bassranger, I know your situation well, living here in Iowa the ice is just gone this past week.
You should try using a 1/2 ounce chrome jigging spoon right in the schools of "small" fish you are marking. The fish are sdtill in the winter mode and may not move up to the shallows for a few more weeks. Those fish that appear small may actually belarger than you think, at 20/30 feet the sonar reads them as small due to the distance the fish are from the transducer. There probably are some nice fish mixed in. Work the spoon vertically and only jerk it up about one foot off the bottom if the fish are relating to the bottom. If they are suspended off the bottom, determine the fish' depth and jiggle the spoon right in their face. A 1/8 th ounce jig with a bucktail and an added pork eel might also work, fish it very slowly along the bottom. Brown/black combo should work. I like to have a different color jig from the trailer, makes the bait appear to be smaller. Good luck, jigging can be fun when all else fails. Johnnie