Ice Fishing Ice Fishing Basics For Beginners
I’m curious how many times you’ve caught a monster bass in the midst of the spawning period. In how many instances have you had bluegill leap onto your line as if they couldn’t give a damn about their own well being? Given your experience, I would think you have caught quite a few.
Is it time for you to return to fishing with a new level of difficulty? If this is the case, I have just the thing for you. By comparison, when it comes to fishing under regular circumstances, ice fishing is an entirely different ball game.
I honestly cursed a lot during my first vacation since it was so difficult for me. However, the first time I successfully bagged a fish, it was worth at least twenty times as much as practically any other fish I’d caught under normal conditions before. As a result of the additional obstacle, it was much more rewarding.
Whatever you need to know about fishing on a thick sheet of ice will be covered in today’s session, so stay tuned. I’ll go through the safety procedures, essential equipment, and just about anything else that a novice could need to know about a particular sport. Let’s get this party going!
You Should Try Ice Fishing for the Following Reasons:
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about fishing is hot summer days on the lake with pleasant breezes and frantic activity. Bass that are enraged, bluegill that are persistent, and large catfish may all be counted on to bite quickly and aggressively.
The polar opposite of ice fishing is what this is. When it comes to fishing, ice fishing is a more deliberate and systematic approach that may be a bit more perilous than your typical outing. Overall, it’s an excellent opportunity for you to put your abilities to the test.
Bringing in 10-pound bass on a regular basis may be possible while the fish are active and vibrant, but can you do it when the fish are lazy and unlikely to be hungry? When those pesky bluegills aren’t swarming around your bait like moths to a flame, how can you get them to take your bait?
Those are the kinds of questions that I believe every ardent angler longs to have answered for himself or herself, which is why I strongly advise everyone to try ice fishing at least once in their lives.
Fishing on the Ice: Safety Considerations
A few precautions to follow while ice fishing
The most crucial aspect of ice fishing must be discussed first, though, before I give you my short motivating speech that will have you going out to get some new equipment. There are certain inherent hazards associated with ice fishing, and you must prioritize your own safety above everything else.
The following are the three most important risk variables to consider:
Thickness of the ice
Cold to the extreme
Precautions must be taken to avoid falling.
Thickness of the Ice
That you don’t want to be wandering around on thin ice should be plain sense to most of us. If you fall through that thin ice sheet, you will be submerged for several hundred feet in ice cold water, which will kill you within minutes of entering.
You must make certain that the ice is thick enough to sustain you while you are moving about on top of it in order to prevent any unfortunate incidents from taking place. Those who prefer to walk may ice fish on four inches of ice, provided they have good footwear. If you are transporting a car, the thickness requirement rises significantly. For example, fifteen inches of ice is required to securely transport a standard pickup truck onto the ice.
Simply phoning someone ahead of time to check on the ice may help you avoid falling through it rather effortlessly. Local bait stores and wildlife officials will both be able to provide you with the necessary information.
As soon as you have determined the average thickness of the ice, you must use caution while traversing the ice. Fishing on the surface of flowing water is never a good idea! In that location, the ice is far weaker, and it is more prone to crack.
Another ominous indicator is the presence of snow. It’s not true what you may think: snow will actually warm the ice, contrary to popular belief. It is virtually probable that ice with snow on top is thinner and weaker than ice that is clean and immaculate.
COLD TO THE MAX
What is the best way to get ice? It is because of you that the water is so frigid. In nature, you might anticipate it to be rather chilly outdoors if you observe ice formations. Even if you do not end up in the water, the very cold weather conditions required for ice fishing may be fatal.
Although it is not impossible to avoid, this is one of the more difficult ones to avoid. It is quite possible to be totally safe with just one jacket, which should have sufficient of insulation and a few other suitable clothing alternatives.
Assemble several layers of insulating shirts and long underwear before venturing out into the cold. No, you don’t have to appear like the Michelin Man, but you do need to be comfortable and warm in your clothing.
Remember to pack a backup pair of clothes that is suitable for the occasion. Falling in water is a terrifying experience in and of itself, but falling in water while wearing wet clothes may be much more terrifying.
The Dangerousness of Slipping and Falling
When it comes to ice skating, everybody who has done so knows how treacherous it can be. Walking on it isn’t too tough if you’re careful, but you shouldn’t put too much stock in your ability to maintain your balance in any situation. The act of falling on ice occurs rather often.
Having a decent pair of non-slip boots will be quite beneficial, and I strongly suggest include them in your ice fishing equipment.
It is also necessary to have a pair of ice spikes. While being careful might help to reduce the likelihood of falling through the ice, it’s always a risk. Unice spike is nothing more than a spike that has been wrapped in a piece of rope.
Even if you do fall in, you’ll be able to pull yourself out with the ice spike attached to the wall.
In conclusion, by traveling with a group of friends, all of the key dangers may be avoided or minimized. Being protected by someone you can rely on is always beneficial. Try not to be too near to one another, on the other hand, if possible. If you concentrate all of your weight onto a narrow place, you can shatter the ice.
Ice fishing equipment that is fundamental ice fishing equipment that is fundamental
If you’ve fished before, figuring out how to use ice fishing equipment isn’t that tough. The process is really rather straightforward.
Some of the fundamentals you’ll need to get started ice fishing are as follows:
An ice auger is a piece of equipment that is used to dig through ice.
Rod for ice fishing
Tip-ups for your carry-case
Inappropriate attire for ice fishing (Optional for beginners)
An Auger for Ice Fishing
an auger used for ice fishing
The auger is the tool that is used to actually drill holes in the frozen ground. Both manual and motorized versions are available for purchase. However, although the powered versions are more costly, you will save time and energy by eliminating the need to drill holes.
Furthermore, you may purchase them in both 6″ and 8″ diameters. The six-inchers are for perch, while the larger ones are for walleye, pike, and other large game fish such as walleye.
Rod for ice fishing
You should expect your ice fishing rod to look and feel quite similar to your favorite bass rod, with the exception that it will be built to let you to drop your line directly into the holes you’ve made in the ice. Choose one that will not grow brittle when exposed to the elements. When fishing for little fish, you’ll want an ultra-light rod, and when fishing for larger fish, you’ll want a medium rod. Ice fishing does not need the use of little rods the size of broomsticks.
Cassette for Transportation
A rod travel case is also a must-have for every angler who travels. This box is meant to carry your ice fishing equipment such as your rod, lures, and terminal gear in one convenient location. It’s a lot more convenient to move about with than if you were to pack a tackle box or two, your rod, and all of your other equipment individually.
Choosing a case is mostly a question of taste. Check to see if it’s comfortable in your hand and that it has enough capacity to accommodate whatever you want to bring with you.
In a way, tip-ups are similar to automated fishing poles when it comes to ice fishing. You place these over your hole, and they activate when a fish eats the bait. The majority of the time, they are only required for huge fish.
A Suit for Ice Fishing
Finally, if you really want to go all out, you may get an ice fishing suit to go with your outfit. In addition to being more comfortable to move about in than your typical winter attire, an ice fishing suit is particularly built to withstand the harsh weather conditions and water risks that are inherent in ice fishing.
An ice suit, on the other hand, may be rather costly. It’s possible to get away with something similar to what I stated in the safety part if you’re only going out to test yourself or if you’re on a low budget.
Ice fishing equipment setup at its most basic. For those who are just starting out,
Firstly, I’ll divide things into two groups. A perch and bluegill jig is one kind of fishing; the other is for huge game fish such as walleye, sturgeon, bass, and other large species.
In order to use both kits, you must have the same safety equipment and clothes. Consequently, I will no longer discuss them. It’s important to remember that, no matter what you’re doing, you’ll need ice spikes, protective clothing, and any other safety equipment.
The Little Guys: Perch and Bluegill Ice fishing for perch and bluegill.
Smaller fish, such as perch or bluegill, will be simpler to catch if you’re using an ice fishing equipment designed specifically for smaller fish.
What you need to know is this:
Ice fishing pole made of ultra-light materials
a case to transport things
The ice auger is 6 inches in length.
ice fishing jigs for smallmouth bass
Ice fishing rod that is ultra-lightweight
The rod used should be an ultra-light ice fishing pole. It is, however, much simpler if you use the most sensitive rod that you can find.. With the best of circumstances, perch and bluegill bites are rather weak, and their bites may be practically hard to detect in the cold with a stiff rod.
Invest in some high-quality line with an eight-pound test or less rating to go along with your fishing pole. Smaller lines will allow you to reach greater depths and will not need a very strong line to get these creatures out of the water. On your reel, you can accommodate more fish.
Cassette for Transportation
Having a carrying case that is appropriate for your rod is essential. A good assortment of jigs should also be available in your storage space.
Ice Auger with a 6-inch blade
The ideal auger for perch is six inches in diameter. The hole will be large enough for you to draw your catch out, but it will reduce the quantity of ice that is removed from the lake. If you have an eight-inch auger, you may use it if you like, but the additional room it produces isn’t needed.
Ice fishing jigs for small ice areas.
Bring along a few little jigs to keep things interesting. Because of how dark the water tends to be, I like to use luminous jigs, although chartreuse crappie tubes and tiny jigging spoons will also work.
Ice fishing for bluegill and other tiny fish is not a good idea if you want to avoid catching them with live bait. As a result, the bait will not move as much, and you will not be able to coerce the fish into biting.
The Best Techniques For Ice Fishing For Perch and Bluegill
Even when dealing with little fish, the process is rather straightforward. Drill your hole, put in a little jig, and move it in the same manner as you would if you were jigging for crappie on a hot summer day. If you haven’t gotten a bite after a time, try varying your motions.
When you see the small vibrations of a fish biting, immediately raise your rod straight up to its maximum length. In the winter, there is no need to thrash about sideways like you would in the summer. Just pull it straight up through the hole and out of the water.
Walleye, lake trout, sturgeon, bass, and pike are the big boys when it comes to icefishing.
Larger fish will need a bit more effort on your part.
It will be necessary for you to bring the following equipment:
Ice fishing rod that is medium in length
8-inch ice auger in a transport case
Tip-ups
Bait, big jigs and spoons, or a combination of both are recommended.
Ice fishing rod in the medium range.
When you’re after larger fish, you’ll want to make the taper of your rod thicker. It doesn’t matter how chilly it is outside; the fish may still put up a good struggle, and you have to keep in mind that you’ll be hauling their full body weight straight out of the water on occasion.
By switching to a stronger line in this situation, you can afford to sacrifice some line capacity. Something with a minimum weight capacity of 12 pounds is recommended. You will not have the benefit of pushing your catch into the shallows to capture their lip while ice fishing, even if you are capturing six-pound smallmouth bass. When you hoist them out of the water, all of their weight will be on your line.
a case for transporting
The scenario for this configuration is identical to the previous one. Purchase a case that can accommodate your rod and a few attractive lures.
Ice Auger with an 8-inch blade
This form of fishing necessitates the use of an eight-inch auger. The chances of hooking onto a fish that won’t slip out of a six-inch hole are high when you’re fishing for larger fish in a larger body of water.
A Few Pointers about Ice Fishing
Tip-ups are also a good option for larger fish since they are more practical. Although the fish may bite more gently, they will still cause a tip-up to occur. If you have a partner with you, you may fish in many holes at the same time.
Bait, larger jigs and spoons, or a combination of the two
Finally, while working with bigger fish, you have a greater variety of bait possibilities. Live bait, such as minnows and perch, will move about in the water, attracting the attention of the larger predators.
If you use lures to catch perch, you’ll be doing the exact thing you should be doing. All you have to do is raise the size of the lure. Large jigs that glow or reflect light are beneficial, and larger spoons have been shown to be very successful in certain situations.
Ice fishing techniques for catching walleye and other large fish
If you’re employing tip-ups, all you have to do is put them up and wait for them to work. I’m sorry, but I’m not able to provide you with a detailed method for dealing with them.
Jigging is performed in the same manner on ice as it does in the summer. Simply change up your bounces and hope that a fish finds it appealing to eat. You may also cycle through a variety of different lures.
Essentially, the main difference is that you want to avoid raising the fish to the maximum extent feasible. When you hoist a large fish, it may put a lot of strain on your rod and line because of the weight of the fish.
It’s important to get the fish’s head to peek through the opening so that you may catch it with your hand and pull it out from below. You can do the same thing for perch, but it isn’t absolutely required.
How Do You Know What Kind of Fish You Can Catch While Ice Fishing?
The vast majority of the species that can be caught during ice fishing are the same as those that can be caught while fishing under normal circumstances. It’s just that it may be a bit more difficult to get them to cooperate. Some species, on the other hand, appear to be a little simpler to work with than others.
Even though bass become very sleepy when the lake is coated in ice, other species such as pike and sturgeon, as well as walleye and bluegill, green sunfish, and trout, may be caught rather easily.
In general, you can try your hand at almost everything. During the winter, the fish do not perish or go to sleep, and they continue to need food to survive. During the winter, certain species simply eat less, which is one of the reasons why so many people assume that only particular fish may be caught through ice.
Ice Fishing Techniques
hints for ice fishing
So far, I’ve attempted to keep things as simple as possible. However, since you’re reading this, it’s probable that you’ve done a lot of fishing in the past, and I promise that you’ll be able to go beyond the fundamentals after an hour or two of practice.
As a result, I’ve included the following recommendations to help you get the most out of your first ice fishing expedition. It’s not necessary to concentrate on these things right first, but they will help you have a more pleasurable experience.
Wait for a while.
Remember how you tend to feel a little fatigued and weak when you’re sick with a cold? Do you ever find yourself concentrating just on how chilly you are rather than anything else? That is something that fish go through as well.
Do not be shocked if you do not get bites at the same rate as you do while fishing at your favorite summertime fishing location. During my ice fishing excursion, it took me the better part of the day to catch my first bluegill.
Patience is a virtue, and it will go you a long way in your ice fishing endeavors if you practice it.
No, your rod does not function as a crane.
Although it may be tempting to take shortcuts when removing the fish from the water, I recommend that you avoid from using your rod like a crane.
Even little fish may be tough on a rod when you’re dead-lifting them with a long pole. Considering the fact that the fish is anxious and thrashing about, it is probable that it may break your fishing pole.
To make matters worse, ice rods are hard to come by in most locations, even businesses like Walmart. On a $15 combo, you’re not going to have the luxury of learning anything new. It will cost you at the very least $40 if you become lazy and damage it, and that is just if you get a low-cost alternative.
As soon as the fish pokes its head through the opening, get down on your knees and catch it in a manner suited for its species before pulling it out with your hand.
Make use of any alarm system you have available.
When the lake is frozen over, the fish only nibble very softly. Use a basic bell alarm or one of the scream alarms that you can attach to your line, and you’ll be able to spot those little bites and capture far more fish as a result.
You also save money by not having to worry about throwing an expensive fish alert into the lake, which is something you would have to do while fishing conventionally. When ice fishing, you do not throw your line. So please feel free to utilize your excellent equipment with wild abandon.
Invest in a high-quality ice fishing suit.
If you’re just going to go ice fishing once and you’re traveling halfway across the country, you probably don’t want to spend the money on a good ice fishing suit. It’s similar like purchasing a whole fly fishing kit for the first time. After all, why would you spend a lot of money on high-end clothing that you’ll only wear once, when your regular clothes would suffice?
However, if you want to take it seriously, investing in a good costume would be well worth your money. You’ll keep warmer, and if you do end up in the water, you’ll be safer as well. There are a lot of similarities between ice fishing jackets and diving suits when it comes to water resistance and thermal insulation.
Purchase a high-quality ice fishing rod.
This advice is quite similar to the last one. For those who want to attempt ice fishing for the first time as a change of pace, there is no need to purchase the most expensive ice rod available. Using a low-cost ice rod, on the other hand, has a number of disadvantages.
Because of the cold, your rod may become brittle, and a fish may be able to fracture a cheaper rod blank when you raise it. I can also guarantee that a cheap ice fishing rod will not be nearly as sensitive as a quality ice fishing rod is.
If you are serious about getting into ice fishing, you should invest in a high-quality rod. For your first good ice rod, I would personally recommend anything in the $80-$120 price range, depending on your budget. That will give you access to all of the bells and whistles that will make your ice fishing experience a positive one, and it is fair enough that your wife will not murder you for spending too much money on a fancy rod when you are just starting out. As your skills improve, you will be able to upgrade to more costly models.
Concluding Remarks
I know that ice fishing is not something that the ordinary angler gets to do on a daily basis, but it is something that I would strongly encourage you try out. It’s the ideal way to spice up your fishing experience by adding a little bit of difficulty, and a successful ice fishing excursion will leave you with a feeling of achievement that you won’t get from fishing in local farm ponds during the summer.
