Waxworms, larvae of the greater wax moth make excellent ice fishing baits. Pollen and honey as well as many years’ accumulations of larval skins. The old brood combs that have been exposed to wax moths can be placed in a widemouth fruit jar, covered with fine mesh wire screen (40 to 60 mesh) and held at average room temperature (70 to 75 degrees F.) The period of time required for development of waxworms varies somewhat, but the larval period averages close to a month. The larvae feed at first on the comb itself and are first detected by their gradual assemblage in a mass of webbing from which tunnels of web material extend through the remainder of the comb. As the tunnels are built, wax is consumed and the comb finally weakened and destroyed.

Fishermen who know the waxworm prefer full grown larvae, just ready to spin cocoons may be five days or less. Development of the waxworm after it is in the cocoon may be delayed for a week or longer if the cocoons are placed in a refrigerator at 40 degrees F. When waxworm production is completed, the old bee comb should be carefully destroyed by burning to rule out any possibility of spreading diseases that affect honeybees.

Great quantities of waxworms are sometimes produced quite by accident. A few years ago an OSU graduate student of my acquaintance, who was also a beekeeper, stored his annual crop of honey, still in the combs, in the basement of the house where he roomed. Unfortunately, heat from the nearby furnace provided optimum conditions for development of waxworms and the basement soon became infested with all stages of the greater wax moth. For some reason, the landlady took a negative attitude toward wax moths in her basement and the student was given only a few days to remove the honey, the wax moths and himself from the premises.

Ice fishing is a marvelous winter sport regardless of how seriously one takes it up. When the fish are hitting, almost everyone makes good catches, expert and novice alike. Another interesting thing is that the success rate of most fishermen improves as the season progresses and is ordinarily far better during late winter than in the early part. It has been conjectured that fat stored during the fall may be reduced by the latter part of winter so that the fish become more interested in taking food. Fish that are taken through the ice are almost always in prime condition for table purposes. Furthermore, the removal of large numbers of bluegills from ponds and lakes is highly desirable from the management standpoint since it helps maintain a proper equilibrium between bass and bluegills. But probably the best thing of all about ice fishing is that it helps abate the winter form of a human affliction known as fishing fever.

Ice Fishing Lake Manitoba Narrows

Northern Alberta Fort McMurray Auto Dealers

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