enjoying the shanty

Hi Folks, Plugging away at the hard water guiding.  Keeping me a busy and tugging on fish in the winter.  Still lots of snow on the ice and getting around is tough.  18" plus of ice that is covered by water, slush, and lots of snow.  You have to be a little determined to ice fish right now.  However, having a shanty is great and once inside you can forget what is going on with the weather.  Found smelt yesterday on the bottom in 25' of water.  Hali jigs tipped with maggots once again were the ticket.  Silver and copper colored Halis seemed to work the best.  Did encounter random schools of perch that would temporarily drive off the smelt.  Caught a few larger perch on tip-ups dressed with rosy red minnows yesterday.  We have been setting our tip-ups in deepre water but just under the ice.  The trout bite has been slow but the smelt fishing has been great.  Love eating smelt.  Remember to obey the bait laws and keep VHS at home.  Have Fun, Willy