Although it seems like it just started, in many areas across the ice-fishing belt, the ice fishing season is already at the midway point. In many places it’s been much warmer than usual, so travel on the ice has been limited. Despite that, there are lots of anglers on the ice, and numerous reports indicate that the fish have been cooperative. I don’t know what Mother Nature has planned for the next few weeks. Maybe she’ll send cold weather and more ice, or maybe she won’t. I do know there are things ice anglers can do to increase their chances for getting bit as the season starts to wind down.
Many anglers, me included, enjoy fishing through the ice during the latter parts of the season. We can usually access different areas easier, and that’s a big advantage. At this time of year it’s not unusual to drill dozens of holes in the ice in our attempts to find fish. In most years the ice is thicker and there’s more snow on it, so the fish aren’t as easily spooked. And, although truck traffic will still spook fish this time of year, it’s probably not as noticeable as it was earlier in the season.
The weather also gets more pleasant as the season progresses, and that makes us more likely to get out and move around. It works well to put an auger, a sonar unit, a couple rod/reel combinations and some baits in a portable shelter and start exploring. Ice fishing is an interesting thing: Lots of ice anglers like to arrive at the lake as a group and fish the same general area, but once that general area has been determined, they tend to move a little bit away from each other. They can cover more area by doing so, and by covering more area, they can locate the fish quicker. Usually. Portable shelters enable these anglers to move around but still have all the needed equipment. They also provide a comfortable fishing position and protection from the elements, especially wind.
Sonar is such an important part of successful ice-fishing. Most of the time but especially from now until the ice leaves, it’s unusual to sit on a hole for more than 5 minutes if fish aren’t detected. Other than catching a fish, sonar is the only way to tell if you’re on a fishy spot. That means that when you see a fish take your bait, you can set the hook almost immediately. Some sonar units display what happened, real-time sonar shows what is happening. Real-time is a very important feature.
Here’s a nice northern pike that came through the ice half way through the ice fishing season.
Most years by now, the fish have experienced a lot of fishing pressure. They’ve seen a variety of baits so they get a little or a lot finicky. And there are fewer fish because some have been caught and taken home. Now is the time to visit new areas that haven’t seen as much fishing pressure. Try a different area of the lake, or maybe try a different lake. Because of warmer weather this year, some good areas have been inaccessible due to unsafe ice. As the ice gets safer on those areas, they should be good later than usual.
Bob Jensen
If the fish are playing hard-to-catch, and trying a different area isn’t an option, keep trying different bait types, colors, and move them faster or slower. Giving the fish a different look will usually get them to bite.
The days are getting longer, the weather will warm up, and the fish will be willing to bite somewhere on something. The opportunity to get outside and catch a few fish is an outstanding reason to go ice fishing. Keep moving, keep experimenting, and you’ll find ice fishing success.
Largemouth bass
This big largemouth bass ate Mike Frisch’s swim-jig about a week after spawning.
Tiny dancer
On this day, the skies were clear and the fish were finicky. This jumbo perch needed to be convinced to eat by using a tiny jig.
Largemouth bass
Mike Frisch with a year 2020 lunker largemouth bass. This guy ate a tiny Ned Ocho.
Crappie on Kabetogama
Wade Watson holds a typical fall Kabetogama crappie that ate a Crater jig tipped with a shiner minnow.
Crappie jackpot
This fall crappie was on the bottom in 22 feet of water when it decided to eat Travis Carlson’s bait.
Fall catch
Gary Swenson displays a nice fall perch. A jig/minnow combination took lots of perch, but the jig/Shadpole took the bigger ones on this day.
Fond fish memories
An October memory. Jim McDonnell with a Great Lakes fall smallmouth.
Catfish hunter
Dean Arnoldussen caught this bonus catfish trolling in early fall.
Crankbait attracts walleye
Crankbaits catch walleyes in the fall.
joe honer.jpg
Our fishing friend and outstanding fishing guide Joe Honer with a shallow water fall walleye.
Crappie on the line
Crappies can be caught right now with jigs in a variety of locations.
Largemouth goes small
This big largemouth went for a 2.5 inch Ned Ocho. That’s not unusual when the fish are finicky.
Pontoon fishing
Modern outboards push a pontoon as fast or as slow as an angler or boater might want to go.
Bitten
This mid-summer walleye was taken from a small group of fish that were willing to eat. There was a larger school nearby, but they weren’t biters. Fish the biters.
Mid-summer's dream
It was midsummer when this walleye ate Mike Frisch’s jig tipped with a plastic tail.
Summer catch
Summer fish can be found almost anywhere. This early summer walleye was in shallow water.
Planer walleye
Here’s Bruce DeShano with a walleye he took on a crankbait behind a planer board in the middle of summer. Note the planer boards in the water at different distances from the boat.
Mid-summer's dream
It was mid-summer when this big guy ate an Ocho fished on a jighead. Simple baits catch big fish much of the time.
Creative win
Be creative with your lure presentation and you’ll catch more fish.
Mid-May walleye
This spawned-out, mid-May walleye liked the looks of Laef Lundbeck’s jig/minnow presentation.
May walleye
Here’s a nice Clear Lake walleye taken in May. On this day, we caught walleyes in the morning and crappies in the afternoon.
Largemouth bass
On this summer day, the largemouth bass showed a strong preference for crankbaits in a blue/chartreuse color. Blue/chartreuse is an outstanding color in many waters.
Walleye on opening day
A wonderful memory. The late "Fishing Professor" Jim McDonnell with an Opening Day walleye.
Spring perch
This cold water perch wanted a basic hook/splitshot rig tipped with a minnow and moved slowly along the bottom.
Clear Lake crappie
Fishing guide Kevan Paul with a big crappie taken through the ice on a tiny jig.
South Dakota perch
The skies were blue and cloudless and the air temperature was frigid, but this South Dakota perch was willing to eat a tiny jig.
Channel catfish
Chris Scholl caught this channel catfish through the ice on Clear Lake in north central Iowa in March a couple of years.
Smallmouth bass in open water
Mike Frisch with an open water smallmouth bass. Now is the perfect time to prepare for open water season by attending sport and boat shows.
Spring walleye
Bill Bunn with an early season walleye that he caught on live bait under a slip-bobber.
Walleye, suspended
Bruce DeShano caught this Green Bay walleye on a crankbait. The fish was about 15 feet down over 35 feet of water.
To see new and not-so-new episodes of Fishing the Midwest television, fishing articles and new fishing videos, go to fishingthemidwest.com.
January 16, 2021 at 09:00PM
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Jensen: How to find fish as the season winds down - Mason City Globe Gazette
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