have become a mainstay for modern ice anglers. We now have a wide-variety of portable fish houses to choose from, which fluctuate in price and accommodate anywhere from one to four anglers in utmost comfort. Being comfortable out on the ice is very important. If you're uncomfortable then you're not going to have an enjoyable experience, which can lead to a disliking towards ice fishing. In order to achieve this comfort, and to maintain this comfort through some of the toughest winter conditions, one needs to have a portable fish house.
Whether you're pulling around a 1-man Otter Den fishing solo during early ice, or fishing with a few pals hauling an Otter Large Resort behind your snowmobile, a portable fish house can provide comfort and hauling capacity for a more productive season this winter. "To me, having a portable fish house is just like having a boat, it allows you to get to different areas of the lake in comfort, and does a very nice job of keeping your gear organized," says Dittrich.
Now that you have your portable fish house, you need to begin organizing for your first trip on the ice. You have a place to store your gear in the sled of the fish house, but you need to figure out what to load it up with. In order to properly locate and target your desired species of fish, you need to have a plan of attack.
For this plan of attack, you need some sort of mapping system, whether it's through a Global Positioning System (GPS), and according to Dittrich, "before GPS systems, going back to the same spot consisted of triangulation, lining up a water tower with a tree and old man Johnson's window, and on lakes as large as Lake of the Woods, or Mille Lacs, that became impossible, now with GPS it has opened a whole new world", or whether it's through paper maps, computer mapping, mapping chips, or a combination of everything.
As mentioned earlier, there have been a lot of advancements in the sport of fishing, and electronics have been a huge part of those advancements. We now have the capability of loading lake maps right onto our GPS from a chip which will allows us to plot out productive spots either on the GPS itself, or prior to the outing on the computer at home. The detailed lake maps available today are incredible! This really allows us to visualize what's below the ice.
Using lake maps to plan out a fishing trip can go a long ways, and it often times gets over-looked. However, it can turn a day of fishing into a day of catching if used properly. LakeMaster provides several options for paper maps, mapping chips for your GPS, as well as computer mapping systems that allow you to create a foolproof plan of attack for your next ice fishing trip.
OK, you have a plan of attack and you're ready to hit the ice with your portable fish house right behind you. You're sitting directly over the spot where you think the fish will be; now you need to set-up to begin your day of fishing. In order to catch fish, you need to have a hole to fish out of, and to accomplish this feat, you will need an ice auger…
Ice augers are typically classified into two main categories (excluding electronic) which are gas-powered and hand augers. Gas-powered augers have also come a long ways in recent years to cater to the modern ice angler. Lightweight augers are becoming more and more popular, and having a gas-powered auger that is lightweight, yet effective, is very important. Having a gas-powered auger can be vital in aiding productivity when the layers of ice really begin to build. "Well said Matt, if it's difficult for you to move, you won't, and if you don't move, you're not going to catch as many fish.
Having a good auger, gas or hand, is a must!" A hand auger is a useful tool for early ice when you're dealing with thin ice. With the blade systems we have today, you'll be amazed how fast we can cut through several inches of ice with a hand auger. Keeping the blades sharp is very crucial if you want a fast cutting auger.
Nils Master ties together both lightweight and speed to achieve a quick-cutting, multi-purpose auger to provide maximum efficiency that has the ability to switch between both a gas-powered auger and a hand auger. A functional ice auger is a must have piece of equipment when heading out on the ice.
The holes are now punched and you're ready to catch the fish that are patiently waiting below the ice, but you first need to finish setting up camp. A few of the things needed to do this are an ice scoop as well as some sort of heat and light source (if you're fishing during low-light periods).
The ice scoop is a simple concept, and is something that most ice anglers have laying around in every nook and cranny.
Besides the ice scoop to clean the ice from the recently punched holes, you'll also need some sort of heat source if the weather turns sour. This is another aspect in comfort. Having an adequate heat source can pay-off in dividends on some days. Heaters come in a variety of models and makes, of which give off different levels of heat. Some heaters also allow you to adjust the heat to your favored comfort level. When the temps drop into the subzero realm, it's nice to have a heat source that will keep you toasty warm inside your portable fish house.
If you fish during the early morning or into the late hours of the night, you will also need some sort of light source so you can see. This can come in the form of either a gas-powered lantern, battery-powered light, or some type of LED lighting either through a head-lamp or an alternate lighting source. There are a lot of options out there, but don't over-look the fact that having an adequate light source can go a long ways when needed. This can not only aid you during fishing time, but also when setting up and taking down.
So, you're toasty warm inside your well lit portable fish house and you're right at the spot where you want to be, now it's time to catch a few fish. But, to make this experience complete, some kind of electronics are needed. These electronics usually come in the form of either a flasher unit or an underwater camera…
The flasher sonar unit is, in my opinion, one of the most important pieces of ice fishing equipment you can bring on the ice with you. It's your fish's mood indicator, telling you exactly what the fish want. "Flasher units of today can not lie, if it says there is something there, its there!" says Dittrich. First off, it will tell you just about everything you need to know about the underwater world.
It will tell you if there are actually fish down there, if it's a hard or soft bottom, if weeds or baitfish are present, and so on. Second, it will show you exactly where your bait is in relation to the fish, and how your bait performs to the actions your inflict upon it. And third, it tells you how the fish react to those actions you impose onto your lure.
The MarCum LX-3tc and LX5 are some of the options for a flasher that allow you to see all of these things. The flasher is essentially your life-force between you and the underwater world.
Underwater cameras have really become more and more a part of the everyday ice angler's arsenal. Not only do we get to use flashers to tell us whether or not fish are below us, but now we can drop down an underwater camera and see exactly what type of fish they are, not to mention what type of bottom content, weeds, rocks, and so on, are there as well.
"Knowing what type of bottom you are fishing over can often dictate how you fish, a mud bottom is not one to go slamming your jig into, while a nice hard bottom is one where you can and that will often bring the fish in." Dittrich explains. An underwater camera is an outstanding learning tool and can provide endless hours of fun and excitement for anglers young and old.
Now you can actually watch the fish eat your bait on a mini TV screen. It's a remarkable piece of equipment that has many uses and is worth a look if the opportunity arises. "For those with children, having an underwater camera with you can buy yourself an extra hour of fishing each and every trip. Kids just love to watch the camera."
Now, how do we catch these fish? We can see them down there, but we need a rod, reel, line and some tackle to seal the deal…
Ice fishing rods are to ice anglers like conductors wands are to conductors - they are a big part of the magic. In order to properly pick out an ice rod, you need to first think about the specie you are targeting and match accordingly. If you're targeting panfish, then you're going to typically want an ultralite or light action rod. And on the other hand, if you're going after monster pike you are going to want a medium-heavy or even a heavy action rod depending on the situation.
Matching the rod to the desired species is important. Thorne Bros offers a wide display of custom-made rods ranging from ultralite models for panfish, all the way to heavy action rods for lake trout and pike. Having a sensitive rod can also be very significant in certain situations. Same goes for a strong backbone or a fast tip. Get a feel for which rod suites you the best, and match it to the conditions you will be using it for.
Reels are similar to rods when picking out which one goes for which situation. You want to match the reel to the rod you're going to put it on. For ice fishing, most people prefer ultralite reels for a variety of conditions and rod types. Ultralite reels are exactly what they claim to be - light weight. This is important when using a short style rod like we use for ice fishing.
It allows for proper balance and a more comfortable feel. It also allows you to get the most out of your rod, where sensitivity is not affected by an overly heavy reel. For a larger ice rod, you might want to go with a larger reel, but that again is something you need to play round with to see what suites you the best. Once more, match the reel to the rod and to the situation you'll be using it for.
Line choice can make or break a day on the ice in my opinion. One of the most over-looked factors in ice fishing success is line choice. There are too many ice anglers who use too heavy of line when targeting certain species. For panfish, 1-3 pound test line is preferred. 2 pound test line can withstand a surprisingly amount of tension. For walleye you can go with 4-8 pound test line, same for bass and catfish. And for pike you can get by with 8-12 pound test line. "Your line choice directly effects the lures action, the heavier the line usually will hurt the action of the lure, however, that is not always the case," explains Dittrich.
Fluorocarbon line can be important too when clear water conditions call for it. We now even have copolymer lines like P-Line which is a silicon-coated fluorocarbon line that gives you the best of both worlds. You have a line that is almost water resistant, abolishes line twist, defies freezing, and is virtually invisible in the water. A must have in your armory of ice fishing rigs when hitting the ice. So, match the line with given situation, and don't ignore the importance that properly balanced line can play in a day on the ice.
Now we're on to probably the largest field of ice fishing gear - the tackle. The tackle options for ice anglers today are literally endless. We have ice flies, ice jigs, jigging spoons, swimming lures; the list goes on and on. All the different styles have their place and time, and they all have the ability to catch fish. Panfish jigs are among one the more popular classes of ice fishing tackle.
Custom Jigs and Spins offer a wide array of panfish jigs that cover everything from light-biting bluegills to aggressive-natured crappies. Some jigs incorporate a soft-plastic body like the Shrimpo and Ratso, while others portray a hard-bodied teardrop like the Two-Spot or Demon. Jigging spoons are one of the other more popular categories of ice fishing tackle. Jigging spoons like the Scenic Tackle Angel Eye and Go Devil offer a presentation that gratifies both panfish and larger gamefish like walleye, pike and bass.
Jigging spoons also come in a huge assortment of colors, sizes and actions. The selection for ice fishing tackle is enormous, and it's true, an ice angler can truly never have enough tackle.
Now we're ready for a day on the ice. We have our portable fish house to haul all our ice fishing toys and goodies. We've developed a plan of attack with our lake maps and GPS allowing us to be right where we want to be on the ice. We have our heater, lantern, ice auger and ice scoop to help us set-up camp and get comfortable.
We're staring at our flasher unit hoping those marks on the screen are slab crappies (only to find out that they are actually indeed crappies once we drop down the underwater camera). And we're rigged and ready with our new rod, reel, line and ice tackle tipped with our favorite bait. Now there's only one thing left to do… let's catch some fish!!!
Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson
IceLeaders Hot Spot Outdoors Show