Winter can really flip the sport and past time of fishing on its head for us. There are no boats, no tan lines, no trolling, no casting, and no waves. Instead, we have a frozen lake that we need to drill into like its concrete hoping to find fish. Winter ice fishing is a different animal! It requires different tactics, techniques, and a whole different approach. So, to ensure we aren’t stuck out in the cold with a motionless bobber, we have some ice fishing tips for you depending on how you want to attack ice fishing. Give these ice fishing tips a try and maybe your jigglestick will see some action.
Ice Fishing Coverage on AllOutdoor
- Ice Fishing for Beginners: A Complete Guide to Get Started
- Ice Fishing Safety: Tips & Best Practices to Stay Above Water
- Ice Fishing for Northern Pike on the Lakes of Saskatchewan
- Winter Ice Fishing the Southern Region Lakes of Manitoba
- Ice Fishing for Walleye on the Lakes of Saskatchewan
Ice Fishing Tips: Techniques for Hard Water (Ice Fishing)
When it comes to ice fishing there are several ways that you can go about it. Depending on the species of fish you want to pursue, what type of ice shelter (or lack thereof) you’re looking to deploy, and how much money you’re looking to invest can all change the equation as to what ice fishing technique is best for you. These are the main methods you could try:
- “Jiggle Stick” (Winter Ice Fishing Rod)
- Tip-Ups
- Spearing
- Rattle Reels
All of these methods can catch a lot of fish for you. It simply depends on how passive or active that you want to be in your process of fishing. We will walk through all of them so you can decide what might be your speed.
Jiggle Stick
Many of us can recall childhood memories of sitting on a dock in the summer and jigging for panfish (whether you had a Mickey Mouse bobber or not). Those same basic, childhood principles apply to jiggle stick fishing in the winter. Like being on that dock, with ice fishing you are stuck to a singular spot until you drill a new ice fishing hole. Patience is important, rhythmic jigging up and down to simulate a distressed fish or lively bait, and colorful hooks all help attract fish.
- Slip Bobber or Fixed Bobber
- Colorful Hooks or Jig Heads
- Bonus: Add Bait – Minnows, Wax Worms, Powerbait, etc.
If you are fishing in shallow water, you might entertain employing a fixed bobber. You’ll have a shorter distance to jerk, set the hook, and pull up a fish. If you are fishing in deeper water (10 plus feet), a slip bobber will make life easier as you reel in a fish. Using a classic or modern jiggle stick for ice fishing can allow you to bring topside a lot of different species.
- Yellow Perch, Crappies, Sunfish
- Walleye, Sauger, Saugeye
- Trout, Salmon
- Bass
Tip-Ups
Tip-up fishing can be a more fun yet passive way to go about fishing. Often used for more prized or game fish like walleye and northern pike, a tip-up has all of the basic components of a fishing rod – spool of line, hook, bait, etc – but it is something that you are meant to “set it and forget it.” That is, until the flag goes up. So, what is up with that flag?
You are laying this tip-up across an ice hole with your line and hook set to an appropriate depth to hopefully catch a fish. The spool of line is underwater at all times. If the spool of line was above and wet, it could freeze. If it stays underwater the entire time except for when we are pulling up a fish, it won’t freeze. Now, about that flag. With the tip-up situated as described, there is a flag laid across the tip-up in a bent, spring-loaded fashion. The moment a fish grabs your hook and runs with it, the tip-up launches your spring-loaded flag in the air to let you know It’s Go Time!
If you’re fishing with a group a friends, a mad dash and “Royal Rumble” can occur as people compete to be the lucky one who can reel up the fish. When you’re dressed up looking like the Michelin Man because its so cold and there’s snow everywhere, what’s a little friendly wrestling among friends going to hurt? Even if you’re fishing alone, the excitement of a tip-up flag springing into action will still make you want to sprint.
Spearing
Spearing can be an extremely exciting form of ice fishing. There is something primal about seeing a fish come in – like watching a game animal approach while hunting – and then thrusting a spear through the water to get your next meal. Spearing in many states is only meant for northern pike, but there are rare exceptions. The prep work for spearing takes the longest. The act of waiting and spearing is the easier part.
To prepare your ice spearing hole, you can either chisel out an area large enough if the ice is thin enough, or you can opt to use an ice auger and drill out most of the area you’ll need. Then, with ice chips and shavings everywhere, scoop those out of your hole so you only have water. Next, whatever ice shelter you might be deploying – a structured house (large or small) or a canvas tent – you can bank up with surrounding snow and ice. This’ll prevent wind from blowing in and making you cold. It can also ensure strong wind gusts don’t blow away your ice shelter while you’re inside it.
With your spearing hole ready and an ice shelter setup, next you will want to drop down a decoy. This can be done typically from the ceiling of your ice shelter. You will want to be spearing in water that’s 10 feet or less (you lose speed throwing your spear in any deeper water and have a lower likelihood of getting a fish). You can set your decoy at about 1/2 to 3/4 of the depth you are spearing at. Jigging your decoy can make it visible to fish from further away in murky water, but it can make them approach faster as well (making them more difficult to spear). So, choose your tactics wisely. Jig or don’t jig. Use one, or multiple decoys. It is something that is considered “dealer’s choice.” It’s up to you.
Also, make sure that your spear has a rope attached to it and is tied to your thigh or ankle. The last thing you want is to thrust your mighty spear at a beautiful fish and then it is laying on the bottom of a lake where you can’t retrieve it.
Rattle Reels
Rattle reels are a fourth and final way in which you can give ice fishing a try. Rattle reels are attached the wall of your ice shelter. Whether it is a large RV style fish house, a smaller ice house, or even a canvas walled tent. All of these different ice shelters allow for the ability to run a rattle reel.
What a rattle reel is, is a spool of line that will have a rattle – some bells or something to make an audible noise – if a fish takes your line and runs with it. While attached to the wall of an ice shelter, you can set your depth, add a bobber, bait, and all of the normal accoutrements of fishing. Then, it is simply waiting for the rattle to occur. Once you hear noise, you know a fish is on the line and it is time to get ready to pull in a fish.
Ice Fishing Tips
All of the ice fishing tips and techniques are time-tested methods that have been used for years. It all boils down to how active or passive you maybe want to be while ice fishing. Maybe you have younger fishermen with, and while helping them, you need more free time (passive methods might be handy). Maybe you’re fishing alone and want to be in on the action (more active ice fishing tips like spearing and jigglestick fishing could be better).
As always, let us know all of your thoughts about these ice fishing tips, and share with us any ice fishing tips or techniques that you might have! We always appreciate your feedback.
The post Ice Fishing Tips: The Techniques to Get Fish to the Top Side of Hard Water appeared first on AllOutdoor.com.
