Many bodies of water across North America freeze up in the winter, creating the ideal circumstance to do what many have done
...
Sitting in a frozen box in the middle of an ice-cold lake.
(Willingly, mind you, much to the confusion of non-anglers).
Ice fishing for Walleye
can mean a great time and great food.
Many anglers stay away from ice fishing because of unknowns or doubts, but this way to fish for Walleye can be
extremely enjoyable.
Even if you have never ice fished before, it is not as difficult as you may think.
The first rule of ice fishing is to make sure that
you have all the gear you want and need. An ice shanty or shed (I normally just like to call em' ice fishin houses) can be used to block the wind and keep you warmer
while fishing.
An ice drill or auger will be needed to make the ice holes easily. You will also need the fishing gear, including a rod and reel, lures, and other
tackle. It is better to pack too many lures and too much tackle then not enough.
The ice holes are crucial to ice fishing. A quality ice hole should be between
five and eight foot in diameter.
This gives you enough room to bring out the bigger fish, without running into problems with the fish being bigger than the ice
hole drilled.
Make sure that the edges of the ice hole are smoothed down, otherwise sharp edges can cause wear on the line that may cause it to fray and
break.
This can happen at the worst possible time, right when you have a big one on the line fighting to get away. This is a common mistake made by anglers
when ice fishing for the first time.
You are going to want more than one hole, so that you can use more than one rod. Space the holes out at about fifty foot
apart in every direction.
This ensures the ice does not become weakened and there is a maximum chance for success because of numerous ice
holes.
Ice fishing for Walleye may mean a different experience when it comes to depth.
Look for green weeds and underwater structures through the
ice. The depth will be shallower than it is in the warmer months when water fishing.
Walleye are cold blooded fish, and in the winter under the ice almost all of
the water is cold enough.
This means the Walleye can be found in water that may only be a few feet deep.
Schools of baitfish can be a good
indicator that the Walleye are lurking somewhere close by.
Drilling a number of holes will allow you to determine the underwater landscape, so you can
ensure holes over prime feeding grounds and structures used for cover and hiding.
Ice fishing for Walleye can be dangerous if the safety rules are not
followed. The ice should be extremely thick.
Even if the ice is thick enough for fishing, there can still be weak areas that may be safety hazards. This sport is
better when done in pairs or groups for safer ice fishing.
