Ice Fishing tips – Two that will
prepare you for success!
By the On Ice Tour Pro Staff
Tip # 1 Be prepared to
Ice Fish.
You can probably apply the
old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” to
just about anything. When it pertains to ice fishing, it could be
worth numerous pounds, of fish that is.
One of the most neglected
areas of preparation is around the hole itself. Most fish that
are lost, including those “trophies of a lifetime”, escape back
down the hole due to a lack of preparation. Most fish that are
caught come on the “first drop” or the initial offering in a fresh
hole, long before most anglers are truly set up. We all get
excited and want to drop a line and then “tweak it later”.
Next time you set up, pay
close attention to the hole before you drop your presentation
down. Is the hole clean? Ice chips and chunks not only entangle
your fishing line, they can also cause breakage. Make sure to
skim away all of that mess and keep the hole clean and clear of
obstructions.
Sometimes
you may need to downsize your presentation. A well prepared
ice-fisherman is a successful ice-fisherman.
Where is your Coleman
lantern? Is your heat source too close? Could either the lantern
or the heater damage the fishing line? Is your skimmer close by
to assist you with the smaller fish? Is the gaff buried
underneath your gear in the bottom of the Fish Trap, or is it near
your free hand, ready to assist.
If your Vexilar or your
Aqua- Vu is in the same hole as the one you fish out of, have a
game plan ready on how you are going to remove or deal with the
electronics when you “hook up” on a fish. Better yet, practice a
few times by holding the rod with one hand and removing the
transducer or camera lens with the other. After a few practices,
it will become a natural movement.
Tip # 2 When a perfect
plan fails – leave room to bail.
As anglers we’ve all
experienced at least some degree of failure. Especially when it
comes to that perfect “fool proof” hot bite. You know the one –
“get your tail up here, they are snappin’ like crazy” and when
you’re on that pond two days later your same friend looks at you
and says: “You should have been here yesterday”
These situations leave
most anglers in two positions: Position one is “toast” – rejected
and dejected they will usually stick it out or wonder around
punching a few holes until they get discouraged enough to go
home. Position two is “chicken” and not as in afraid, but as in
“chicken with it’s head cut off” – scrambling around last minute
trying to call everyone they know to salvage the last two or three
hours of the day. Most of the time all that you end up with is a
mediocre bite at best and a few used up favors from your contacts.
There is a third position
to be in: Prepared. It’s an interesting concept but not as
difficult as it sounds. With a little advanced planning and
scouting the astute angler with at least one if not two “bail out
bites” will come out the winner. Here’s how:
Don’t be satisfied with
that first bit of information.
Ask the source what else
is going on in the immediate area. If crappies or walleyes are
hot in the early morning and late evening low light periods, are
there any bluegills or perch snappin’ during the day? Are there
any other bites in the immediate area? If you are planning on
fishing a large lake, is there a small lake option or vice versa.
Don't
drive over the fish, there may be somewhere you want to stop on
your way to or from your original destination.
Don’t be satisfied with
that first source of information.
OK - so your buddy wants
to hang out with you – it’s a proven fact that at times a friend
will “embellish the bite” in order to get you up into his neck of
the woods. (Most times they just want to show off the new
paneling in the basement! It’s better to “catch up” with an old
friend by showing them the new dark out interiors of your Fish
Trap or Clam Shelter!) Call around to other area contacts, bait
stores and resorts (especially those with access) and find out
what else is going on. Paneling is a lot cooler when you’re
enjoying it in the evening – exhausted from wailing on the fish!
Don’t be satisfied with
the bite your on.
Especially if it is
mediocre at best. There have been countless times that the On Ice
Tour has been on a slow bite (one that most anglers would have
been content with) only to fire up the StrikeMaster LazerMag,
Swiss cheese the ice, and run into the mother lode. Other times,
an angler needs to realize that the bite they’re on is just not
working, and to “pack and drag” to the “bail out bite”.
Don’t be satisfied with
“some” bait and “some” tackle.
Take the “big four” in
bait: minnows, wax worms, maggots and an assortment of PowerBait.
As far as minnows are concerned, take a variety of shiners,
fatheads and suckers in different sizes. You can keep them
separated and alive in small Coleman “six pack” style coolers. If
you call and they’re catchin’ ‘em on red Techni-Glo Frostees and
pink Super-Glo Doodle Bugs, go to your local tackle shop and load
up! Oftentimes “hot baits” get “pegged” or bought out at the
location of the bite.
Check the “Corridor” of
your route of travel.
If your starting location
is point “A” and your destination is point “B”, look at the route
of travel between the two. Realistically, any ice fishing
opportunity within 100 miles of your route should be considered as
a “corridor” bite. Of course, the closer those opportunities lie
to your original route of travel, the better.
Plan your work and work
your plan.
Before you leave, put
together a simple three-step plan: Step one is the starting
bite. Step two is “bail out bite” #1 and Step three is the “last
bite” – for when all else fails.
Not only can these “bail
out bites” save the day when the original plan bites the dust, but
in some cases, an angler can hit a “tri-fecta” - Those special
days when you get into numbers of at least three different species
of fish. A wise man once said: “No plan, is a plan for
failure”.
Preparation – It could be
the difference between success and failure on your next outing.
An ounce of preparation
can sometimes result in “pounds” of the cure.
Editors Note: On
Ice Tour, co-founded by Chip Leer and Tommy Skarlis, is an
extensive effort focusing on generating excitement for the great
sport of ice fishing. For more articles, fishing tips, info on
the latest and greatest ice gear or a schedule of On Ice Tour Pro
Staff appearances, log onto
www.onicetour.com
