FINAL CUT

JUST RELAX, YOU’LL CATCH MORE FISH

By Matt Johnson – Guide and Ice Team Manager

We live fast-paced lives. Everything is go, go, go. Speed is often considered something of importance, whether it’s in reference to sports, completing tasks, get to and from locations, and even productivity on the ice. How fast can you move from spot to spot, how fast can you drill a series of holes, or whatever the objective. However, it’s time for an abrupt stop. A halt on your fishing tendencies. It’s time to relax and focus—because it will help you catch more fish.

How and why exactly will slowing down, relaxing, breathing, help you catch more fish? Well, we play into the mood of the fish, and we give ourselves time to focus on the details of the catch. Why do you think a golfer takes a moment to channel their focus before making a shot? Or what about a pool player? They do this so they can make the best shot, to make sure they don’t make mistakes, and ultimately to achieve the best outcome and to be successful. This way of thinking can easily be applied to ice fishing, especially when it comes to the battle between you and the fish.

So, just how do we implement a little relaxation and focus into ice fishing? Well, we do it by slowing down and paying attention. We fine-tune our approach when dropping a lure down to the fish. We swim the lure more than we “hop” the lure when the situation calls for it. We pay attention to subtle changes in line movement, absence of weight, changes in jigging sequence, and any unexpected wiggles of the spring bobber. We train ourselves to notice the little things, because we allow ourselves to slow down, relax and focus.

A great way to do this is to start using spooler style reels if you haven’t already. I prefer the ones where you need to still pull the line out by hand, rather than pushing a lever or button and the lure drops quickly down to the fish. I like stripping the line by hand because it allows me to 100% control the speed at which the lure falls to the fish. I can now force myself to slow down and focus, and as importantly— work the entire water column. It’s amazing how many fish we miss because we “bomb” the lure down the fish. We see that red mark on our Vexilar and we shoot it straight down, only to miss the potential of a better opportunity on the way down if we just took a little more time.

You also want to focus on slower movements while jigging. Now, I’m not huge on doing nothing (deadstick approach) when it comes to ice fishing. I understand there are certainly situations that call for it, but I’d rather just drastically slow down my sequence rather than do nothing. It’s amazing how fast and aggressive we like to move the lure under the ice. I can’t imagine that the fish don’t get headaches trying to keep up with the movements that we present below the ice. Slowing down—but not stopping—will give you the best of both worlds and can sometimes be the single-most change that it takes to catch more fish. Swim the lure and make it glide or quiver. Lose the quick hops, darts and shakes. Sure, when the bite is aggressive, they will crush it, but oftentimes we find ourselves dealing with negative or neutral fish while ice fishing. Slow down and focus on the movements of your lure to properly entice the fish.

Pay closer attention to your Vexilar—it tells us a lot more than we think. Watch what the fish do in reaction to what you do. Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t, how quick the fish shy’s away from a jigging sequence or how interested it becomes. Make mental notes of the wins and losses. Duplicate the successes and change the rejections. Don’t go insane (which be definition can mean to repeat something over and over knowing you’ll get the same negative result). Your Vexilar is your fish’s mood indicator. Rely on it and learn from it. Slowly work the lure away from the fish, even if it seems interested. Then watch your line, spring bobber or rod tip as the fish closes in. Feel for absence of weight. This is where slowing down and focusing can make you a better ice angler. Use the tools to your advantage.

The bottom line here is that we can all relax a little. We can all slow down and focus on the smaller details and adjustments that need to be made. We can leave the fast-paced life for when we’re off the ice—at least when we’re in battle with the fish. Run-andgun to find the fish and locate the school, but then take a moment to breathe and slow down when it’s time to engage with those marks on your Vexilar. You’ll be surprised how a little bit of concentration can turn into big rewards. Here’s to a little bit of R&R and a lot more fish! n