Sadly we put away the boat and all of the fishing equipment
and we start walking away and then we realize… wait!!! It doesn’t end just because the lake has decided to freeze
over, does it?
Are the fish not eating anymore? Just because
the lake is frozen solid, that doesn’t mean that the fishing action has stopped. I know for a fact that some of my best
fishing had only just begun. Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean that fishing is still not hot. Fishing for Crappie,
Perch, Walleye and other species can be easily done by anyone that wants to fish. Now the center of the lake only requires
you to walk or drive out onto it. Ice fishing takes minimal equipment so a family is able to enjoy a nice sunny winter day
enjoying time together.
Throughout Canada and the northern United
States, people are starting to think about heading out on the ice and some of the most popular species that fisher people
actually fish for are:
CRAPPIE
Pronounced … depending on where and who (Craw-pee) or (Crap-eee) either way anglers know that this species
of fish are caught on a variety of vertical jigs using different color combinations. It may take a few different tries until
you find that the nibble starts but once it does the aggressive ice crappie will be hooked. The crappie is found plentiful
in the regions of Michigan, Minnesota, New England, Maine, and Wisconsin and in areas throughout Canada. These fish love the
rocky areas and weeds so checking your GPS, or knowing your lake and where those weed beds sit will make for some great winter
fishing with this species. These fish are not large and compare to the size of Perch or large Sunfish.
PERCH
A variety of
baits like the jigs are successful for perch, small vertical baits that are able to be jigged in an up and down motion or
bounced from the bottom are one of the attractants for the fish. Many fishers also used jigs tipped with minnows that have
been known to be effective. Found in the Great Lake area these fish were slowly dying off, however they are now on a rebound.
Majority of the Perch during the winter are found lower in the water 12-20 feet is a good depth to start looking and drilling
those holes. Usually these fish are found in the 1-2 lb. range. Smaller fish that fun to catch for kids.
Walleye
There are
thousands of wonderful walleye lakes for ice fishers to enjoy throughout the northern states. So it’s hard to zero in
on one spot for great action. Probably the Number One Capital Ice Fishing Lake for Walleye has to be hands down Lake Mille
Lacs in Minnesota. It definitely ranks at the top of the list as one of the most sought after destinations to ice fish in
the world. They actually have set up more than 4,500 ice huts on the ice and actually have a full road system that is plowed
by the town on the lake. You can rent one so no need to worry about getting cold they have a variety of different kinds so
that you too can enjoy and have your seat at the winter wonderland walleye fest). Effective fishing for winter walleye usually
consists of jigs tipped with minnows this motion almost always guarantees a strike if there in the area. Walleyes like to
hang out near the bottom and go up to strike so make sure that you try and leave your bait 1-2 feet above the bottom. (In
Canada don’t be surprised if you happen to catch yourself quite a few Northern Pike with this same method)
