Plan A, B and C when the Fish Disappear

Plan A, B and C when the Fish Disappear

By Todd Reed

The ice fishing season is well underway and anglers are having success all around the state of Iowa.  The fish have had ample time to get in their winter patterns and can become pretty predictable this time of year.  Typically that is a fantastic thing as anglers with a keen attention to detail can use information from one lake and transfer that to another and be successful as well.  The world of ice fishing can be a magical place when things align to our thoughts and observations. However, as we all know things don’t always go as planned, so then what?  Fishing can be all about change too, and that is what the focus is today; when the fish disappear, what is Plan B, or Plan C?

Most anglers plan ahead when preparing for a trip on the ice.  They have decided on a plan of where to go, what species they will catch and even tie on the jigs or spoons that will catch the fish.  This all sounds easy and fun, but while doing this you are making a lot of assumptions about the day before even getting there. I am not saying that planning ahead is a bad thing, quite the opposite, it is a good thing and at times will separate anglers from having a good day to a day of “they weren’t biting” kind of day.  Making a plan is key, however having backup options is just as important as that first plan of attack.

“We really caught them here yesterday”, “We killed them here last weekend”…we have all heard and maybe said these famous fishing quotes before.  Typically these words are in frustration that the fish are not cooperating or have vanished. The next few moments to say those words can make or break your day.  If the fish aren’t there, you have to do something different. It is very hard to decipher why fish change their location during the winter, all we need to do is focus on the fact that they have moved on.  Once you do that, you can once again figure out where they went. This is where Plan B has to be implemented.

PLAN B- While ice fishing dozens of lakes and backwaters in the past few years I have seen a second plan be better than the first one ever was.  The easiest move and the one I always go to first is the nearby hypothesis. If fish have been using/feeding in the same location for a week or more, odds are that the food base is good in that area of the lake.  For example, if you have been catching fish near a drop off location, but they are no longer there, push up to the shallower part of the lake. Twenty or more holes spread out in less water will give you a look into that ecosystem.  If that doesn’t show anything on the Vexilar then push out to the deeper water. Again, pop twenty or more holes around and check for active fish. Often times by looking in the water adjacent to the once productive area can lead you to a fresh batch of fish ready to eat.

PLAN C- If the small moves of plan B didn’t work it is time to consider a large move.  This may take loading things up and driving around the lake to another access, or just sliding up or down the lake depending on how large of a lake you are on.  When making the large move look at your mapping options first. If your first area was good a week or so ago, then it would be worth trying to find a similar area to what it was.  If the fish were holding in 15 feet of water around brush, then look for that same type of place in another part of the lake. Or perhaps other brush piles that you know of in deeper or shallower water.  At times fish will be in the thickest of brush and at times they will seek food away from brushpile areas. Try to duplicate what was working and play off of what your electronics are telling you. Large moves will take time and energy, but in the long run they will most likely save your day.  Another strategy during your large move, especially during late ice is to find fresh ice. Many times anglers tend to go to the same areas of lakes all of the time. They like to fish where they see other anglers, or see a lot of holes drilled. During this late ice time finding areas that have not been drilled up has been an excellent part of plan C.  Finding fresh fish where no one has fished in a while can be a great way to save your day. When in doubt, drill, check with your Vexilar and keep moving until you see fish.

These are plans for when the fish disappear, if you are seeing fish on your electronics but they do not want to bite, that is another set of variables that the angler needs to figure out.  However, when the fish are simply not there, then you as an angler should not be there. Re-locate in small moves around where you caught active fish, and then make large moves throughout the sheet of ice to relocate some hungry fish.  A very important component to these methods is to stay light with your equipment. The less you have to move each time the more you will be willing to move. Also, multiple people working together can really help find fish quickly. A couple guys can be drilling holes, while a couple others check for fish below them.  Get those auger bits sharpened up, I am a firm believer in the more holes you drill the more fish you will catch. Enjoy the winter, and be safe out here!