Ice Fishing

When the going gets tough, ice anglers break out live bait. Minnows are a reliable standby for many species. There are several ways to rig them, depending on the presentation. Here is a run-down of some methods.

If you live in the northern Midwest, then the opportunities for ice fishing on Lake Superior and the surrounding inland lakes are endless. Walleye, salmon, bass and northern pike can all easily be targeted and caught by the novice and experienced ice angler alike, making this area one of the true great ice fisheries found throughout the US.

The time between the first snowfall and the first good ice is never long enough for sportsmen who transition from late-season hunting to ice fishing. It seems you barely have time to put away your rifle before hearing reports of fish being pulled through the ice. 

Since ice fishing is one of those special sports where preparation is everything, hav

Snow-covered landscapes and frozen bodies of water have a deliberate way of changing a pike anglers' methods and routines.

Well folks it's mid-winter. Most lakes and rivers I've fished have a good amount of snow on them, but recently I was on a lake that had merely a dusting of the white stuff. It was as slippery as Teflon. It's been my practice to always carry boot cleats and this trip was another scenario where they enhanced my day on the ice.

E. F. Schumacher coined the phrase "small is beautiful" to refer to economics, but his saying lends itself well to ultra-finesse tactics for panfish. Today there are an array of Lilliputian ice fishing lures packed full of fish-catching goodness.

In an earlier blog entry I discussed using feather trebles to modify

Catching largemouth bass through the hardened surface of Northern lakes (where legal) is an exercise in fun, thrills and excitement. While most ice angler's turn to panfish or walleye to whet their appetite, those that are searching for line-peeling pulls and hefty weights need look no further than old greenback himself.

The "Fall Factor"

Anyone who knows me understands that one of my true passions when it comes to the sport of