Ice Fishing: How to Locate Fish and Effective Jigging Techniques
Ice rods come in different styles, lengths and actions to match different types of lures, baits and presentations and the different species you will target. Ultralight reels prevail, and those designed for ice fishing tend to be significantly less expensive than corresponding open water reels. Round “straight line†reels resembling those of fly fishermen have gained popularity in recent years, too. Species like bluegill, crappie, redear sunfish and perch are the primary prey of most ice anglers, and the equipment you will need for them is simple and inexpensive. Shakespeare offers ice rods and ice fishing rod/reel combos in its popular Ugly Stik series.
New post: Ice Fishing: Bait & Lures : How to Bait a Jig for Ice Fishing (http://cli.gs/jmtuG) http://cli.gs/jmtuG
— Floridasportsman (@floridasport) January 19, 2010
Ice fishing fans from East to West are using a combination of these lures based on demand and weather so I highly recommend having at least 10 of these in your tacklebox so you have options. It offers a lightweight and slow presentation with a falling action and flash that catches attention as it drops through the water column. It comes in sizes ranging from 1/16 to 1/4 so I recommend picking up at least two of the options so you can size down or up based on the day.
Ice Fishing: How to Catch & Release a Fish : Ice Fishing: Landing Fish on a Jig Rod http://bit.ly/emrPsq
— Martha Brooke (@MarthaBrooke) January 28, 2011
As unlikely as it may seem, bluegills and other panfish will eventually tire of live bait. When this happens, switch to a tiny 1/80 round head jig with a sliver of plastic hooked on it. The finesse plastic tails of these tiny jigs quiver and shake with even the slightest movement of the rod tip. Finesse plastic jigs are also excellent search jigs and perform great in clear water. Whether using an ice fishing rod or hook-and-line method while fishing on the ice, a good technique to try is jigging.
I recommend going with something simple as you would expect and ensure that it’s colored according to the situation outside. If it’s cloudy and overcast go with something natural like white, gray, or chartreuse. These smaller trout are very active under the ice, but they don’t grow as big as their Great Lakes cousins. I’ll stick with Demons and Demon Jigging Spoons since I feel that they are still great choices for stocked trout also. But I will downsize my presentation and use spikes or a waxworm as live bait.
These spots become choice bluegill haunts because they’re home to multiple species of insect larva—a favorite wintertime food source. During early ice, finding bluegills is a fairly simple process. Just like in the summer when you spotted dozens of bluegills around almost every little patch of weeds, the key to finding bluegills during early winter is by finding the vegetation.
Dion Liriano is a 51-year-old American zookeeper who has retired from the business. He was once a highly successful director of the Zoo and Aquarium, but he has since hung up his gloves and moved on to other ventures. Dion's passion for animals began at a young age, when he would help his father care for their family pets. This love grew exponentially when he started working at the zoo; Dion quickly became one of the most experienced keepers in the business. He credits his success to the relationships he built with both staff and animals over the years.