GITCHEE GUMEE ICE ANGLING

It’s a pitch black and brutally cold morning. As we pull into the parking area alongside the south shore of Lake Superior, the sun starts to peek its presence illuminating a vast white landscape. As I take down one more swallow of coffee to warm me up, I go through the details that need to be thought about as we venture offshore into the white ice desert of Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior. The aggressive motion of movement as we hook up our Clam Ice Shacks to the purring Arctic Cats keeps us from letting the cold into our morning bodies. We are off for another adventure on the greatest lake in the world.

We always need to mention the name Chequamegon is derived from an Ojibwa word meaning “place of shallow water,” and refers to the area of Lake Superior that is protected by the Apostle Islands and land locked areas of Redcliff/ Bayfield, Washburn, and Ashland. This area of Lake Superior, much like most of the upper Midwest has been inhabited by native Americans since the dawn of time. And for that, we always pay our respects as we make our way to our favorite fishing spots. The morning commute from the Houston cabin takes us about an hour. The scenery is nothing short of breath taking, and never gets old.

As we take off, the first important thoughts that pass through our minds are about safety. It is never cliché to think/talk about safety during the ice season. Especially when it’s Lake Superior were talking about. Things can, and often change in a hurry. We always travel on the lake in nothing more than an ATV or Snowmobile. In all honesty, we usually walk. Even though the size of the Bay seems like it goes on forever, one does not have to travel far to locate fishable waters.

Gitche Gumee ice fishing is much different from other cultures of ice angling. It is a great body of water that supports a great fishery and needs to be treated with

the uttermost respect. It can be intimidating to think about how to fish it, but in all reality, it is actually quite simple. The modern ice angler can get by with the usual walleye gear when fishing Chequamegon Bay. A heavier walleye ice rod with some braid or fluorocarbon line will work just fine. And depending on the area, monofilament will work as well (for the shallower areas). Same holds true for bait selection(s). A mix of spoons, like a Clam blade and/or your favorite Tika minnows can fit the bill. In all honesty, most lures in a typical walleye box will work. My favorite colors are golds, oranges, whites and pinks. For the deeper waters I like braid and for the shallower waters, I like fluorocarbon or monofilament. Another tid-bit, we always use a barrel swivel and a 18 inch leader and a quick snap for changing out baits on the fly. In short, Lake Superior angling is not much different than your typical walleye factory waters. However, it’s very much the scenery and the fish that make it different!

A great thing about fishing Chequamegon Bay is that it is governed by Wisconsin laws. Meaning each angler is allowed to use 3 lines. This opens up a great opportunity. So of course, we need to talk about dead sticks and the value they hold for the Gitch. I never ice fish the Superior without a couple of set lines, NEVER. Whether it be tip-ups, Jaw-Jackers or Hot boxes, set lines are important. My favorite program is to use 2 tip-ups and 1 jig stick. It’s best to space out the holes at least every 30-50 yards (yes, we cover distance). Either creating a triangle for a perimeter or a straight line works best for us. One of the best parts about using setlines on Lake Superior is depth control. There is none! Fish can be caught on set lines at any depth (even right under the ice).

There are so many reasons why Lake Superior is our favorite place to Ice fish. One of the best reasons is, you never know where the fish will come from or what species it will be. I know this type of saying can get thrown around a lot, but it is especially true here! Gitch fish are like missiles and seldom do you find them stationary. They have a lot of room to roam, and they do just that. The species we target and often catch are Brown Trout, Splake Trout (mix between a Brook Trout and Lake Trout), Lake Trout, White-Fish, Coho Salmon, Walleyes, Pike Burbot and Smallmouth (yes ice fished Smallies). The trout and salmon are the species that seem to always be on the move and my personal favorite to catch. New modern ice fishing strategies have taught us to be mobile and relocate when the fish bite is slow. This is not always the case for this type of fishing. You just really never know when or where a trout will approach from. What is important is locations of setting up!

I always try and position our spot away from the crowds or on the outside of the crowd. It is important to not plant yourself in a position where you will get boxed in. This philosophy should hold mostly true for all fishing areas you may tackle in your own home waters. Being boxed in can be a disadvantage for roaming fish (again, Gitch fish are always on the move). Another key point is to set up the setlines at different depths. We usually fish anywhere off shore in 25-75 feet of water. The deeper areas can be good for Lakers, Splakers, White-fish and Burbot. The shallower areas are better for Browns, Splakers, Walleye and Pike. I do like to find breaks, further meaning I like to target the areas that have 30 feet close by but drop off into much deeper depths. The jigging shacks (in our case a mix of Clam hubs and flips) always gets set up on the deeper spot with the set lines nearby covering the shallower depths. Another successful practice we use not just on Lake Superior, but on all fish outings is spread of the Clam shacks. I mentioned it earlier, WE COVER DISTANCE. It is always an advantage to spread out. Two anglers sitting side by side can work, but it seems more successful to give a single angler a shack and put the other angler in another shack nearby. If you want to socialize, this still can be accomplished by zipping down an opening and talking. However, I have always been a fan of silence when it comes to fishing. So I encourage the chatter and walking around on ice to be held to a minimum.

The techniques we use when setting up the set lines (tip-ups and/or other) entails a simple split shot sinker, hook and live Lake Shiner. When a Trout takes a bait you can be certain the fish will not stick around. Matter of fact often they will pull out so much line that it becomes a choir to get re-set. As for the jigging techniques, I like the action of a lot of commotion on my spoon. Pinching off a Lake Shiner head and tipping my presentation with it is the preferred method. I usually drop all the way to the bottom and watch my FLX 30 for any active bogies. From there, I will intentionally rip up my bait to 10 feet or more. Lots of times, there will be schools of Smelt hanging around. Don’t let them foot you into thinking there are tons of fish. It’s when the Smelt abruptly disappear when things can get exciting. These Lake Superior Trout Species of fish never want to be fed like you may do for a perch or walleye. They want to chase and eat. So by playing keep away, you are doing the right thing! Often a young kid or a less experienced angler will out-fish others as they tend to have very random jigging cadence. Although it seems strange, you can literally reel up fast all the way to just below the ice until you get a fish to commit. Catching fish on Lake Superior through the ice is an experience every ice angler needs to have. Fishing with a translucent window underneath your feet on the greatest lake in the world is nothing short of breathtaking. See you out there, Capt. Jarrid

Captain Jarrid Houston owns and operates HOUSTON’S GUIDE SERVICE and is a proud member of the Clam Ice Team

www.houstonsguideservice.com