Predators on Ice

Last Friday I blogged about it being time to walk on water.  I have been trying to practice that as much as possible.  Who knows how long our ice season is going to last?

So far I have been able to practice a little heavy lifting too.  Oh sure, I have caught the customary complement of panfish, bluegills and crappies, even a redear, but have also showed a number of predator fish the top side of the ice.

None of the saugeye I have caught this winter were very large.  But, I can tell you they were very hungry.

That is one of the contradictions I have discovered about catching walleye/sauger/saugeye through the ice.  It seems like those fish can be hard to find and catch while ice-fishing Nebraska waterbodies.  On the other hand, when I have found them, they have been very active and relatively easy to get to bite.  Most I have caught through the ice have NOT been on “dead sticks” and you do not need no stinkin’ live bait.  Get a jigging spoon or lure of some type in the water, get it moving and HANG ON!

OK, admittedly that was not much “heavy lifting”.  This was a little more like it:

That fish was 34 inches.  Looked like she had recently snarfed a bluegill before I caught her.

Have not been able to link up with my son for any ice time yet this winter.  However, it is nice to know he has been doing the same thing out west:

Do not know how much more walking on water I am going to be able to do with the lousy weather we have had recently.  I will tell you this, as I always do, if you venture out, BE CAREFUL and make sure it is safe!

Once again, all fish shown in this post were caught from Nebraska public waters and they were all released.  I plan to catch ’em again!