I'm from the north east and I've been punching holes in the ice for years and catching tons of bass through the ice. But the bass I catch are less than a pound. I've spent hours looking on what kinds of structure I should be fishing. The most productive structure I've fished is a gradual slope going from 5 feet of water to about 10 feet with a flat at 10 feet. I'd like to know how to key in on larger bass. Let me know what you guys have on catching quality bass through the ice

Here's what I have on catching quality bass through ice:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going tomorrow for the first time since ice over. Granted I'm in the Northwest, but I'll be fishing a smaller natural lake for big largemouth so the results should be translative.

 

I'll post pics and patterns tomorrow evening. Tight lines!

When I ice fished for bass, the biggest ones would come on a medium 6" sucker under a tip up.  How are you fishing them?

As for structure/cover, I'd say fish weedy flats.  We'd catch ours on 5-10' flats that were still holding plenty of green weeds. 

Next I would try deep structure with some cover be it rocks, wood, whatever.  That's how they target bass in the south in the winter where it still gets cold, but not cold enough to form ice. 

On 12/30/2015 at 6:41 PM, HoosierHawgs said:

Here's what I have on catching quality bass through ice:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me too..................On a lake I fish 200 days a year on, and catch 1000's of bass per season, do you know how many bass I have caught through the ice in the last 5-6 years on this same lake....................ONE.................and it was by accident LOL. I do however, catch them on various ponds through the ice almost every time I go..............but I have them cornered there.

we caught bass through the ice in the 1960's - some over 5lbs. - almost all were caught in less than 4' of water - we fished 1/8 maribou jigs and and 1/16 oz.beetles (no spinner on the beetle) - Haven't lived where it ices over enough to try it since.

 

We use ice jigs to catch winter bass....only ice is in the cooler!

Tom