Ryan asked:
I have a location but i’ve never been ice fishing and I need some information such as…
I have a location but i’ve never been ice fishing and I need some information such as…
-What things do I need?
-Do I need a special rod?
-Do I need to use any special lures?
etc etc
Related posts:
- I’m going fishing, what do I use as bait? Ryan asked: I am going fishing where Bass, Walleye and...
- what are the pros and cons of bait and lure fishing? redcore86 asked: 90 percent of my fishing is done with...
- Walleye Fishing in Kenora Ontario World-class Walleye Fishing - Kenora - One of Ontario’s GREAT...
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve always done the best on tipups, and most of the time this will be the case. shiners or sucker minnows on a treble about 12-18 inches off bottom. I use an 8lb florocarbon leader on my tipups. When I’m fishing weedlines I always try to get my tipups placed right on the edge of the weed line. about a foot away from the weedline is what I try for.
You could use a jig rod, but that’s tough to do on most lakes if you’re just starting out. If you want to try jigging anyways, I would use a sweedish pimple with a minnow head on it.
As much as the previous person is correct tip ups are a expensive and tricky way to get into the sport. If you have never used them before most people struggle with them.
First and foremost you need warm clothes. A snow suit or bibs and a jacket are essential. Then its warm boots and gloves and a hat of some sort. Now you are going to need a auger or chisel. If you have more than 4 inches of ice than a auger is necessary. A Mora hand auger by strike master is a good choice. Economical and will last you for many years. Next you need a M medium light to medium action ice rod. You can pick these up and Cabelas, Gander Mountain, or any local sporting goods store. Find a rod that fits your price range and is set up for 4-8 lb tess line. Ask when your there if you are confused. The rods have the same markings on them as summer rods so just take a look above the handel for what type of rod it is.
Now you just need a spool of 4 to 6 pound ice line. Make sure you use ice line so you dont have freeze up problems. Some go as heavy as 8 pound but you realy dont need to because Walleyes fight alot less in the winter.
For lures their are a ton of options. I like lindy flyer spoons, or buckshot spoon. These are both ice specific jigs. WHen buying ice jigs stay on the small side. You can hook a huge Northern Pike it a #6 hook in the winter. I also use frosty jigs form Lindy too with a minnow. Get a few different jigs so you can change out if something isn’t working. Walleyes like to bite at dusk and dawn so jigs that glow are a must.
The last thing you need is a 5 gallon pail. Keep you stuff in it on your way out and then sit on it when your out there. You also need a insulated bait bucket to keep your minnows alive. Get a skimmer too to get slush out of your holes
You can get all this stuff for around 100 bucks. Fish the weed lines and breaks. Start shallow as the winter goes on move deaper. WIth this equipment you can try the sport and find if you enjoy it or not. The best advice I can give you is talk to your bait shop guys and local fisherman to find what works and what doesn’t in your area. I tend to only fish tip ups for Northerns because walleye tend to like a jigging action this seems to bring them in more often than tip ups do.
If you find you like the sport than your next thing would be get a Vexilar wich is a sonar for ice fishing. With it you can see if their are fish or not. That way you can move till you find fish. I would also recomend a Clam fish trap pro or scout and a heater to keep you warm.