STAND YOUR GROUND.

The most convenient way to ensure your tailbone won’t meet that hellaciously hard ice, just strap the Apex Ice Cleat on, grab your auger and start punching holes knowing there’s no ice condition these babies can’t sink their teeth into.

20 MULTI-DIRECTIONAL, SAW-TOOTH STAINLESS CLEATS FOR THE ULTIMATE TRACTION AND QUICK MOBILITY.

Iknow that we are all itching to get some safe ice here in Illinois as our neighbors to the north have already been out on the ice for the past month. Our time will come and when it does, I am sure that most of us will be ready to hit our favorite lakes and/or ponds.

When hitting the ice we have been given so many different options in jig types that it can easily make your head spin. We have lead, tungsten, horizontal, vertical, swimming, pounding, and the list goes on and on. However, there is one item that many fishermen take for granted and that is the type of bait that they choose to add to their jigs.

Some purist anglers have made the choice and often express their strong opinion on the use of live bait on their offerings. Be it wax worms, spikes, or eurolarve they all are options that the angler has while chasing fish through the ice.

Live bait is an excellent way to offer up an easy meal to your quarry, however many people often overlook the use of specialized plastics that can often out produce live bait under many situations.

Some days it doesn’t seem to matter what type of live bait you tip your jig with you just can’t seem to entice those bigger fish to take your offering. In my opinion it is days like these that it is time to switch things up a little and pull out the plastic. Hand poured plastics are the way to go as they offer a more supple plastic that has much more movement in the colder water.

Plastics for the winter are just like those used by bass fisherman all around the globe as they come in multiple shapes, colors, sizes, and even flavors. However, it seems best when out on the ice to keep it simple and work with a few shapes and colors. You don’t want to be overburdened with so much gear you just can’t seem to pull your sled.

These plastic baits have been specially designed to imitate insects that you may find under the surface of the ice. The shapes and colors are that of different larvae of these insects that the panfish are often feeding on during the winter.

I have recently listened to Mr. Scott Brauer from Maki plastics talk about how the evolution of the ice fishing plastics has developed into an entire industry of itself. This man knows more about bugs than one would ever want to know. This is what has helped him develop his products for CLAM outdoors and grow his brand under the MAKI name.

It is very interesting to hear him talk about the reason for the colors, shapes and sizes of these plastics and how they have evolved over time. It is something that you would not think was much of a science, however the way Scott has approached this it certainly is a sort-of science in the approach that is taken to develop these baits.

As mentioned, there are a multitude of shapes an colors of these plastics and it is often difficult to narrow down just which one you should put on your hook. To me I have not really gotten down to the science of the color but have developed my own technique in which I choose my baits.

I tend to choose a few colors that cover the spectrum of forage, and light conditions that I may face. Red is always a great color as it can simulate a blood worm that is often found in most lakes. White is a good choice as well and to round things off grab a black and chartreuse. The black will give a nice profile in the low light conditions and in the brighter sunlight the chartreuse can call in fish from long distances.

The key to a good plastic is that it is soft and supple even in the cold temperatures. You want to look for something that is going to give you the most action under the frozen surface. It also doesn’t hurt to have something with a little flavor like Anise or garlic. These tend to keep the fish holding onto the bait longer and offering a better chance and a good hookset.

Most of the time I find that the use of a horizontal style jig works best; This style of jig allows the plastic to move freely and offers the best action to the plastic. The fish see the tail and the erratic movement and to them it is a struggling larvae or blood worm.

Now you might think “why not just use the same live bait that the fish would be feeding on”? That is not necessary a simple question to answer, but I can tell you from experience that there have been times on the ice when the plastics have proven to out produce live bait hands down. As mentioned earlier these plastics are developed to look like the actual insects that the fish are feeding on during these winter months. The key is to “match the hatch” as most fly fisherman would say.

Now this is not to say that I strictly am using plastics. On the contrary. I love using a big juicy wax worm or a minnow head when chasing fish through the ice, however plastics are proving to be an easier, quicker and often better producer of larger fish.

In my neck of the woods bait shops are not always easy to find and when you do find one you are at the mercy of their unusual hours of operation. This is yet another reason that I tend to lean more on plastics. They are something that I always have on me and don’t need to rely on a local bait dealer to be open.

In my opinion plastics should be in every ice fisherman’s box as they are often times a better substitute for live bait. They will bring in the larger fish and often will entice a bite out of the finickiest of fish. They also last much longer than live bait and are easier to use on those bitter cold days.

The next time you are out on the ice and the bite turns tough or you just can’t seem to get those bigger fish to go, switch up to some plastics and give them a go.

Ice fishing offers multiple new experiences over traditional open water fishing. The ability to sit in a heated shelter is one advantage, as is staying precisely in one spot when over a weed line or brush pile. The relatively low cost of the equipment and quick access to your local water are other reasons to enjoy the sport. But, for me, nothing can match sight fishing through the ice.

Few other experiences top the close-range interaction with nature as a bluegill swimming up to a bait, mouthing it, spitting it, and eventually eating it—all two feet below my feet. The hookset and satisfying fight is icing on the cake. Sure a standard sonar can represent this encounter via pixels, and topwater fishermen see a strike during the summer, but the multiple feeding methods of different species in winter has no comparison.

My favorite species to sight fish is the bluegill in shallow weedy bays. Occasionally, a late season crappie, or even a small pike will move in. To find the green weedlines active with fish look towards northern bays with shallow water. Drive these bays in the fall to check weedline locations and depth. If fish are here in November they will still be feeding at ice up in December. While some areas remain productive throughout the season, by late ice the warming creeks will again bring the weedline to life with fresh water, high oxygen content, and green weeds.

With my Lowrance Active Target forward facing sonar I can find the weeds easily.

An underwater camera greatly assists in understanding the weed line and if you have green weeds. Even a black-and-white camera will indicate if the weeds are sturdy and alive instead of wilted and brown. The camera makes finding the exact weedline easy and occasionally even shows some fish in the immediate area. All of these clues greatly increase an angler’s confidence in the spot.

Sight fishing can be done with and without a shelter. The Clam Scout XL Shelter is easy to position and move throughout the day. Or a Stealth Spearfish Thermal Hub house will work great being it is all Black on the inside and roomy enough to take the kids fishing with you. Without a shelter, key hints like standing with your back to the sun (to hide the hole) and keeping your line to the side of the hole (so the hole edge breaks up your profile) reduces the chance of the fish spotting you before attacking the lure.

Rarely do winter bluegills attack the lure without watching it first. The fish swim in slowly then sit and move their fins while studying the bait. The temptation to stop jigging must be controlled because the fish liked something they saw. If I keep moving I have a chance, if I freeze my hookup rate drops as usually the jig starts to spin.

The next event is what defines bluegills for me: The sniffing and pecking at the lure before the actual take. Those tiny mouths expertly suction prey into the mouth, taste it, and reject it. This may happen three or four times in a row. On sonar, this turns into a guessing game as the fish may grab the non-hook end of the lure and many hooksets end without success. Visually, I can see the lure disappear knowing that a hookset will be successful.

Just as vital is knowing when a fish turns away from a presentation. A hop or jig with slightly too much energy that turns the fish away gives a hint to tone down the delivery. A fish that watches for agonizingly long minutes might finally respond to a specific action that, when repeated, seems to be magic the rest of the day.

My rod of choice is the 28” Katana Ultra-Light using the Gravity strait line reel it helps reduce line twist. Three-pound Frost Ice Premium Monofilament Metered line in orange helps identify bites when not sight fishing and is light enough to generate the delicate jig motions needed for finicky panfish. A #10 Clam Pro Tackle Dropkick jig with live bait or a white Maki Jamei works wonders in most situations. I also use the 1/32 oz Pinhead Pro in Gold Black Halo with 2 colored euro larvae on each hook.

When fishing a new area, I always drop a camera to view the weeds and visualize my presentation. Using the camera in down-view mode helps dial in your jigging presentation.

When that first fish comes along I can identify the species, monitor my presentation, and evaluate the response of that fish. Even if I miss that fish I have learned key information that can be applied the rest of the day. After a few encounters I may pull the camera and work exclusively with a sonar, but those images from the initial drops fuel my knowledge for the rest of the session.

Take advantage of the unique aspects of ice fishing and watch the bite. If the fish are there, I see them, If the fish are finicky, I figure them out. All this happens within inches of my feet under the ice.

Captain Scott Seibert

In the pantheon of destination fisheries, Lake Cascade, Idaho has recently risen to national prominence as a trophy perch lake nearly unrivaled in the production of monster yellow perch. Ice Team Pro Don Cox has a renowned history of success on the lake, serving as guide and mentor to numerous anglers looking to stick a jumbo perch. For the past several years, Don has been part of a group of anglers that made the trek westward to target these legendary Cascade perch through the ice.

This year, Don was accompanied by a couple Lake Cascade firsttimers seeking to utilize his experience to help them maximize their chances of snagging a giant. While most newcomers to Lake Cascade quickly get overwhelmed by the sheer size and variety of structure present in the lake, Don took some time to outline several of the factors that will quickly help to eliminate unproductive fishing and help to maximize the chances of icing a Lake Cascade giant. According to Don, proper gear, the selection of electronics, and understanding the fishery all contribute to success.

Before you even depart for the lake, choosing some tried-and-true baits will coax those fish into biting. The CLAM Pro Tackle Tikka Minnow’s ripping and gliding action draw big perch in, and trigger the bite. Another go-to lure, the CLAM Pro Tackle Leech Flutter Spoon, tipped with some live bait, features both the flash and the flutter that perch crave. Finally, the CLAM Pro Tackle Pinhead Mino allows for a quick drop to active fish, and an enticing wobble if they get tight-lipped. Having a variety of colors and sizes at the ready will increase your ability to respond to how the fish react throughout the day.

The next factor for success is simply navigating the lake effectively in order to maximize fishing time. At over 20 miles long, and almost five miles wide at the widest point, Cascade is a significant body of water to cover with a variety of contours and structure. In addition, Lake Cascade experiences dense fog, and at times, heavy snow, that can shroud the entire lake in a trackless haze. One minute, the view is pristine and clear, and the next, fog rolls in and travel without GPS becomes challenging, and even dangerous. Using a GPS phone app, like Navionics, or a stand-alone GPS unit will ensure safe navigation through any conditions. Marking your lake access point, slush pockets, and fishing hot spots will certainly help keep everyone safe and productive through the Cascade trip.

Probably the most critical factor to success is the ability to identify and interpret information from your Vexilar. Because Lake Cascade is chock full of several year classes of yellow perch, marking fish with the Vexilar is not a challenging task. More than likely, from five feet of water out until the lake’s deepest point, the screen will light up with perch flitting around. Correctly interpreting the marks on the screen will help sort out time spent fishing and targeting trophy-size fish. Small perch will often appear as a single, large mark, only to break apart as they approach the lure. Fishing areas with high populations of smaller perch requires fishing through the swarm, and paying close attention to when larger fish shoulder their way through the herd to strike. Newcomers to the lake will often spend too much time working schools of smaller perch, and getting frustrated with a lack of results. Sometimes areas with fewer small perch will feature cruising giants that flash onto the screen and react to more aggressive jigging techniques.

As a CLAM Pro Staffer, and selfproclaimed ice fishing fanatic, Don puts in the time on the ice to push the boundaries of the best fishing gear on the planet. Each of these tips will help you maximize your time and effectiveness on the ice, and ensure the highest possible chance to strike Lake Cascade gold. Slab perch are in abundance, and this fishery features the best opportunity to put a true trophysize perch on the ice. And if you see Don on the ice, stop by and thank him for your trophy catch.

The midwinter doldrums can be a tough time to land on a hot bite. A mixture of tip-ups and jigging rods may be needed to keep the action going. At this point, evidence of successful trips is scattered around the freezer like a chronologically curated ziplock museum.

Not every day on the ice ends with a nice take of your favorite fish.

Sometimes a mixed bag of various species, of all different shapes sizes ends up making it to the fillet table. With many textures and thicknesses of meat that may be kicking around the freezer, it can be a challenge coming up with ideas to maximize the fish you have on hand. Instead of letting those bags of fish turn into unidentifiable snow-covered popsicles, make them the star of the party!

This recipe for fish fritters will change all of that. Use any combination of fish you’ve got, this recipe is simple delicious and guaranteed to be the top dog of the snack table.