WHEN IT COMES TO DRILLING HOLES, VLADYKA IS A REGULAR CONSTRUCTION WORKER.

blank and tapping it like a piano key as he taps, he raises the rod 1 or 2’ and then he lowers that while keeping slack out of the line and always tapping. the rod tip quivers but doesn’t whip even when he’s holding the rod stationary or during a slow lifting of the rod, he is using his index finger to Pat the blank what this does is make the string of spikes or soft plastic wave upand-down Vladyka said it’s a very enticing action. in addition to hooking multiple larvae on a single jig Vladyka also says that soft plastic is needed for the midwinter crisis. The Jamei a soft plastic bait that Vladyka helped his longtime friend Scott Brauer owner of maki plastic design is a great bait for this time of the year its long body with short Celia hairs coming out each side and a twin tail design giving it a grass shrimp imitation. that and its tremendous action seem to be a combo the fish can’t refuse. It has become a go to for a lot of anglers across the ice belt myself included.

No Shoveling Zone

The problem of snow around and ice divot often comes under consideration during midwinter conditions many anglers will clear snow away from a hole simply because it’s easier to work but Vladyka only removes the snow that his auger whisked away when drilling I think the fish get spooked by suddenly having the bright light come down on them he said this doesn’t matter when it’s overcast and snowing but on a bright Sunny day I think it can be a real turn off for the fish. When it comes to drilling holes, Vladyka is a regular construction worker. he prefers to drill a lot of holes when he first arrives on the ice rather than making 1 or 2 fishing them than drilling 1 or 2 more. “The winner world is pretty quiet” Vladyka explained I think that’s why I like ice fishing so much if you are always making noise, it doesn’t seem right to the fish they tend to slink away. drilling and scooping out a dozen or so holes at a time means the fish can forget the chatter and resume their lives if while drilling if they move off and frighten the intervening times gives them the chance to return also the multitude of holes is Vladyka’s idea of covering a lot of ice for scattered fish. it’s nice if they are tight in schools but once you get thick ice and a lot of covering snow that’s not the norm he said some good cover might hold a pack of panfish but more often they spread around working a lot of holes gives you a chance to find more individual fish in addition Vladyka will spread his holes over a range of depths covering 1 to 2’ increments until you find the fish, You have to move a lot in the winter it’s the name of the game. I encourage anyone if they have never been to Vermont to make time to go if you get to fish with Vladyka that will be a bonus.

Captain James Vladyka

802 774 8042

www.fishhoundsoutdoors.com

Vic Attardo

Ithink its fair to say that ice fisherman spend as much or more time modifying their equipment than any other angling group. While companies such as Clam have innovated and improved products to the point modifications aren’t as needed as they once were, its still fun to do. In some cases, regional needs can create the need for additional modifications. Here are a few that I do to help me on the rough terrain the Great Lakes is known for in the winter months.

Floor

Larger shacks like the X series have a lot of space for gear, but to fully take advantage of this space I use a simple hack. Through bolting a thin stripe of ¾’’ plywood to my shack floor keep larger items like minnow buckets, propane bottles and heaters from being turned upside down into a hot mess. This allows me to secure straps or milk crates into the wood, which allows them to be firmly secured in place without putting more holes in your shack tub itself.

Rear Hitch

A rear hitch is a great idea rather you intend to double up shacks or not. If you ice fish enough you will break something and this may just help you or a friend get their gear home. The Clam sled hitch receiver is a great option for doing this, but a quick step will make it even better. Instead of placing the outer two bolts in place to secure, place a 3/8’’ stainless eye bolt in it instead. This allows me to attach chains to another shack that may not have a hitch. An added benefit is you now have a secure place to tie it down on a trailer or way to hang it in your garage’s rafters.

Tackle Tray

If I’m being honest, I have given away a bunch of the Clam center console that come with some of the X series packages. It’s not that I didn’t like it, it’s just that things that aren’t nailed down in my neck of the woods don’t end up being part of the operation. Call it a light bulb moment, but last year I decided to rivet the Clam center console in place. A couple simple rivets on each end and I now have a great shelf for my accessories that will be where I need it.

Rod Storage

Rod storage isn’t important until your rods are either all broke or all woven together. Personally, I use several different methods. The Clam 4 position rod holder is great for making sure extra rods aren’t laying around to get broke or tangled while fishing. I have always struggled with a good rod holder for rods I am actively fishing or using as a dead stick. The newer clam lock system is great for being able to mount bases all around your shack, hub or even your machine. This simple click in accessory system allows for additional items such as a light, phone holder, cup holder and bag to name a few.

A Better Seat

You don’t have to have grey hair to appreciate a good seat. The seats that come with the X series shacks are extremely comfortable, but adding the newer arm rests take it to a new level. Rather its taking a break from fishing or a place to rest your arms while you jig, these add ons are a serious gem. Pair that with the seat back storage for small items or things that can easily be misplaced and you have the total package on your shacks seat.

I’m a guy that likes to keep it simple, but sometimes simple things can help make your life easier and improve your efficiency at the same time.

Ross Robertson bigwaterfishing

When we think of ice fishing equipment we often think of warm clothing, augers, and tackle boxes along with rods, reels, fishing line and lures. The one category of items that is often used but never overly discussed is snaps, swivels, snap swivels, leaders, and split shot, which are commonly referred to as terminal tackle. Although not commonly discussed, terminal tackle plays a huge role in our fishing success and often makes our adventures much easier.

Line twist while jigging can prove to be very frustrating. This is especially true while ice fishing as the bird’s nests and twisted line catching on your fish rod guides can be extremely difficult to deal with particularly with cold hands and windy miserable weather. In addition, twisted lines can often impair the action of your lures or cause unnecessary motion causing them to spin making it impossible to hold a lure completely still as a fish rises from the bottom to check out your suspended lure. I have watched panfish on camera spook from a lure as it spins in circles, yet once the line has untwisted and the lure hangs motionless, the fish don’t hesitate to take the motionless lure.

To alleviate line twists, many an angler, including myself have used snap swivels while icefishing. In doing so the snap swivel is tied to the end of the line using a Palomar knot and then the lure of choice is attached to the line via the snap portion of the swivel. As the lure is jigged up and down, the swivel twists and turns which prevents the line from getting all twisted up. Another benefit of snap swivels is that they make lure changes a simple task of opening the snap, removing the hook, putting a different hook on and then closing the snap.

The downside to snap swivels when fishing with jigs is that you are not able to tie a knot to keep a jig horizontal as the snap allows the jig to pivot and move and when suspended and the jig will often pivot and end up hanging in a vertical presentation as opposed to a horizontal position.

To overcome this when fishing jigs, try using a small barrel swivel on your mainline approximately a foot above where you would tie on your jig. Doing so, helps eliminate line twist and allows you to still be able to tie on a jig. When doing so, choose the smallest size barrel swivel you can get by with. If you want to change your jig, keep cutting the old one off and then retying the new jig on. Once the line under the swivel gets to about 3 inches add on a longer fresh piece of fishing line.

When using the barrel swivels while fishing jigs, I quickly found out that the swivels never interfered with dropping the jigs down hole or on their retrieval. Through trial and error, I discovered that by positioning the swivel with about 12 inches of tag line, I never had any problems reeling it through my top line guide while fishing or while storing my fishing rods. I really like the inline swivel set up, so I set up some rods with swivels and instead of tying on jigs, I tie on a small Duo Lock Snap on the end. Doing so allows me to make quick and easy lure changes just like when using a snap swivel. I particularly find this rigging setup effective when fishing Tikka Minos.

When jigging specifically for northern pike, I will tie on a wire leader. When doing so, I always use wire leaders that incorporate a swivel as I’m not a fan of line twist. While the leader is a little clumsier than mono or fluorocarbon line and isn’t a wise choice for fishing for panfish or walleye, it sure helps save lures from the sharp teeth of hungry pike. While pike don’t seem bothered by a wire leader, it is important to ensure your leader is straight and not twisted as a twisted leader will spoil your presentation. Therefore, if you catch a pike and the leader gets twisted or kinked, tie on a new leader.

Split shot is another form of terminal tackle that ice anglers may utilize at various points throughout the ice fishing season. Split shot is often used when suspending a small lure under a slip bobber so that the bobber is neutral buoyant. Split shot can also be used when fishing with tip ups to help a dead bait like a smelt or cisco drop quickly to the bottom. When using split shot, I often like to use painted or glow split shot for added visibility down hole. In addition, I like to string the split shot, so the lightest pieces are closest to the lure and the heavier ones are higher up the line.