Deadstick Fishing in Current

[xflfan69]

Just getting out ice fishing this year on a smaller river with a bit of current. Ice is good, around 16". I have had trouble with my deadstick rod. The current sweeps my minnow away down current and up towards the ice. It also pulls my bobber down the hole. Is there any special tricks for running a deadstick in current? Obviously I could try lower current areas, but the fish tend to be more in the current.

 

[CatDaddy]

Go heavier......and bigger bobber

 

[Allen]

Without a lot of details (weight you are using and bobber size), CatDaddy is right on with the general recommendation. The key to bobber fishing is to use the smallest one that works, not the smallest one in the tackle box.

I REALLY try hard to not icefish where there's much current, but there has been a time or two. What worked for me was a threeway setup with a 3/4 oz weight and a floating jig about 24 inches of a mono leader.

Are we to assume you are targeting walleye?

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Oh yeah, and I would facehook the minnow as opposed to through the side.

 

[xflfan69]

I have been fishing for walleye. I was using a 3" ice buster bobber, but I will try upsizing. All I had was a few split shots at first, but I tried a dropper rig with 3/4 oz of weight. That held me in place, but my bobber was too small still. I had been hooking the minnow's back, but I will give face hooking a try.

 

[espringers]

was the dropper rig resting on the bottom? if so, i would think 3" of the thicker bobber would be enough...

 

[xflfan69]

was the dropper rig resting on the bottom? if so, i would think 3" of the thicker bobber would be enough...

The weight was on the bottom. It seemed that the current was bowing the line and pulling the bobber down under the ice. I'm gonna give it a try with an open water slip bobber on the dropper rig tomorrow maybe.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Dump the bobber and get a clicker reel. IMHO, it's the only way to successfully deadstick in current.

I've done it two ways with success on the river: Either hang a standard 1/4 oz jig with a lip-hooked minnow and set it at your desired depth, or do what you do in the summer and throw down an egg sinker with a lenght of line to a plain hook and lip-hooked minnow (Lindy rig style). Put the rod in a rod holder and wait. You can get away with this without a clicker reel and just set your drag super loose (then give the fish some line and tighten it quick before setting the hook).

 

[Vollmers]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here & say that you must be fishing more than a "bit' of current?

Just getting started ice fishing on smaller river with a bit of current. Ice is good, around 16". I have had trouble with my deadstick rod. The current sweeps my minnow away down current and up towards the ice. It also pulls my bobber down the hole. Is there any special tricks for running a deadstick in current? Obviously I could try lower current areas, but the fish tend to be more in the current.

 

[johnr]

Careful ice fishing on anything with current. Taking a dip in a break through situation will likely be your last.

 

[xflfan69]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here & say that you must be fishing more than a "bit' of current?

It is the Red Lake River, so not too much current compared to the Red anyway.

 

[Fly Carpin]

I've done really well on sauger and walleye in the Red Lake River near Crookston with a darter style jig and a lip hooked minnow as Duckslayer suggested. Large icebuster or a deadstick rod like the JT Walleye Snare

 

[SDMF]

Just getting started ice fishing on smaller river with a bit of current. Ice is good, around 16". I have had trouble with my deadstick rod. The current sweeps my minnow away down current and up towards the ice. It also pulls my bobber down the hole. Is there any special tricks for running a deadstick in current? Obviously I could try lower current areas, but the fish tend to be more in the current.

A 'Sconi confounded by hydrodynamics and gravity. Anyone surprised?

 

[xflfan69]

A 'Sconi confounded by hydrodynamics and gravity. Anyone surprised?

I'm not from sconiland. Just because my profile says I am, doesn't mean I am. It must have autofilled when I registered last year.

 

[CatDaddy]

I'm not from sconiland. Just because my profile says I am, doesn't mean I am.

Oh, and I suppose you're not really an XFL fan either? What about 69? Sheesh, I guess you have to be careful what you believe on the interweb these days...

 

[xflfan69]

Oh, and I suppose you're not really an XFL fan either? What about 69? Sheesh, I guess you have to be careful what you believe on the interweb these days...

I actually was an XFL fan, but am no longer as it doesn't exist.

I plan to try to the darter jig as recommended by Fly Carpin. If the bigger bobber doesn't work out for me, I will try the deadstick option.

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I've done really well on sauger and walleye in the Red Lake River near Crookston with a darter style jig and a lip hooked minnow as Duckslayer suggested. Large icebuster or a deadstick rod like the JT Walleye Snare

Crookston is where I plan to fish again. Where would I want to fish "near" to do "really well"?

 

[Big C]

In fishing current in the past, I would use a 3-way swivel with a 1/2 oz jig below the swivel about 6-10 inches. Lip hook a minnow on the jig. Off the other side of the 3 way I would use either a plain hook with a lip hooked minnow or tie up a short spinner/bead/hook with a minnow. Figured could use a heavy jig instead of just a weight below the three-way.

 

[SDMF]

Crookston is where I plan to fish again. Where would I want to fish "near" to do "really well"?

'Sconi ice-pirate identified. He can't figure out how to make lead sink, nor where to fish. Fuggin' 'Sconi's.