Look. It’s madness. Try as I may to enjoy fishing in minus 20 degrees and less. It’s tough.
However, hordes of fishing pilgrims make their way north in the cooler months intent on pulling a record bass, walleye, perch, or whatever from beneath the solid surface of a lake or pond.
Ice fishing, surprising as it is to us southerners, is normal behavior. It’s serviced by a multibillion-dollar industry of services and products.
The following article is an introduction to ice fishing for those familiar with it, and for those yet to experience it.
According to my ice fishing guide Walter, the not-so-secret to catching more while ice fishing is so universal, common sense, and pedestrian as to not warrant more than a footnote in an article.
Don your thermals and read on for the chilling truth about catching fish beneath the ice. You know more about it than you think you do.
Page Contents
Ice Fishing Tips For Beginners
1. About My Ice Fishing Tips. This is Important
Walter is 74 years old and has 11 grandchildren. He has lived in Wisconsin his entire life and fished the ice as long as his memory permits recall.
Walter introduced me to ice fishing, and his approach was in deep contrast to the modern approach that I had researched.
Let’s lead with the punch line straight up. According to Walter, catching more fish ice fishing is simple. Use your fishing sense and go fishing as often as possible.
Walter says, “It stands to reason, unless you’re no good at it, the more you fish, the more you understand about the fish, the more you’ll catch. It’s not rocket science, so they say”
“Observe what the fish do in winter. They might be slower in the winter but so are you. You’re hungry in the winter…so are the fish. Just (pause) fish.”
Those of us desperate to understand more about ice fishing may well be left in the cold (pun intended) with such a seemingly trite mantra.
However, Walter is so very right, Good basics applied with persistence, observation and a strong helping of creative and critical thinking deliver fish when ice fishing.
The information contained in this article is by no means close to exhaustive, but it’s sure to catch you more fish on the ice.
“So, Walter…” I said. “What sort of flasher do you have?”
2. The Best Gear & Equipment For Ice Fishing
The kit available for modern ice fishing can make a fully equipped game boat look spartan.
From gas powered augers to flashers, personal heaters and fold up ice fishing huts, one could kit up until your bank account is empty.
The question is, what do you really need to catch fish in the ice? What’s the bare minimum?
Aside from hook line and sinker, a good ice auger is essential kit. You need to cut a hole in the ice.
An ice scoop is also nigh on essential. Problem is, the word ‘essential’ in ice fishing, becomes somewhat subjective.
Some anglers will never leave home without their flasher. Others won’t hit the ice without a gas-powered auger.
Walter, for example, and perhaps in contrast to his minimalist roots, loves his 8-inch gas-powered auger.
“I dug through thick ice for 40 years with a hand auger. I love my Eskimo.” (power auger brand).
For others, they won’t fish the ice until it’s thick enough to hold the weight of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV).
Why walk all over the icy lake right?
To make things a little easier let’s break it all up into essential and desirable kit. There are a few safety items that will also fall into the essential list.
We’ll also address tackle, rods, and reels separately.
3. Ice Fishing Safety Tips
A Buddy: Don’t fish the ice alone. It’s far too easy to get into trouble. A simple fall resulting in unconsciousness has deadly consequences at minus 20. Take a friend. Walter fished alone a few times but on the whole, he avoided it. That’s why he’s made it to 74.
Safety Picks: Safety picks are twin plastic grip handles with a spike in the end. They have a lanyard that allows them to hang around your neck at easy reach. If you fall through the ice you can use them to haul yourself out by digging them into the slippery ice.
Rope: Take about 50 feet of rope. Should you or a friend fall through thin ice it can be cast to the angler in distress without jeopardizing the rescuer by forcing them onto the same fragile ice.
Shoe Spikes: Climbers and ice people call them crampons. We call them shoe spike thingies. The ice is dangerously slippery. Get some slip-on shoe spikes for sure footing, it could save your life.
Mobile Phone: For most of his life Walter didn’t fish with a mobile phone. Now, he never goes fishing without it.
Food and Water: It’s bitterly cold and the weather could turn deathly. Bring enough food and water to keep you ok should you be snowed in for a period. Yes, you’re surrounded by water, but it’s frozen. Don’t drink it, it will lower your core temperature dangerously.
First Aid Kit: Always carry a first aid kit. Preferably a kit that is designed to be carried in sub-zero climates.
Traversing the Ice: 4 inches and clear ice, the clearer the better. People will say 4 inches is too conservative, and maybe it is. However, even putting a foot through the ice and soaking your leg can end up a very serious event if you’re a long way from warmth and transport. Don’t fish thin ice. Period.
Talk to locals and look where other anglers have gathered and walked. Beware the snow. If you don’t know an area and can’t see the ice, assume it’s thin.
Share Your Plans: Tell someone where you are going and how long you expect to be, particularly if it’s out of mobile reach. Check in regularly if you’re out for a long trip.
4. Essential Ice Fishing Kit. Aside from Tackle
Manual Auger: An auger is essential for digging a hole in the ice. A 6-inch auger is ideal unless you are targeting really big fish. Keep in mind, an 8-inch manual auger can be hard work when drilling multiple holes through thick ice. Ensure the cutting blades are sharp. Sharpen them before you head out or when you get back from a trip.
Ice Scoop: For removing ice and snow from ice holes. You must keep the hole clear to ensure it doesn’t easily freeze over. They’re also handy for getting live baits from buckets.
Sled: Just an auger alone can be a lot to carry across the ice (as I discovered). Putting all your kit on a sled and dragging it across the ice is the only way to go, particularly if your trekking distance. Expect distance.
Chair: Sitting on the ice is no fun at all. Carry a chair. Yes, it’s essential kit. Things such as ice boxes and strong upturned buckets will also work nicely as a chair.
5. Non-Essential Ice Fishing Kit
Powered Auger: They’re so awesome they should nearly hit the essential list. They’re pretty heavy and you will also need to carry fuel and maybe a small tool kit too. Once you’ve used one, there’s no going back.
ATV’s: When the ice is thick and there are miles of ice to traverse, an all-terrain vehicle can be awesome. Yes, they’re expensive and you need to get them to the ice. It’s a big investment but many would argue a very worthwhile investment.
Ice Hut: If you’re planning to spend a while out on the ice a hut can be one of the creature comforts you simply can’t be without. There are so many options available now, some with built-in chairs and flooring. You can put your hut right over the hole you are fishing, essentially fishing indoors.
Be aware, when the wind is up, some of these folding huts can be a little like a sail, and difficult to tie down.
Portable Heating: Seeing as though you now have an ice fishing hut, why not heat it. There is a great range of portable propane heaters that will last for hours and hours, keeping your ice hut cozy and warm (relatively). It might sound crazy, but when it’s minus 20, you’ll love it.
Sounders, Flashers, and Underwater Cameras: These technologies will not only help you find fish and help you catch fish, but they will also teach you a tremendous amount about fish behavior.
Walter uses a flasher with his kids when they visit but doesn’t own any tech like this. He says he knows the places he fishes like the back of his hand.
He knows where the fish are and knows their behavior. “I’ve caught too many fish without using batteries to start doing it now…”
I didn’t disagree with him either when he suggested that this technology has taken plenty of the mystique, art, and romance out of fishing.
While I couldn’t find the romance in ice fishing, I understood exactly what he was talking about.
You can spend a small fortune on this kit. Purchase it all and you’ll be upgrading your sled to carry it.
However, this stuff works and can mean the difference between fishing a baron stretch of water and fish central.
Here’s an example of what you can expect and learn using a fish camera. They’re amazing.
Also Read: Tips For Ice Fishing Rainbow Trout
6. Best Clothing for Ice Fishing
It’s cold. Bitterly cold. If like me, you’ve not experienced this level of extreme cold, it can be a very rude shock.
It’s almost like the elements genuinely hate you and revel in your discomfort.
Something I discovered when fishing with groups is that people feel the cold differently, yes, even this type of cold.
I was astonished to see some people not wearing hats and gloves. Others had taken off their coats.
I was with 6 other people on this trip, and not one of them had a balaclava. I never took mine off.
I was wearing thermals, an Eskimo Lockout Bib that I bought on advice, plus a Lockout Jacket of the same brand.
Also, a fleecy hoodie and shirt underneath. $500 bucks of clothing and conditions were still barely tolerable. I didn’t have time to acclimatize.
Advice: Go to a retailer that stocks apparel for extreme cold. Tell them what you are doing and tell them about your experience and tolerance for cold.
A professional can be very helpful here.
Further advice. Your gloves should be waterproof yet allow for as much manual dexterity as possible. My gloves were cheap and waterproof but felt like mittens.
I was forever taking them off to accomplish simple tasks. I suspect this was half the reason I felt cold.
For the safety-conscious, and we all should be, select clothing with buoyancy assist.
You’re wearing a lot of clothing; buoyant clothing may well save you if you fall through the ice.
7. Rod and Reels for Ice Fishing
Rods: Select a rod that’s 26 to 30 inches. It’s good to have two. One with a light action rated 2 to 6 pounds and the other a little heavier for larger fish rated 4 to 8 pounds.
Of course, you can go heavier if you’re expecting larger fish. A heavy action rated to 10 pounds.
I like a composite rod, but that’s a personal preference.
Reels: While there are few options on the market, I would highly recommend a compact 2000 size spin reel. A smooth drag is critical as you will be fishing very light.
Check out our article on what to look for in a quality ice fishing reel.
Ice fishing-specific reels are readily available and are designed to reduce line twist. I felt no good reason to use one and felt far more comfortable with a spin reel.
Tip-Ups: A fabulous invention designed for catching larger fish. It’s a device that sits across the ice hole holding your line in the water. When the fish strikes a flag pops up alerting you to your catch. Essentially, it’s a fancy handline. Seeing one go off is really exciting, especially with a big walleye on the end of it.
Line: Fluro, mono, or braids, it really is up to you. There are lines available specifically for ice fishing.
They are designed to reduce the amount of memory when fished in icy conditions and mitigate against line freezing to your rod or reel.
For simplicity, I was spooled with fluoro and it was great. The abrasion resistance and sinking qualities made it ideal.
I found there were others I fished with that agreed and didn’t bother about the extra coin for the ice specific lines.
Fish 4 to 8-pound lines. Some ice anglers will go as low as one pound. (Not me). Use light leaders if you’re using braids – 4 pound is great.
8. Terminal Tackle for Ice Fishing
Hooks: Take a range of hook sizes from size 2 to 14. Make sure they are light-gauge wire. The size you use will be determined largely by the bait you are using.
Weight: Carry a range of split-shot sinkers. You are only using enough weight to get your bait down at a reasonable speed.
Jigs: Frequently the go-to bait, these jigs are often used in conjunction with live or flesh baits, these little jigs are masters. You can select jigs that sit at 45 degrees or vertically.
Lures: Spoons, soft plastics lipless cranks, and more. After seeing a guy catch a Bass using a Lego Chewbacca, I’m convinced just about anything can work correctly on the day. Check this out for some serious insight. I’d like to tell you more, but jigs laced with waxies and live minnows were so deadly when I fished the ice, nobody in my group fished anything else.
Baits: Talk to the locals about their preferred baits. Larvae (waxies and mousies) are a standard and in my experience the best producers.
Of course, minnows are fantastic live and will attract a larger class of fish. Hook them onto your jigs.
9. Ice Fishing Techniques and Presenting Your Bait
You may need to try several locations and drill quite a number of holes. Persist, but an hour in one location without a touch means it’s time to move.
Fish are certainly hanging lower in the water column in the winter and they are more lethargic. You need to get the baits right in their face.
Research the fish species you are targeting and find out their winter habits.
Having said that, you have to experiment. Use subtle, vertical movements starting from the bottom and working your way up.
Lift drop and pause. The same as you would anywhere else. However, nothing aggressive. Subtle is the key here and vary it.
Move slowly up the water column until you’ve found the strike zone. While there are rules of thumb, these things can vary significantly from day to day and location to location.
By the way, don’t be afraid to let your bait hang with no action at all.
10. Quick Ice Fishing Species Run Down
| Walleye: | Awesome fun. Use bigger minnows for bigger fish attached to a spoon. Travel up and down the water column, be patient when looking for them, they can be as shallow as 10 feet and deeper than 30. |
| Bass: | Sleepy in the winter and deep, like 20 or 30 feet. Use smaller baits. |
| Trout: | For big trout, use bait on your tip-up. Try Salmon eggs or PowerBait. |
| Perch: | Again, great fun and often around in numbers. Use a waxie on a jig. Perfect. |
| Crappie: | Same as the perch but use a minnow for a better class of fish. |
| Bigger Fish: | These guys can grow pretty big, and if you want one you may need some serious leader as these fish have teeth. Obviously, you should fish heavier for these pair. Rod and reel are fine if you’re patient, but a tip-up is a great option for these guys. |
11. Best Ice Fishing Locations
Fish where you know there are good concentrations of fish in the summer. You can expect trout, perch, crappie, bass, walleye, sturgeon, pike, and bluegill.
If at all possible, fish a location where you have fished in the summer. Fish where you were successful, particularly if its deeper water.
Fish ponds and lakes and make sure to fish them in the deeper parts, beyond 10 feet. However, you will find fish in the shallows if that’s all you can reach.
Steer clear of rivers and streams or bodies of water fed by such. The ice on these can be very dangerous.
Again, if you’re new to ice fishing then get some guidance. Ask!.
There are plenty of locations catering to noobs with accommodation available that will pretty well put you right in front of a safe location and productive spot.
Wrapping it Up
Thanks to Walter and his buddies, I caught fish on my first ice fishing trip.
I must admit, however, that I employed my natural instincts and fishing knowledge along with the guidance.
You don’t need all the expensive kit to catch fish, only the safety gear and essentials listed above.
Walter points out that he’s been catching fish decades before the advent of our fishing electronica and propane heaters.
I’m not comfortable in frigid conditions. But I must admit I loved every part of ice fishing, yes, even the thrill of the relentless cold.
It’s not rocket science, it’s fishing. We should all take a moment to remember that as we load up the sled with a flight centre control room full of electronics.
It’s great finding fish, but it’s very special when we find and catch fish using nothing but our critical thinking and fishing nous.
Rug up and hit the ice, just be sure to stay on top of it.
