Ice fishing lessons

[wetchimo]

Last year was the first year i tried ice fishing. I'm a young guy who is semi retired so i bought the camera, tent and auger but i have struck out ice fishing more than 50% of the time. If anyone would like teach me the finer points of ice fishing around edmonton, i would me more then grateful. I'm planing a trip to Gris/Winefred lake soon as the ice is thick enough and i would be more than happy to make sure my "teacher" comes with with me on the trip on me.

I never caught a pike or walleye through the ice so if someone has experience and would like to go out some time during the week, let me know and we'll head out.

[Kim473]

Lots of times even the best strike out. Go to lakes that you know have fish and the fish do bite, first and formost. Second, If you don't get a bite in the first 15 mins, MOVE! I only set up camp for the day if I know there are fish there. Drill 6 or 8 holes at various depths and fish each hole for a few mins, if no bites i'm moving to a differant part of the lake. Flasher helps me make the choice of moving as I can see if any fish are there even looking at my hook, allows me to move from hole to hole in seconds. Right size and color of hooks for what fish your going for, right bait. After that then its the technique. Usually the fish are on the bottom so put your hook within 12" of the bottom, then move up in the water colum till you find where they are. I fish mostly for perch and my hook is usually 1" to 3" off the bottom. I will lift my hook slowly up to 24" off the bottom and see if they are chasing the hook at all. Flasher is my best friend. Camera is in third or fourth place. If you don't have a flasher, watch your line for those little bites, if you see it move at all lift the hook and feel for weight. If there is some, set the hook.

[Brandonkop]

I agree with the above. Since fishing in the summer we are not limited to a few inch hole we cover a lot of ground with even one cast. In the winter it is all about putting that hole in the right location. If you have a camera down the hole and don't see any fish it is time to either put a big flashy spoon down like a Williams Whitefish or Wobbler. Give it a few rips, huge jigs... let if flutter down to the bottom. Stir up the dirt a little. Do this for about ten seconds then pause with the spoon 12-24 inches off the bottom and just small jigs. If nothing comes around try it again. If still nothing it is time to pack up and move. Now the funny thing about ice fishing is you often don't have to move far depending on the structure you are fishing. Sometimes you just drill your holes 20 feet - 30 feet apart or so when looking for fish on structure. We drill a ton of hole in the beginning. Usually in a straight line from shallow to deep, or at times we'll drill a big half circle, shallow out deep and then back in to shallow. Then when you fin where fish are you can drill more wholes in that depth. This all gets alot easier if you have like a Vexilar or Marcum Flasher as was mentioned. I think I may purchase on this year, its about time.

So once you have all your holes drilled it is time to grab more of an attracting lure if you don't have a flasher (my favorite is the Cicada blade bait). Drop it down do a few jigs and then just subtly jig it. If you are fishing at sunrise then if there is no fish biting in 1 minute or two I'd say move to your next hole. You have to cover ground fast when the bite should be hot. Don't wait for fish to come to you, go to them. If you have a Flasher sounder and you see fish then you may want to use a smaller presentation more likely to be bit.

Next word of advice is to go where the other fishermen are if on a new lake... they usually know something, but not always.

If ice fishing you really have to utilize the sunrise and sunset periods. They aren't very far apart during the early ice months so it is easy to hit them both. Expect a natural slow down in the fishing mid day, but it doesn't mean you can't fish.

Don't pack up when the sun starts to go down and the finger tips start to freeze as the temp drops. This is often when you'll catch the biggest walleye, pike and perch that you saw swimming around your hole all day. At this time of day it pays to use a lure with glow/flash and vibration!

Baiting the hook. Many times you may just need half a meal worm or a minnow head to entice a bite. You'll often have better hook up success with a smaller bait piece then a larger one.

You are allowed two lines in Alberta so utilize a tip up, or set line. Dead sticking is deadly in the winter months! You can use smelts, sardines, anchovies or mackerel. Our favorite are the largest Sardines we can find for big pike. Then put on a quickstrike rig. Keep 12-24 inches off the bottom. The Winlass and polar HT tip-ups work well for us. But you can also put a rod in a rod holder with a jig and whole minnow which works well.

Make sure all your presentations are as horizontal as possible in the water column so they look natural.

How do you find structure? Well it pays to get the lake depth maps. Look for mid lake humps, sharp drop offs, points, shallow flats adjacent weed beds, even fishing right in or just outside the reeds works well at times. If you fish structure in shallow early in the day that is likely where they are. If the fish disappear move to the deeper water adjacent the structure you are fishing and you may find the fish. But remember they will likely move in shallow again towards the afternoon.

My favorite lures to use for each species:
Perch - Chrome and blue Kastmaster
Pike - tip-up or jig and minnow
Walleye -Chrome and glow cicada

There are many other lures I go to if these don't work, but I have found if I start with these I'll usually catch fish.

Lastly, don't tell yourself the fish aren't biting too early in the day. Move around till you find those active fish.

I still get skunked infrequently and that is ok, but at least I get a work out from drilling all those holes looking for them!

Wish you luck!

If you don't catch a thing at least you can enjoy the sunrise and sunsets of our great province!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/Brandonkop3/IMG_0638.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/Brandonkop3/P1170560.jpg

PS I'd take you up on your offer to go fishing with you but I'm a displaced Albertan for now. Only one while on vacation and at heart.
Brandon

[waterninja]

once hunting seasons over i'll be glad to partner up with you for some trips. i like fishing for trout and am ussually pretty productive, but even the best of us gets skunked now and then. i have some nice spots near edm. that i'm very famillar with.

[brohymn2]

1cer?

[wetchimo]

Thanks for all the tips guys, i really aprecait the imput.

[Safety D]

You staying at Winefred Lake lodge or grist lodge?

[rocpilefsj]

Youtube can be a good source of info for a beginner, I have been watching videos on there the past couple nights driving the wife crazy while I impatiently wait for the ice to get just a bit thicker...

[wetchimo]

You staying at Winefred Lake lodge or grist lodge?

I usually stay at Gris Lake lodge for ice fishing and at Winefred Lake lodge in the summer. There is also an outfitter at Winefred who I would like to stay with this year. Both lakes are close to gether and pretty remote so fishing there is usually really good.