Where do l start fishing on a strange body of water?

It's basically the same, whether you're fishing through the ice or on open water. I look for some sort of visual structure that fish will relate to. Points of land that jut out into the lake, trees that have fallen into the water, and feeder creeks that flow into or out of the lake. These are all high percentage spots that have produced for me over the years.

How deep should I fish?

That 8 1/4 lb spec came out of 12 inches of water below 2 l/2 ft. of ice, approximately 5 feet from shore. When ice fishing for specs, I like to fish as shallow as possible. I firmly believe that when the fish are in shallow cruising the shoreline, they are on the feed and will actively chase down their prey. Yet when they are suspended out in deeper water, they are in a neutral or inactive mood and the only way to take them is to put the bait right in front of their noses.

Another reason is that the forage base is in tight to shore under fallen trees, rocks, etc. trying to hide from these voracious predators. For a minnow to swim out in deeper water would be suicide.

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