Ice Fishing for Big Walleye, Lake Trout, and Perch
As temperatures keep dropping, that means that the season’s first layer of thick, fishable ice isn’t far behind. For beginners, icefishing can be a daunting pursuit. Since you don’t have the freedom and flexibility to motor from spot to spot, how do you know where to start on the ice? No need to fret, because the three expert icefishing anglers in this story have you covered.
Some of the Best Ice Fishing Road Trips in the U.S.A.
In case you’re something like me, you’ve got some friends who make up your middle aged ice fishing crew. You’re likely hitting the handful of lakes and ponds over and over. Your own home game is dialed, no doubt, so maybe it’s time to take the crew on the road. Making plans a D.I.Y. getaway in the coldest months actually comes with greater logistics than a summer journey.
Ice Fishing for Smallmouth
On a broad expanse of Great Lakes ice, wind snapped the sides of our shelters like flags left out in a hurricane. A thick layer of clouds dimmed midday to create a late-evening atmosphere. But over the din of flapping tents came the constant hoot-and-holler of fishermen hooking up. First to my left, then my right, and suddenly my Thorne Brothers Professional doubled over.
Top Ice Fishing Lures You Need
In last year’s Ice Fishing Guide, In-Fisherman Editor In Chief Doug Stange picked his Top 10 Ice Lures of All Time. He focused on lures for larger predatory fish: walleyes, pike, bass, lake trout. His choices were (in no particular order of preference) the Acme Kastmaster,
Seven Lessons for Bigger Winter Pike
I was so smitten with pike that I pursued the big toothy critters with abandon throughout the winter months. That drive laid a foundation in my understanding of pike and taught me lessons that I’ve been able to refine to this day.
It helped, too, that I was able to bounce my on-the-ice observations off some of the greatest minds in the science community. Four decades later, we’re landing more and bigger pike than ever before.
The Search for Giant Perch
Yellow perch hold a special place in the hearts of hardcore panfish anglers. Seasoned anglers can recount the precise details surrounding the capture of their biggest yellow perch from decades past as though it was yesterday. Others spin tales of the day they got into a mother lode of jumbos and filled a fish basket too heavy to lift.