# When fish swim up....and don't bite! what do you do?



## deep6in (Feb 18, 2008)

One thing that I learned last year when ice fishing panfish- Was when the fish get lock jaw and swim up to the bait, but wont hit it no matter what color jig or type bait you have down there- the best way to get them active was to drop down the smallest jig possible with the smallest bait possible- I would send down my smallest tear drop with a spike and you'd be surprised at the hogs that set up brought in when nothing would bite. Just my two cents-If all else fails I agree with everyone else-move or head home.


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

so many experts and so little time


whatever you did to make them come in and look, just keep doing it rather than stopping. when you stop the spinning starts and thats not good 99% of the time. As some others said, try raising your bait, if you can make them move up they'll usually bite it as long as it's not spinning. I never stop jigging my bait and usually raise it ever so slowly while pounding it when a fish comes in. If you have fish on the screen when your dropping it down never drop below the lead fish and make them come to it.


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## Crazy Axe (Mar 11, 2007)

just wondering.. what do you guys do to keep the jig from spinning?

do you use a swivel up from the bait? does it distract the fish away from your bait?
i get bad line twist (i use fireline crystal (2lb and 4lb i believe)) and my jig is
ALWAYS spinning unless i'm fishing something really heavy, and even then it spins a lot..


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## fishonbb (Dec 24, 2004)

*Glad to see you added your expertise, every little bit helps.*


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

Put a spear through their back.  Oh wait, we're not talking about pike? On panfish I've found my best success was to drop it back down, 3-4" and slowly twitch it, something about it going below them makes them drop down to get it. If they're on the bottom, I give up and look for active fish. The underwater camera has been one of the coolest things for me, because it allows you to see the fish as you're jigging, and what is peaking their interest. Honestly though, there are some days when nothing I do works, and others it doesn't seem to matter what you do, they want to bite.


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

Try tying your lure on with a loop knot and as long as your pounding,twitching or swimming your teardrop it won't spin. In other words it really starts spinning when you stop moving it.
I don't use any swivels or split shot with teardrops and favor the teardrops that are heavy for their size.


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## Loomis (Jan 2, 2001)

When fishing for perch close to the bottom, if they wont bite, I drop the bait in the mud and move it slightly to make the fish think it's gettin away in the mud and I better eat it now, works a lot.


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## franky (Apr 14, 2004)

I drill about an inch hole in the ice, thats the diameter of the first stick. Then light and run, then once you clear that ice, you drop down the second stick of dynamite and then just a start scoopin them bad devils up.


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## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

franky said:


> I drill about an inch hole in the ice, thats the diameter of the first stick. Then light and run, then once you clear that ice, you drop down the second stick of dynamite and then just a start scoopin them bad devils up.


Not everyone is lucky enough to have dynamite Franky. 

One more tip... I'm letting out a big trick/secret here, so keep it on the hush hush to outsiders. This will get fish active, take your sawdust or preferably wood shavings from wax worm containers and put a few pinches in the hole and stir it up so it sinks. Give it a minute and the fish come in like crazy! I have limited out in a dead zone with this tactic. :idea:


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## Fishbone (Oct 10, 2008)

> One more tip... I'm letting out a big trick/secret here, so keep it on the hush hush to outsiders. This will get fish active, take your sawdust or preferably wood shavings from wax worm containers and put a few pinches in the hole and stir it up so it sinks. Give it a minute and the fish come in like crazy! I have limited out in a dead zone with this tactic.












Uncle Ben has never failed me.


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## Crazy Axe (Mar 11, 2007)

you guys might just be my new best friends for that info


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