If you are like me and you have a break at work or at home I will pull up my phone to look at fishing forums or social media groups to find out where the hot bite is at. These five minutes on our cellular phones can really dictate how we are going to spend a weekend or can cost us hard earned vacation days simply based on the fact that we want in on the action as well.
However, photos and discussion forums don’t always tell you what you are in store for on larger bodies of water. Take for example ice fishing The Great Lakes. You hear about a hot walleye bite through the ice on Saginaw Bay and you and your buddies want to venture out to partake in catching some eyes for yourselves. Ask yourself, are you prepared? Is your gear in top shape? Do you know what conditions you are facing? Where are the cracks? What if there is no snow on the ice? These are all fair questions you need to ask yourself.
Going out on these large bodies of water is not like going to your local lakes down the road or a few hours away. Conditions of both the weather and the ice itself can be extremely harsh and ever changing. You and your group of friends have to be prepared for all types of situations with having the right tools, equipment, safety gear and knowledge of the weather. Do you take a snowmobile or a four wheeler? What possible scenarios can you run into with either machine based on ice and weather conditions? These are the educated decisions that will have to be made. Notice I say “educated“.
Now on top of all of these considerations you have to go out there and find the fish. Sure holding up a trophy walleye or taking home a bucket of fish is what you think about most but finding fish can be just as exhausting. However, it doesn’t have to be.
In this episode of the podcast my friends and I break down a large body of water scenario for you from what equipment to bring, gear to use, lures and how to break down such big water to find the fish. You hear our first hand experiences on what worked, what broke down, how we adapted and how we were successful.
It is my hope after hearing this episode you are as successful and safe as we were coming off the ice from being 10 miles out on beautiful, Saginaw Bay.
Cheers
Lee
3 comments on “Saginaw Bay and Ice Fishing Big Bodies Of Water | Ep.017”
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I listened to the most recent podcast today, loved hearing all the tips and tricks that have been passed onto me, and I do the same with others. One tip I would pass along was when the ice is too hard for ice scratchers to be effective, use dawn dish soap. I squirt a line on top of the entire length of my hyfax before I take off and have never, ever ran into an issue since I started doing this. I too have a liquid cooled engine and watch things closely on my way out on the Bay, but this gives me peace of mind when conditions call for it
Hey Matt,
Thank you very much for listening to the podcast and glad you enjoyed the episode. Also, thank you for the awesome tip for the hyfax lubrication. How often would you recommend stopping to apply the dish soap? Every mile? Saginaw Bay is a great fishery but you are right, many anglers are unaware of the changing conditions and the fury she can create in a matter of a few changes in the wind. Please stop by anytime to share some more great tips and thanks again for listening.
Hey guys, first time listener here. Loved the most recent podcast about the Saginaw Bay. I’ve been fishing it for many years and am hesitant to talk about the success out there because it lures in fisherman who are unaware of the constantly changing dangers. One tip I’d like to add for when the ice is too hard for ice scratchers to be effective. I put a thick line of dawn dish soap on top of the entire length of my hyfax before I take off. I too have a liquid cooled sled, but with a studded track chipping up ice chunks into my rear heat exchanger and the lubed up hyfax I have never ran into an overheating issue