PRESENTS
TIPS &
TECHNIQUES
Location... Location... Where to Find Early IceLocation... Walleyes
your spots in open water. If you have a portable GPS, even better.
simply because you will need The same waypoints you stored in your unit during late-fall to start someplace. The more fishing forays should be good places to start ice fishing now. you learn by fishing, the more If you don’t have prelocated, pre-programmed hot spots, use a GPS you can refine the rules that mappingthe screen walkare outon to potential areas indicated on a lake map. govern laketoyou that day. Don’t bother trying to locate little secret spots at first ice. Stick to
or walleyes, the best spots are usually located well out into big, prominent, obvious, classic spots that attract numbers of early walleyes due to their sheer size. Then look for walleyes along T Fthe basin, as opposed to pike and panfish spots, which may iceconcentration points along their edges. he steps to follow in locating fish under the ice is no easy task. Anglers heading out on lakes with little or no ice fishing pressure are in for some plain oldand hardoffer work.earlier Few anglers relish the fishing challenge be more bay-oriented safe ice. Start in of finding fish on a new lake. Most prefer “following the crowds” and the same areas you last contacted walleyes let theiropen eyes be their namely fish finders. To some,main going from one group of in late water: prominent anglers to another is their form of “recon”. If you ice fish, you may lake structures with steep drops to the basin. not want to joindeep the crowd some time you Major points, humpsor–atsomewhere thatwill be faced with the challenge of being the only angler on the ice, deep water swings up tight against a sharpso here are a few tips to remember the nextmodest time it happens you and you want to find fish. drop off, within walkingtodistance
(a mile or so) off shore.
Your first step is to understand the kind of water you are going to fish. This will mean a lake and looking at the types of structure Tip-toe your getting way out to map a potential area, you have available time spud of year.bar Remember, your ability tap-tap-tapping theto you end atofthisyour to travel on a lake may be limited to foot power atop the ice as you walk along, probing andor poor ice conditions may limitthe the worthiness areas you can safely. It is always a good idea to testing of reach the ice surface. know the roads and the various winter access If the bar pokes through, slowly back up, and points that surround any given lake. reconsider your plan of attack. Wait a day or two and try again.
Or switch to an area with firmer and safer footing.
When it comes to finding fish, every time you try to make rules as to With 5you inches of clear, you should be able tosunfish creep where SHOULD findsafe fish,ice, thethough, rules change. Like catching out to nearby spots. When you get close, use familiar rifle sights at night, many would agree that sunfish don’t bite at night, but in some on shore up a tree and a big house or perhaps lakes, youlining don’t catch the really onesover untilthis theway, sun goes down…a flagfigure. pole Here and aarebig treegood overguidelines there – the same way you go a few to use to begin yourrelocate search,
Just Fishing . 42
Walleyes love deep, hard bottom areas. Crappies and perch love waters of over 30 feet with a super softSplash bottom, a little water from your minnow bucket and sunfish love atop to hang the ice, rest your transducer atop the off steep weedy break lines.and see if you can send a signal through surface, Finding the right fish holding to get a good depth reading of the bottom. elements for the fishBrush you are away light snow cover if necessary. after is fairly easy with a lake Repeat the process in 20-foot increments in all map. If the lake has directions, one deep reading the depths to establish the hole, then you would startbelow. Then drill some holes in likely contour there for crappie. places If a lake and get ready to fish. is a maze of structure, then it is best to breakIfthe youlake can’t get a good bottom reading through into small regions that youstart can drilling work without getting too in confused. the ice, or chopping holes a swissYour first goal on most lakes is to establish the edge of the weed cheese pattern. Scoop the remnant ice out ofline. the Most lakesthe gettransducer far clearerinto thenthethey do to in establish the summer, and holes winter and lower water a depth some of the biggesta sunfish in the lake move intothe theice, oldreach weeddown line reading. If there’s little light snow cover atop for from finger predators. the edge of theinweed is withprotection your gloved and Checking simply draw the depth feet line in the even better if you are near a point or inside turn where the deep water snow crust: 23, 18, 21, 37 – hey, there’s the drop off. Now drill more comes closest adjacent holestotoshore. establish the contour, and prepare for action.
Courtesy of Angling Buzz
Courtesy of: www.vexilar.com
Winter 2024
