Quinte Fishing

I've been reading the posts under "I'm getting tired of this smell" and I gotta admit that I have the smell of the skunk on me more often than not, even when others close by have been icing fish. My most recent outing was to Huff's and I was using my good ol' Humminbird wide eye fish finder. I had a few marks come and have a look and then move off without striking. For me this seems to be the rule rather than the exception, (same thing happened near sherman's a month ago)

I've been trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing wrong; Here are things on my list:

Lure: I've been using a 3/4 oz gold buckshot a lot, I gather it's the go to lure these days. I have a big selection of lures and my best eye this year was on a jigiing rap at Deseronto before Christmas. I'm better at buying lures than catching fish LOL.

Snaps vs tying lure directly to line. Should I be using a snap: "Bass Pro Shops® Fast-Lock Bass Snap" with a nickel finish, size 2, 16 mm. long. When I jig fish for eyes in summer, I use neither snap nor swivel to keep the lure presentation as soft and natural as possible. When using an ice fishing flash spoon that's a hunk of shiny, hard metal any way, what's the difference?
I see that the buckshot has a nice smooth round eye to tie the line to, so I'm happy with no snap for it. However for lures like a swedish pimple: a hole drilled into the metal with kinda sharp square edges or lures with split rings I'm a bit worried about the knot strength. Past experience has suggested tying directly to split rings gives poor knot strength.

Going to lighter line: I've been using 15 lb. superline braid with a 3 or 4 foot 12 foot fluorocarbon leader. That line/leader combo seems fairly standard. They say that the fluoro leader is "invisible"any way.

My finger smells bad.
from http://advancedangler.com/?p=1789
"Studies consistently demonstrate that sunscreen, insect repellents containing DEET, soap, nicotine and human amino acids-even in minute amounts- can turn fish off faster than a coldfront."
I have used fish scent on line and lures on top of the live minnows that I put on the treble hook (mud minnows hooked through the head).

Cover more territory and use a flasher.
Well I'm 62 years old and I walk dragging a 4 foot pelican sled and use a hand auger.

Plan B is to cover more territory (and "run ' n gun"). All I need for plan B is:
a power auger
an ATV to haul all that stuff
a trailer for the ATV
a vexilar
(why stop there, let's add the clam type portable hut, the heater for the hut and the new floater suit).

Anyway, without going to plan B, I would invite comments, (perhaps PMs) on the following

[list=]should I be using a snap or swivel
am I right about poor knot strength on tying directly to a split ring
should I try more variations on putting minnows on the hook: 2 or 3 minnow, heads only, ...
should I try light line, e.g. 8 lb. fluorocarbon
[/list]
Thanks and tight lines

Pdubya

if the fish are coming in to look it may be more along the lines of what you are doing when they come in . Experiment with different approaches - keep jigging as you were or sometimes slow down or very slowly bring your bait up off the bottom to try to get them to follow it up and commit . I think your gear is ok , I use 10 lb floro with a cabela's premium crosslock # 2 in black and usually a gold Williams wabler to good effect .

Berkley Marinade

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line makes big difference swivel or no swivel easier to change. jig hard pull your marks off bottom or make them drop down to you give them the buffet 2-3 minnow & a short stinger try huffs

Apparently I'm not putting enough thought into this whole Ice fishing thing.
I'm not using any snaps or swivels,and if I want to change lures quickly, I just grab another $20 pole from the pile. ( I usually have 3 or 4 )
No scents or sense
Who knows whats on these things for line or how old it is.

BUT it's been working, LOL, best year ever so far, only 3 skunks out of 15 times out, and 2 of those where the morning.

Honestly it is just a confidence thing. Once you start to ovrthink it, you struggle. I use one lure, and one lure only. I simply have way too much confidence in it.

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U.S.C.G. Licensed Captain
Pure Fishing Ambassador

wow that 's great 4 rods most of us only need 1 less to carry.

I use heavy line 30 lb spiderwire smoke coffee all that stuff and I do well me I think its an attitude thing I dont care if I get a fish just glad to be out. Same lure jig 2 holes at same time buckshot orange only thing I use and cary on ice

I am just trying to learn a bit here ......no trying to be funny but how do you jig 2 at once .....one each hand or is basically just sitting ?

I'm better at buying lures than catching fish, too!

Ya 2 holes about 4 ft apart same lure sitting on chair works well catch a fish throw the other rod lol only once had dubble header and it was on salarno lake bit of getting used to but after no prob

I have my friend doing it to her first time out on ice lost 2 got this 1 first fish ever and yes 2 rods cant seem to post pik but 5 lber

I believe if you have the right bait, then jigging two rods is crazy and nothing more than a distraction from concentrating on one rod. If you have confidence baits, then you dont have a confidence bait

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U.S.C.G. Licensed Captain
Pure Fishing Ambassador

I agree with walleye wonder. Presentation is key and as much a flasher is number one investment don't forget the basics, keeping your routine constant.