Picking the Right Spot on the Ice

A fishy situation

Come equipped to do some serious fishing. Local bait shops can advise you on where the fish are biting. Recently cut holes tell a story of how active that spot has been. Pay attention to where other angers are fishing. Quietly move into their vicinity, but never expect them to make allowances for your arrival.

Using fishing sonar & depth finders and understanding how it works separates the successful anglers from the blowhards. Aggressively locate the fish, don't wait for them to find you. Before setting up your ice house or fishing shanty, dig several holes: some in deep water and some a few yards from a weed bed. Drilling holes compensates for not being able to drift through the area.

Setting up house

Moving from hole to hole means remaining mobile, with ice fishing equipment handy. Do not spread your gear around the ice so that it takes precious time to gather everything. Keep your ice shelter portable and not overloaded. Packed ice fishing sleds allow for quick relocation. Drill a few holes, move the shelter over the holes, start your heater, and fish for a few minutes. Regularly check other holes. Move on if the fish are not biting.

Once you've found the fish, the bait you use will entice them to stay and lure in others. Fish prefer fresh bait, but if they are not biting, quickly change what you are serving for dinner.

Into the night

Your ice house is your command post where you retreat when the wind and cold are getting the best of you. It is a means to extend your hours of productive fishing during the half-hour before sunset, until dark. Fish are biting, but not always able to see the bait. Switch to glow-in-the-dark bait during these hours. Glow jigs can attract crappies and walleye even after dark and work well in dark waters during daylight hours.

A productive ice-fishing trip is dependent upon location and initiating a strategic plan.