News & Stories
Early Ice Walleye Fishing Ideas
Posted by director on November 20, 2020
Early Ice walleyes
Find ‘em in the fall, catch ‘em in the winter!
By Mike Frisch
The best ice fishing of my winter fishing career happened a few years back on a lake near my home in central Minnesota. This small, shallow lake is a stocked walleye fishery that often produces good walleye fishing in spring and then again in fall. The previous spring and fall on this lake had, in fact, seen a very good walleye bite. The fall fishing, in particular, was outstanding!
From mid-October until late November, I had a small area that produced numbers of “eaters” and several “overs” (fish over 20-inches) on nearly every outing. Jigs and minnows pitched to remnant weeds along the edge of a tapering flat was the productive pattern. The weeds in the “spot on the spot” stayed green well into fall, held baitfish, and drew walleyes and other gamefish too.
The good fishing of that fall lasted until November 21. That day I dodged ice chunks on the way to the good area, caught fish there, and then put the boat away for the season after the fishing trip. Ten days later, 4 to 6 inches of ice covered the 5- to 7-foot water. But the walleyes didn’t seem to care, as they were still there and still biting.
I tell this story to illustrate a couple key points about early ice walleyes. First, the early ice bite can be very good as the walleyes are often still feeding aggressively before going into a mid-winter funk. Second, fall fishing spots that held good numbers of walleyes will often be productive at early ice as well.
In this particular example, the presence of green weeds was important. Other irregularities, like points and turns or differences in bottom composition (sand to mud, for example), might be the draw for the fish on other waters. Whatever the reason, where you find them in fall is often where they’ll be in December.
Finding good numbers of fish is key to early ice success. A couple other fundamentals are important now too. First, since the ice is thin and often still clear, it’s a good idea to get to your fishing spot early, get set up, and be ready before the fishing action starts.
Often the best fishing action happens early morning and again in the evening during the change from night to day and vice versa in the evening. Being there before the action starts and getting set up can help minimize movement and noises that might scare the fish.
In addition to being quiet, I find fishing aggressive lures like jigging spoons most productive at first ice. A jigging spoon appeals to the aggressive nature of early ice walleyes as it can be fished aggressively to attract roaming walleyes and then fished slower to trigger bites from interested walleyes.
Jigging spoons are traditional baits that most anglers have in their winter tackle boxes. A glide-style bait is another aggressive jigging bait that has been in existence for many years too, but with their popularity exploding in recent years. These lures have accounted for several recent open water walleye tournament wins, but they can be dynamite under the ice as well.
The new Tikka Mino is a glide bait I had success with last fall and can’t wait to put to use this winter! This bait has the swimming, darting action of a panicked minnow, comes in a bunch of great colors, and is equipped with super sharp hooks as well.
Regardless whether you prefer a jigging spoon or one of the new glide baits, your chances for walleye fishing success at early ice can probably be enhanced by using some of the aforementioned suggestions. Targeting productive fall spots, getting to them early, and then fishing aggressively might just put a bunch of walleye gold on the ice for you soon!
Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit www.fishingthemidwest.com or follow Fishing the Midwest on Facebook for more "fishy" stuff.
PHOTO - Mike Frisch with a late fall walleye. Good fall fishing spots will usually produce walleyes at first ice too!
Building a Fishing Lure!
Posted by director on November 15, 2020
LURES TO CATCH FISH
By Bob Jensen
It’s been said more than a lot of times that “fishing lures aren’t made to catch fish, they’re made to catch fishermen.” When I was first getting into the fishing business I thought that was a pretty accurate concept. I learned quickly that lures that didn’t catch fish didn’t stay on the market very long. Fishing lure manufacturers truly want anglers to catch fish on the baits that those manufacturers make. If you catch fish on a particular bait, chances are you’ll buy more of them. There’s an unbelievable amount of thought, time, effort, and money that goes into getting a new lure into the hands of anglers. First, there needs to be an idea for a new lure. Then, a fishing tackle manufacturer needs to determine if there’s a need for that lure. Manufacturing, packaging, and marketing needs to be figured out. Then, and most importantly, there needs to be a person that can create that lure. John Crane is one of those people. I’ve known and fished with J.C. many times in the past twenty plus years, for everything from bass to walleyes to panfish. From a boat and through the ice. I and many, many other anglers have caught many, many fish on lures designed by J.C.
When I first started fishing with J.C., I found out very quickly that he was an outstanding fisherman. Not just good: Outstanding! Not long after, I noticed that he was constantly looking very closely at baits. He watched how they performed in the water. He examined them after a fish was caught. I didn’t know J.C. very well then and didn’t understand why he examined lures so closely. I learned that he was always looking for a way to make an already good lure even better.
A while back, and keep in mind that I said “a while”, J.C. started working on a new bait. He wanted to create a lure that was productive both through the ice and in open water. There were baits like this on the market, but J.C. thought he could “make a better mousetrap” or in this case, “a better fish-catcher.”
J.C. lives in northern Minnesota and fishes through the ice a lot. He’d been using glide-style baits with lots of success. But the baits that he was using had plastic fins that broke every now and then, rendering them useless. Fins sometimes broke when a fish with the bait in its mouth was flopping on the ice. J.C. also pounded the bottom with these baits to attract walleyes and perch, and when the baits were pounded on rocks, again, sometimes the fins broke. Not a lot, but enough to make J.C. think there must be a better way. He was determined to find that better way.
J.C. tried a lot of different things. He worked on lure shape, material, hooks, anything that he thought might work better, he tried. By his own admission, he failed a lot. That’s the way it works when anyone is designing something new. Finally, he hit on some combinations that were game-changers. He learned that Zinc Alloy is an outstanding material for a lure of this design. It’s durable, has a fish attracting sound when it’s pounded on the bottom, and it’s friendly to the environment. Best of all, the fish liked it.
He also discovered that it worked best to make the fin part of the body. Instead of a plastic fin and a lead body, this bait is a one-piece bait. Again, much more durable.
J.C. determined that an oversized red treble hook attracted more biters and resulted in a better hooking ratio. A little detail that creates bigger catches.
The final result of J.C.’s efforts is arriving for the first time in fishing tackle stores right now. It’s called a Tikka Mino. I don’t know what Tikka is, but I’m confident that if J.C. approved it, it’s a fish-catcher. And that’s the deal, a lure, if it’s going to be in a lure manufacturers line very long, has to do more than catch fishermen. It has to catch fish.
Now, remember a bit earlier when I said that “a while back” J.C. started working on this new lure? “A while back” was 9 years ago!
To see new and old episodes of Fishing the Midwest television, fishing articles and fishing videos, go to fishingthemidwest.com
Are You Ready?
Posted by director on October 31, 2020
Are you ready?
By Mike Frisch
Ice fishing season appears to be just around the corner! Are you ready? Here are some things to consider in preparing for the coming hard water season.
Prepare rods and reels
Before any new fishing season, ice or open water, it’s a good idea to respool all reels that will be used during the coming season. Fresh line is more manageable and respooling also increases the chances that a big early season fish is landed because it should lack any nicks or weak spots from past use that could lead to line failure. Simply put, new line is easier to fish with and increases my chances, and yours, of landing the season’s first big fish!
In addition to line maintenance, my ice rods get some attention now as well. Checking line guides is another task I complete at this time. Again, I want to be sure there are no cracked or damaged guides that could cause line wear and lead to lost fish.
Incidentally, I have been using the Dave Genz Legacy Rods the past couple years and have been impressed. These rods are light, sensitive, and come in just the right actions for a variety of fishing situations. And, pairing these rods with Lew’s Laser Lite LLS75 reels has proven to be a winning combination. These reels are the perfect size for ice rods, are very smooth, and perform well in cold weather conditions too. Plus, they are available at a great price point as well.
Pack light!
Early ice means walking to my fishing spots and pulling a one-man portable shelter. Because I want to be as light as possible, organizing and taking only essential gear is important. For that reason, now is a great time to inventory and ready things like my “early ice” tackle box, heater, and sonar units among other items in that shelter. That way when safe ice appears, I can quickly load my portable in my truck and head to the lake.
Another part of this process is to be sure the battery is charged on my winter sonar unit. And, because I prefer a K-Drill for my winter ice auger needs, I want to be sure the battery for the cordless electric drill that powers it is charged as well. The K-Drill is one of the best innovations to hit the ice fishing scene as it’s very light, cuts holes quickly, and always starts, as long as the battery is charged!
Stay safe
Waiting to be “sure” the ice is safe and then checking it’s depth as you venture out are great safety suggestions. Also, I have been wearing a Rise float suit that provides me with peace of mind when on the ice, particularly during early winter fishing trips. I also hit the ice at early ice with a set of ice picks around my neck. These picks can help me pull myself up onto the ice should I ever break through.
Another very important safety item, particularly during early season when the ice may be snow free and very slippery, is the use of a set of ice cleats for added traction. Various ice cleats that slip over boots can keep an angler upright and fishing successfully while others are slipping and trying to maintain balance!
* * *
If successful fishing is your goal during the coming ice season, now is a great time to prepare. Following some of the suggestions just offered can help you be ready when the ice is safe which and hopefully help you find early season success this winter!
As always, remember to include a youngster in those ice fishing trips!
Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit www.fishingthemidwest to see more fishing tips and view recent TV episodes as well!