Massachusetts Series Eastern Region
New Hampshire Series Western Region
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by Lee Pilkovsky
During the long winter months, many anglers hole up in front the fireplace or at their fly tying bench, dreaming of warm days with full stringers of trout or live wells brimming with bass. What many of these anglers are missing out on is some of the best action of the year; ice fishing. In the winter the fish are more predictable and are hungry, seizing the opportunity to grab a well placed shiner or jig. While the thought of fishing, “hard water,” conjures up images of swirling snow, driving winds and frostbite, anglers can still have a very comfortable, enjoyable and productive day of fishing. As with any sport, safety is always a priority and with a little preparation and common sense, ice fishing can be safer than driving to work. It’s also a family friendly sport with minimal investment in equipment required and plenty of action to keep kids interested.
Safety on the ice
When ice fishing, safety should always be priority number one. Just like any other outdoor activity ice fishing has its inherent dangers, but by using a little common sense and being prepared for an emergency, you can make any day a great day on the ice.
The number one danger is falling though the ice. During the winter upper water temperatures rarely get above the 40 degree mark and hypothermia will set in quickly if a person was to get wet. |
Setting a tip-up
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Testing the ice is the very fist thing an angler must do before venturing out any further. During the early season when the ice has just formed and is still thin, a hole should be chiseled or drilled every twenty feet and the depth of ice checked. If the ice cracks or is punctured easily, get back to shore. Even if the ice is thick in one spot, it could be much thinner in others due to water currents or warmer water bubbling up from the bottom from spring holes. Also, the geography of the lake can determine ice thickness. Shallow, smaller bodies of water will freeze sooner because
the water temperatures tend to cool faster. Large deep lakes will freeze slower because there is more water to cool before it allows the formation of ice. Just because the ice is safe on one lake does not mean its safe at another.
Ice anglers should always be prepared with the proper gear in case of an emergency. Along with a chisel or ice auger to check ice thickness, anglers should always carry a set of ice picks in the event that they break through. Ice picks will allow you to pull yourself from the water. Also a rope should be carried so you can throw it to someone who can assist you or so you can help someone else who has fallen through the ice. A life jacket is another piece of gear that should always be considered as it can keep you afloat with minimal effort in cold water.
Ice fishing equipment
As with any hobby, ice fishing can be as cheap or as expensive to get into as you make it. But no matter how much you decide to invest in your new outdoor sport, there are four basic pieces of equipment that all ice anglers need:
- A way to cut a hole in the ice
- Skimmer to remove slush from the hole
- Ice rod or tip-up
- Bait
Waiting for a flag |
The easiest and preferred method of cutting a hole in the ice is the gas powered ice auger. These nifty machines make short work out of cutting through several inches, or even feet, of ice. They are expensive, but are a must have for any serious ice angler. Hand crank augers are a more viable option for a budget conscious angler and they work great in the early season when there are only a few inches of ice to cut through. During mid to late winter you may get more of a workout than you bargained for though. The secret to efficient cutting with any auger is to keep the blades sharp. The ice chisel is perhaps the most used ice cutting tool available. |
Whether you use it to cut fresh holes or to re-open old ones, the chisel is the most versatile option. Even an ax or hatchet will work to cut a hole in the ice although you may not like the face full of slush that accompanies these tools.
While a skimmer may not be necessary to actually fish, it makes the task at hand much easier. Also known as scoops or ladles, skimmers remove the slush from the hole after the cutting is complete. This makes it easier to get your lure or bait down to the fish and it makes removing the fish much easier. Floating chips of ice can cause line abrasion that can result in the loss of that lunker. Skimmers are relatively cheap and every ice angler should carry at least one.
Ice rods and tip-ups are two very different fishing tools that both accomplish the same thing. Ice rods are simply a shortened fishing rod and can be used in the same manner as a fishing rod. Typically ice rods are used to jig lures or bait, but they can also be dead-sticked, meaning you simply put bait on a hook on the end and let it sit there. Tip-ups are designed to be fished with bait at any depth and are the most traditional way of ice fishing. When a fish takes the bait a flag “tips up” letting the angler know that there is action down below. Running for a flag not knowing what awaits at the other end is the most exciting aspect of ice fishing and is an excellent way to keep kids interested who might not otherwise have the patience for jigging.
Choosing the right bait is perhaps the most important part of ice fishing, yet it’s the easiest. Shiners and smelts are the two most popular types of bait. Shiners are found in every body of water and represent a major forage food for game fish. |
A nice rainbow
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Smelts are a slender baitfish that is preferred by colder water game species such as trout and salmon. The proper way to hook a shiner or smelt is debated among many ice anglers, but the two most popular ways are through the lips and behind the dorsal fin. Other types of bait that work are earthworms, grubs, suckers, and insects. Be sure to check with your local fish and game laws to see what bait is legal in your state and on the particular body of water you are fishing. Also, never dump live bait into the water as this may cause the spread of an unwanted species.
Finding fish under the ice
Fish locations in the winter are very similar to fish locations in the summer. Panfish such as perch and sunfish will hang out in the shallows, around weeds and brush and anything else that will give them some cover. Bigger predator fish like pickerel will also prowl the shallows, feeding on the smaller panfish. Bass will cruise the shallows looking for a meal, but tend to spend their days in the deeper, warmer water. Cold water species move up into the shallows, also feeding on the smaller fish.
The end of a perfect day. |
Salmon and trout are often found in the sandy or gravelly bottom shallow areas where they pick invertebrates up off the bottom. A small shiner or smelt, or even a worm, suspended inches off the bottom will often yield a fish. Lake trout are generally found in deeper water although they do come in the shallows looking for an easy meal.
As a general rule, fish are found in the warmer, deeper water early in the season. Plants begin to break down at the bottom of the lake using oxygen in the process. As the ice and snow builds, less light reaches the depths and the oxygen levels decrease. As a result fish move up in the water column where there is more oxygen and food. The depth where this low oxygen band begins will vary with the depth of the lake. |
Deeper lakes will have deeper low oxygen bands, while shallow ponds might have a winterkill because the decaying plants use up all the available oxygen.
Tips and tricks
Here are a few tips taken from local ice anglers and my own experiences over the years.
- Fish the low light times of day, morning and evening. Fish, especially the big fish, are more active during these times. Also fish just before and after a storm front where the change in barometric pressure will cause fish to become active.
- Set your tip-ups all at different depths until you get one that is consistently producing then move the others to the same depth.
- Tip the end of a jig with a piece of bait. This adds visual and scent attraction to the jig, increasing your catch.
- Try bouncing your jig off the bottom. This stirs up the mud and creates sound and movement that attracts fish.
- When fishing the shallows for trout, drop an artificial salmon egg into the hole. This will sink to the bottom and attract fish. When a fish finds food, it generally hangs out in the same area for a few minutes.
- To keep your bait alive longer, use a bigger bucket and change the water every few hours. Bait fish live better in water that is closer in temperature to the lake you are fishing.
- If a fish keeps taking the bait off your tip-up, try jigging in that hole for a few minutes.
- When changing hooks or bait, keep the spool of your tip-up in the water to prevent it from freezing.
- To remove built up ice on your auger, use a wooden mallet. Banging it on the ice can bend the blades and drill shaft affecting cutting performance.
When hooking your bait through the lips, only place the hook through the top lip. This will allow the bait to circulate more water through its gills and keep it fresh.
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