xterrabill 0 Report post Posted September 7, 2017 just wondering if there was ever an ice jig category on here? I am sure more than a few of us have stood on the hard water and used a jiggle stick. might be cool to come up with some weighted designs for pans. then again maybe I just didn't look hard enough on the site....if so ....sorry folks. edit.... I did find some ice fly patterns on another site. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest rich mc Report post Posted September 8, 2017 i dont recall an ice jig forum. but i have used bead head fliesthru theice. pink squirrels in other colors work. will try some mop flies on a 1/64, 1/80 jig head this winter. rich Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xterrabill 0 Report post Posted September 8, 2017 i think a better topic name should/would have been "hard water flies'' not "ice jigs" ....my bad. I tied a few that look like waxies, I hear that the stocked (trout) lake near me has had some are taken through the ice and that got me thinking about tying up some patterns for winter while I have the time and the vice is out. I might as well work on the auger too while its still warm and I have the time.....darn ethanol. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Poopdeck 0 Report post Posted September 9, 2017 I've tied a few jigs for ice fishing but really don't think they are more effective than a bare hook tipped with a waxie or a plain diamond jig and minnow. I love to ice fish and have a smitty sled packed and ready in my shed. Unfortunately my area does not get consistent ice. Last year there was no safe ice within 3 hours of me. When I say safe I mean safe for me. I won't go out on anything under 6". The year before we had plenty of safe ice for most of winter. The previous two years nothing. Every winter I wish for ice cold weather with no snow. Can't wait to see what happens this winter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xterrabill 0 Report post Posted September 10, 2017 4-5" is ok for me if I am over the shallows, 6+ if its over 4 feet, A LOT more if I am driving on it! and you better know where the springs are!!! good news .....my auger started right up, pulled plug first and WD in cylinder, then new gas and 4 pulls. about time I had something go right!!! the pop up (clam) is up and open in the back yard now airing out....the neighbor asked if I was in the dog house LOL. vexlar batteries are good too. (holding charge) I am going to try a few flies this year, maybe tip a few with waxies .....some action is better than none. good to meet ya poopdeck, hope ya get many flags this winter. ps if ya see an xterra in the middle of the night out on the ice playing bob marley really loud.....that would be me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feathers5 0 Report post Posted September 10, 2017 I always use jigs tipped with wax worms, etc. There are some jigs that seem to attract more pan fish than others. I experiment and make my own; it's fun. Sure, nearly any fly tipped with a bait will work, but have some fun and make your own. Jigs 1 & 7 worked well for me. Of the two, number 7 did the best. I think #7 is a 1/64oz. or 1/32 oz. Some chartreuse marabou and a few pieces of krystal flash for the tail. Red Kreinik Briad for the body and yellow barbell eyes. I wrapped around the eyes with olive dubbing. Experiment! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xterrabill 0 Report post Posted September 10, 2017 that is exactly what I am talking about!!!!! right on feathers! I just finished tying 6 variations of #4 and came on to look for more patters and seen your post/pic. I will tie some like #'s 2 and 7 when I get more materials. darn it.....I should have bought the dumbbell eyes when I had them in my hand.....Doh! thanks man. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Liams_Lures 0 Report post Posted August 5, 2018 I make all kinds of tungsten bead head ice flies. They work great for me. Scud and bloodworm imitations are my favorites. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philly 0 Report post Posted August 5, 2018 I haven't fished through the ice in about 8 years, ever since I had my knees replaced. My doctor didn't think it was such a good idea. I think I live in the same general area that poopdeck does and we haven't seen much in the way of ice in the last few years. I did catch a few pan fish on PT Nymphs without tipping them with wax or meal worms. Did a lot better with them when there was a bit of bait attached. I think mini-mop flies would work well since you would get a bit more movement. I'd tie them in red and pink if I were going to use them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Poopdeck 0 Report post Posted August 6, 2018 I got out once last year. I like the mop fly idea, tipped with wax worm of course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flicted 0 Report post Posted August 23, 2018 I usually end up adding wax worms or mousies to my ice jigs so that limits the amount of fur or feather you can put on the shank. Over the past 10 years, I have been using more and more tiny soft plastic dressings on ice jigs, especially when the bite is good. So I have started dressing teardrops with a couple turns of soft hackle. It seems to make a difference if the hackle has some contrast, mottling, barring. I have also started using tiny bucktail (hardly any movement) and rabbit fur (a lot of assorted colors in zonker strips can be clipped to use for an ice jig dressing. The rabbit moves a lot with minimal jigging action. Advantage to plastic over something I tie is that I can use either plastic or bait. So I rarely ever start off with fur or feather. I start off with bait until I have located fish and if they are active, I'll swap rods to one with an ice fly. Best rabbit colors have been chartruse, black, orange, and natural (silver). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites