Hitting the bottom

[HowSwedeItIs]

If you don't have a flasher or sonar or anything, what are some good ways to tell if you've hit bottom? Using a light jig on my marmish rod it was tough to know if I was working at the right depth, I know the website says the indicator will flatten out when the lure is on the bottom but the jig was so light it was hard to tell. Can I pinch a couple weights to the line without hurting the action too much?

[Weedy1]

If you don't have a flasher or sonar or anything, what are some good ways to tell if you've hit bottom? http://www.bloomberg.com/energy

or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Clip-on-ice-fishing-depth-finder-weights-orange-1-1-2-oz-/291641272468?hash=item43e72ca894:g:aSUAAOSw9r1WALn m

[Gillfisher]

I usually put a reasonable sized weight on a line with no hooks, pull my line off the reel in 1 foot sections and count the pulls. I have been out more than once drilled holes set up my tent only to find out the bottom is only a few feet down.

[Kim473]

You should be able to see the line go slack and the indicator move. When you think you found the bottom, you can put a kink in your line with your fingers to make it easier to see the line go slack. Use tungsten hooks, = heavier than steel or lead.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Get a rapala center pin ice reel. They unwind with light weight lures and just plain stop once hit bottom

[Bobby B.]

In my bib overall pocket, I carry a 1 oz bell weight. I simply attach the weight to my hook and lower it down. It's far easier to detect the bottom with a heavy weight as compared to a jig. I then set my bobber stopper. Next, I reel up and detach the weight. Finally, I adjust the stopper to position my hook 12" above the bottom, bait my hook, and lower it down.

Bobby

[EZM]

With floating monofilament, and tiny hooks, the buoyancy of the line overcomes the weight of the hook ........ so adding some weight a little higher can be helpful.

This can happen with bigger hooks, on tip ups, when trying to sink a buoyant herring too ........ so I rig up a bead, sliding egg slip sinker up about 30" and wait for that to hit bottom - then reel up the 30"-36" so my herring is just off bottom.

Typically I tie this up to a swivel so I can quickly change out to trebles, or a different size hook, or different set up altogether. The bead stops the sliding egg sinker from sliding down and crashing into my hooks/bait.

I have found the line down to the egg sinker is straight and tight, with the presentation below (which is neutrally buoyant) loosely floating and any current or fish activity makes the bait move "ringing the dinner bell" for fish.

This set up, of course, would work on a much smaller scale as well, for perch, using smaller beads, smaller sliding sinkers, and, of course, size 14 hooks.

Here's a picture of the set up I use.

[HowSwedeItIs]

Sorry for the necropost just wanted to say thank you all for the responses, made it back out to the lake and tried a few different ways and discovered a nice drop off point after drilling a few holes. Landed my first fish of the season- feeling hopeful! Thanks again all!

[HoytCRX32]

In my bib overall pocket, I carry a 1 oz bell weight. I simply attach the weight to my hook and lower it down. It's far easier to detect the bottom with a heavy weight as compared to a jig. I then set my bobber stopper. Next, I reel up and detach the weight. Finally, I adjust the stopper to position my hook 12" above the bottom, bait my hook, and lower it down.

Bobby

X2

[Who Da Fisherman]

I usually put a reasonable sized weight on a line with no hooks, pull my line off the reel in 1 foot sections and count the pulls. I have been out more than once drilled holes set up my tent only to find out the bottom is only a few feet down.

This and i use a bobber stop string so i know how high off the bottom
Cheers
WDF

[fishingallday]

Does anyone use their line clip to set their depth? I'm going to try it, honestly didn't even know that's what it was for. Only problem I see would be a big fish tearing the line.