Click here for Tips and Tricks (Part 1)
In a previous blog, I described the basic equipment required to catch fish through the ice. Today’s article is the second of three installments about tips and tricks to enhance your ice fishing experiences.
Bait water management: The bait dealer fills the bait bucket with water before putting in the baitfish. The temperature of that water is much warmer than the water at my destination. If possible, I will add snow to the bucket before driving off to help the baitfish adjust to the colder conditions they will encounter. Then, once at my destination, I replace half the water in the bait bucket with clean local pond water. That way, the baitfish are fully acclimated to the temperature and water quality conditions. These steps ensure that the bait is vigorous, instead of in shock, when deployed under the ice. Remember: lively baitfish catch more fish than lethargic ones!
Use high quality hooks: Hooks are the critical link to closing the deal when the fish below swims away with your bait in its mouth. Everything else is secondary at that point. So why cheap out now?? You can save a few pennies by buying the low-quality stuff but that’s Fool’s Gold considering how much was spend in gas, gear, time, and effort to get on the ice in the first place. Here is a fundamental truth: dull hooks do not catch as many fish as sharp hooks! It is as simple as that… I have used all kinds of different hooks over the years and have settled on the Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp L2 Needlepoint Long Shank hook size 6 to close my deals. This hook is dangerously sharp and retains its edge over time.
Baitfish hooking: A live ice fishing baitfish is typically hooked through the back behind the dorsal fin. Make sure to embed the hook just below the skin instead of in the middle of the muscle so that the baitfish stays lively.
Baitfish attraction: A simple but effective way to make your baitfish glitzier and more appealing is to pin a brightly colored salmon egg to the hook (fluorescent purple garlic, anyone?). As the baitfish swims around, that egg flashes color while releasing fragrance into the water column, thereby calling in predators from far away and enticing them to bite. The trick is to put the egg first and push it high up on the shank of the hook (hence, the long shank hook mentioned above). I have tried a variety of “eggs” over the years and am very pleased with the Atlas Mike’s Salmon Eggs Trout Bait. The raw material consists of real salmon eggs instead of a starch-like or fake plasticky imitation. The egg stays secure on the hook and does its job well.
Sounding weight: Always know your fishing depth because different fish species have distinct depth preferences. I use a clip-on weight ($2 apiece; brightly colored; get several!) that lives attached to my jacket. I clip it to the hook, drop it through the hole, and let it sink to the bottom. I then pinch the line with my right hand where it comes out of the water and use my left hand to measure 6-foot lengths (my outstretched arms measure 6 feet) until the weight re-emerges through the hole. This quick approach provides great “depth awareness”.
Shirt button: I have threaded a shirt button on the braided line of all my tip-up spools to help me mark depths. For example, I want to fish for smallmouth bass in 29 ft. of water with my baitfish placed 3 ft. off the bottom. I first use the sounding weight to determine the depth as described above. I then slide the button up the braided line 26 ft. from the hook and unclip the sounding weight. When I deploy the baitfish, I feed the line through the fishing hole until I reach the button, which tells me that I have arrived at the desired depth. Next time I rebait this tip-up, the button tells me how much line to unspool without the need to take a new depth sounding.
Flag! Someone yells “FLAG!” and points their finger. That is the most beautiful sound and sight on the ice because it means that a fish grabbed your bait and released the flag. The second most beautiful sight is to see that spool turn when you arrive at the hole because that means the fish is swimming away with your bait in its mouth but does not know that you know! Gently lift the trap out of the water, manually unspool a couple of feet of braided line letting the fish below take out the slack, and then set the hook when the slack is gone. No need to yank the line and rip the hook out of the fish’s mouth. A clean, sharp tug is all it takes.
Triggered flag but dropped bait: I always bring my jigging stick when checking a flag. Fish will grab the bait and release the flag but then spit out their prey. After retrieving the line and removing the trap (if the spool is not turning), I drop the jigging lure to the appropriate depth and jig for a few minutes. Often, the fish remains right below the hole and pounces on the lure. It is amazing how many extra fish I have caught using this simple trick. This approach requires knowledge of the bottom depth and the bait depth. Hence the need for sounding.
I hope that these suggestions are helpful and will enhance your ice fishing experiences. Tight lines and may many big fish bite!
Click here for Tips and Tricks (Part 3).
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