Sonars & blade baits are deadly for "catching" fish in my experience. I use them through the ice and catch eyes and some bass. I even met a guy on Pymy this winter that caught two cats on them on day. I caught one Carp Sucker through the ice this winter and two years ago. I have used them in Presq Isle for smallmouth and perch with great success and smallmouths and eyes in the river. They work great casting them at times and smallmouth crush them.
  I use Castmasters and Pimples for vertical jigging through the ice also, however the blade baits out produce. Raps and the like also work but I think snag fish far more often than blade baits.
  If you want to observe those that have the intent to snag watch their method. Far more fish are snagged by those that drop the lure onto the bottom on a slack line then pause and hard snap it back up. I think the fish come up and hover over the lure and get snagged on the snap. Those that keep the lure just off the bottom then work it up snag very few fish. Three years ago I caught many eyes through the ice and never snagged one. If you want a smashing strike try casting them in the Allegheny for smallmouths.
 I use Flatfish and Lazy Ikes and Rapalas and spinners of all kinds but I find at certain times Blade baits work great. 
 
 

If u like the flatfish style of bait, check out the Yakima mag lips. They've been very effective for me the last couple years for eyes and steel on Erie.

That's because they bought out Helin bait and tackle.  Mr Helin was the  originator of the flatfish back in the 30s or 40s.  He sold out to Yakima in the early eighties
 

I've fish the spillway from the early 70's. Mind you there has been many years in between that I've never fish it. My last  time was 2007 and 2008. Yes fish are snagged,yes fish are caught inside the mouth. I ice fish a lot and way back in the 70's blade baits where used on Pymy,Berlin,Mosquito. I've probably got 40 of 50 in a ice fishing box. They even worked a Latonka on eyes three winters ago. I've caught eyes,white bass,bass,crappie,
perch,and musky on them through the ice and open water. I just don't like combat fishing anymore,that's one reason I gave up fishing the Erie tribes. I've got a pile of brand new ViBE's in the package if someone interested. I don't know what they sell for now,I bought then in 2007-08. The fish that do hit them seem to be on the drop more than the lift. I've never used the 1/2 oz models. I've had my best luck on the small 1/8 oz ViBE's. Back in the day you'd find me fishing out of Snodgrass in duck season out till Thanksgiving catching limits of eyes in 18' fow. In the winter my best day was 45 eyes using a silver buddy. Oh those where the days. Now I just head to Erie the bay and fill the freezer with jumbos,no crowds and I've acquired a taste for those striped rascals. There on the menu tonight,dipped in Andy's Cajun and introduce to the peanut oil fries,and homemade slaw. 

What time is dinner ? ....lol

6 ish. Ill take out an extra pack. lol This cold March is screwing up my perch fishing. Been catching some big gills and crappie,only went once perching and did good till the wind switched to east and shout them down pronto. There still in deep water,a lot of drinks in the shallows. Town side off Cheastnut or Liberty or out in the deep middle channel. I need 50's and light SW winds.

Fresh Perch or Walleye are hard to beat ! Even harder to say which is better deep fried ,but I'll give Perch a slight grade above. My freezer is empty so hopefully the spring brings on a good bite. Those Erie Rock Bass were awful tasty back in the day too !  

This is making me hungry. My wife substitutes perch fillets for chicken and bakes them chicken parm style with a bit of spaghetti sauce over the cheese. So good. 
 

I hear you dog. I've seen a lot of changes on that lake.   Some good, some not so good.  But that debate is for another time.  I think the thing that has had the biggest impact there (and on fishing in general) is the internet.  Back in the day, stories were passed down by word of mouth and some became exaggerated in the telling, but reputations were made by not only results, but by actions and deeds.  Today, it's too easy for someone to go online and become a self serving expert but what they gain in online persona they sometimes lose in reputation.  Reputations are what people think of you, not what you want to make everyone believe about you.   Most sites have a good core of guys and you can tell that by what OTHER people say about them or how they interact with them.   Unless you fish as a professional, for a living, then each outing should be more about the fishing than the catching....
 
 

Stopped by yesterday at wall to see how the boys were doing. They were catching some perch was all and small at that. No eyes last few days, they claim to cold. I guess there was a confrontation between boat and wall fella with threats and State Troopers were called. Well there are now buoys to keep boats away from the wall. Shore fisherman threatened to shoot holes in boat is what I was told. Shore fisherman claiming he was casting out and boat came in and was blocking him from casting. This is from talking to wall fishermen. I have fished from boat out from wall however I have never fished from the wall. Its not something I care to do however I chuckle at the comradery and fun the fellas seem to enjoy. Even when as yesterday a few were standing there fishing for hours with nothing to show for their effort.