Ice Fishing
Ice Fishing
There are different ways to catch a fish through the ice. Some people use a simple line and jerk up to set the hook. Others use a small pole, or even a small rod and reel combination. Your line should be a little longer than usuual. Braided nylon lines work well, because they can be handled easily when frozen. An 18-pound test line is about right, and it can haul in anything from a sunfish to a northern.
Both artificial baits and natural baits are effective. There are even special ice flies and spinners. Minnows are probably the most popular baits. Other options are dead minnows, grubs, wax worms, shrimp, bits of liver, strips of perch belly, and even kernals of corn.
The hardest part of ice fishing is making the hole in the ice. You can use an axe or hatchet, but this a very difficult, wet job. A very good way to do it is to use a manual or gas-powered auger. It is like a big cork srew. The blade is about 8-10 inches in diameter.
Since it's very cold when you're ice fishing, the hole you make will sometimes start to freeze over. So you'll need a skimmer or big spoon to skim the ice away. This will occur frequently.
A gas-powered auger is very helpful. All you have to do is pull the string like on a lawnmower or weedeater. When the fish aren't biting in one hole, move to another spot and easily make another hole. Sometimes when you're out on the ice, the wind will really get to you. You can either make your own wind break, or buy one. They can be as small as a telephone booth with only a bucket to sit on. Or, you could build a complete ice shantie, with runners on the bottom, so you can move it around. Since the ice is cold, it will keep other things cold too. So when you catch a fish, you can just throw it on the ice and it will stay fresh.
Big fish are often caught by trolling. That is, pulling a lure behind a moving boat. Big pike, musky, and walleye are solitary feeders, hanging down at the bottom of the water during the hot daytime, and coming to the surface to feed during dawn and dusk.
It is good to have another person (boat handler) with you, controlling the motor. The boat must move at a very slow pace. You have to avoid weed beds and rocks. The boat must be allowed to drift. One good thing about trolling is that you can cover an area until you hit a hot spot. Then you can drop anchor and fish normally.
You can even buy special trolling motors. They are smaller and quieter. They allow you to go at a perfect speed. When you're trolling, you don't want to have too much line out, or you won't be able to feel the fish on the other end. As soon as you get a bite, stop the boat, so you can play the fish and move around the boat safely.
Fly casting is a lot different than spin casting. With a fly rod you cast your line, not your lure. The lure is often just an imitation of a fly or insect. You don't use the reel to cast, and most of the line is unreeled before you cast.
Freshwater fly reels are usually light. The reel is mounted under the rod. If a reel is too light or too heavy, it may give you trouble. A fly rod effects the distance you will cast. They vary from 7 and a half to 9 and a half feet. A good length to start on is about 8 feet.
When you select fly line, remember you cast the line, not the lure. Nylon and dacron line are used for this purpose. You can get line that sinks or line that stays on top of the water. You should put a natural colored leader on the line, so the fish sees only the line. The leader is used to connect the line and the fly. These vary from six to ten feet. There are many different kinds of flies to choose from. Some imitate a drowned insect. Others imitate nymphs and minnows. They're are even special spoons, plugs, and spinners designed for fly rods.
