All the variations of jigs and vertical jigs work well ice fishing. A good selection of Rapala ice jigs, Luhr Jensen's Crippled Herring, Hopkins vertical spoons, Sweedish Pimples, Mr. Twisters, and an assortment of the small stamped metal fluorescent ice jigs will complete your arsenal Select the size that matchs up with the species you're after. Experiment to see how the fish want their snacks on a given day. Try the jigs tipped with a maggot or minnow, and sometimes plain. Vary your jigging action, and depth til you're catching fish. Try different colors, although if I could only select one color the rest of my life, it would be chartreuse.

Fishing two lines can be difficult when the fish are hitting, and I can usually catch more fish concentrating on working one line with proper attention than trying to keep up with two rods. If things slow down, experiment with a different bait, or just a minnow on a plain hook on a second line. If there's one secret or unique tactic I have, its that I don't like to set the rod down when I'm fishing. I try all kinds of jigging patterns, and try to remember which technique brought the most strikes. I also miss fewer strikes this way, instead of trying to be quick on the draw watching and grabbing for a stationary rod that is getting action.

I've found that the locations that produce in open water, are also productive through the ice. No need to re-invent the wheel here. Try to locate over drop offs or structure, and with modern hand or power augers and portable huts, moving til you find the fish is easy. Fishing new lakes isn't hard, fisherman will congregate over schools of fish, and there's always room to set up near-by.

The more time you spend ice fishing you'll develop your own preferences on equipment and tactics, and most good open water fisherman are also good ice fisherman. The principles of catching fish are the same, just the methods of ice fishing are different. And some people even find ice fishing more productive than open water. Here in Pennsylvania, the state records for walleye and northern pike were caught through the ice. Whether trying to land trophies or tablefare, ice fishing today can be the best fishing of the year, and a very healthy addiction.

TrackBack URI for this entry

0 Comments

Click to Listen!