Above: A pair of small rainbow trout caught from a Vermont lake in 2008.

Typical size

As is the case when targeting most species of fish, a bulk of an angler’s catch will consist of small to medium-sized fish. In lakes and ponds that are regularly stocked, most rainbow trout will be less than two pounds in weight and between 10 and 15 inches in length. Occasional larger specimens will be hooked and iced by anglers who possess an abundance of both skill and luck.

Tackle, lures, and bait

Tackle

Whether fishing with tip-ups or with a rod and reel, light tackle is crucial. Tip-ups should be set to spring at the gentlest of bites, as finicky rainbows will often expel bait immediately upon feeling resistance. Additionally, tipi-ups should be rigged with light 4-6 lb test leaders and small, size 6-10 hooks.

Anglers who intend to jig for rainbows will be well equipped with an ultra-light rod and reel combo spooled with 4-6 lb. test.

Lures

The same small, shiny, jigs and lures that are effective for panfish and brook trout will also be effective on rainbow trout.

Bait

Small baits tend to be most effective for rainbow trout. Small worms or pieces of night crawler are perhaps the best baits for rainbows, but small baitfish and single salmon eggs are often also effective.

Fishing methods

Ultra simplified, ice fishing for rainbow trout boils down to, fish early, fish shallow. While there are exceptions to every rule, rainbow trout are typically most active in the gray light hours before dawn until 9 a.m. at the latest. To further improve the chances of hooking into a rainbow, fish 1 to 3 feet below the ice in 10 feet or less of water.

As table fare

See notes for brook trout and landlocked salmon (12)

Above: The only landlocked salmon (top) the author has caught to date.

Typical size

While landlocked salmon can exceed 20 pounds in weight, most of an angler’s catch will consist of fish weighing in at less than 5 lbs. In places where salmon are regularly stocked by fish and wildlife departments, most of the catch will likely consist of fish in the 1 pound or less range.

Tackle lures and bait

Tackle

Tip-ups are the most commonly used tool for salmon, especially where multiple lines are allowed by law. Tip-ups should be rigged with at least 150 yards of line as hooked salmon run fast and long when hooked and can easily spin all the line off an insufficiently supplied spool before an angler is able to reach his or her tip-up. Additionally, since salmon can be light biters, leaders of monofilament or superline such as Spiderwire or Fireline are essential and hooks no larger than size 6 should be used.

I have heard of some anglers jigging for salmon though this method is far less popular than tip-up fishing, at least here in the Northeast. If an angler is inclined to jig for salmon, a light to medium weight rod and reel combo replete with 6 lb to 8 lb test line would work well. Heavier gear should be used when fishing waters frequented by unusually large salmon.

Lures

The same jigs and spoons used for large perch and brook trout should work well for most salmon. Large, lake trout and pike sized lures may be effective for rare trophy-sized fish but keep in mind that large fish are often caught on small lures.

Bait

Most baitfish species ranging from two to five inches in length will be effective for salmon. Smelt seem to be particularly effective as salmon bait.

Fishing methods

I have found salmon fishing to be somewhat of a crapshoot. From talking to far more masterful anglers than myself, I have learned that during the winter, salmon frequently swim within a few feet of the ice, patrolling at high speeds for schools of baitfish. Pinning them down can therefore be frustrating and a great deal of luck is necessary for a successful trip.

The best salmon fishing method I know of is to set tip-ups in a manner that covers as much of a lake as is reasonably possible. Tip-ups may end up being set hundreds of yards apart. Bait should be dangled from one to four feet below the ice.

As table fare

The meat of landlocked salmon is far milder than that of salmon purchased from the seafood section of a supermarket. Rather than having a deep red color, landlocked salmon meat is usually white with a pinkish hue and has a flavor more akin to typical small to medium-sized trout than sea-run pacific salmon.

Like most salmonids, landlocked salmon is best when minimally seasoned and grilled or kippered.

Related articles

Ice fishing for lake trout

Ice fishing for brook trout

Ice fishing for yellow perch

A beginner’s guide to ice fishing: getting started (16)

Above: A lake trout caught via jig during the 2012 season.

Typical Size

Lake trout can, and often do, grow to enormous sizes, occasionally exceeding 30 pounds in weight. Stories abound of ice anglers having difficulty getting large lake trout to fit through 8-inch and 10-inch diameter holes in the ice. A vast majority of iced lakers, however, will weigh in at less than five pounds. In waters that overpopulated with lake trout, a majority of the catch will consist of fish weighing less than three pounds.

Tackle, lures, and bait

Tackle

Tip-ups are an efficient tool for catching lake trout where anglers are allowed to deploy multiple lines. Be sure to rig tip-ups with at least 150 yards of 25 lb test or stronger line as even a small lake trout will run all the line off a minimally wound spool in very little time.

A stout jigging rod with a large-capacity reel is an additional invaluable tool for the wintertime lake trout angler. My preferred jigging setup is an 24-inch long heavy duty spinning rod and reel rigged with 14 lb test or stronger line. While it is a little stiffer and stronger a setup than I need for most of the lake trout I catch, I would hate to find myself under gunned in the event that I hook into one of the rare lunkers that lurk in the deep lakes.

Lures

Large, heavy spoons and bucktail jigs are typically effective on lake trout. I have noticed that lake trout can be oddly particular about lure color, so it is advantageous to have lures and jigs of various color and pattern. A lure tipped with a chunk of baitfish is often a deadly combination.

Bait

Any baitfish will work, but smelt and suckers are particularly effective.

Above: A selection of lake trout jigs.

Fishing methods

During the winter, lake trout will cruise at all depths chasing baitfish. I have caught them in a little as three feet of water and as much as 70 feet. I have caught them by setting bait directly on the bottom, just under the ice, and everything in between. That being said, most of the lake trout I have caught have been within one foot of the bottom in 10 to 50 feet of water.

The unpredictable distribution of lake trout means that an angler must drill a lot of holes.  Start in shallow water and move toward deeper water, drilling a hole every 20 to 30 feet in a line that is 100 yards or longer. While most bites will occur within two feet of the bottom, don’t neglect zones nearer to the ice.

When jigging, there is no need for drastic, exaggerated lure movement. Pause the jig periodically as lake trout often strike once a lure has become stationary.

As table fare

Lake trout have an undeservedly bad reputation as a food fish with many people complaining they are too oily and gamy to be palatable. I, however, have found that when prepared properly, lake trout can be exquisite. I prefer to kipper the lake trout I catch but they are also good when marinated in a blend of soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, and then broiled or grilled.

Related articles

Ice fishing for landlocked salmon

Ice fishing for brook trout

Ice fishing for yellow perch

A beginner’s guide to ice fishing: getting started (19)

In spite of their common name, Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are actually a species of char and are more closely related to their larger cousins, lake trout, than they are to such members of the Salmo genus as rainbow and brown trout. Like all salmonidae (the order encompassing trout and salmon), brook trout feed actively and sometimes aggressively throughout the winter and are one of the easier salmonid species to catch through the ice.

 Typical size

While anglers occasionally catch brook trout that are greater than 20-inches in length and five pounds in weight, most of an ice angler’s typical catch will consist of fish in the 6 to 14-inch range. In many waters, most of those fish will be recently stocked (within one year) and unusually voracious. Recently stocked brook trout are often lesser table fare when compared to fish that have been in the wild for a few years.

Tackle, lures, and bait

 Tackle

An ultra-light jigging rod and reel rigged with light, 4-6 lb. test line is an ideal setup for fishing hardwater brookies. Tip-ups are also a highly effective tool for catching brook trout.

Lures

Any small, shiny, jig or lure suitable for panfish will also work for brook trout. I have found that basic metallic colors such as silver and gold to be more effective than florescent colored jigs but individual results are bound to vary. Artificial lures are usually most effective when tipped with bait.

Bait

Small baitfish (less than 3-inches in length) are common brookie bait. Earthworms are also highly effective when available.

Fishing methods

The best brook trout fishing will occur in one to eight feet of water where the bottom of the lake or pond consists largely of rocks and gravel. Bait should be suspended six inches to three feet under the ice and jigs should be given just enough movement to attract the attention of fish.

As table fare

The flesh of brook trout can range in color from with to reddish-orange and can range in flavor from light and sweet to rich and strong, similar to salmon. Recently stocked brook trout, however, tend to be a bit on the mushy and bland side.

Brookies are excellent kippered, but are otherwise best prepared by lightly seasoning and grilling or pan-frying in butter or olive oil until the skin is brown and crispy. Smaller fish can be prepared whole while larger specimens can be filleted.

Related articles

Ice fishing for lake trout

Ice fishing for landlocked salmon

Ice fishing for yellow perch

A beginner’s guide to ice fishing: getting started (12)

Considered by some anglers to be a delicious target species and annoying and bait thieving trash fish by others, yellow perch are undeniably the ultimate beginner’s fish. They are active throughout the year, bite readily on a wide variety of baits and lures, and feed voraciously at midday. In waters where they are present, it is often difficult to avoid catching perch. Although they lack the sharp teeth of such species as pike and pickerel, care should still be taken when icing and unhooking yellow perch as their dorsal fins, pectoral fins, ventral fins, and gill plates are spiny and can inflict painful cuts and punctures.

Above: A wintertime catch of large yellow perch

Typical size

Most perch iced by anglers will be less than 10-inches in length and weigh less than a pound. However, occasionally a lucky ice angler fishing a large, deep lake or pond will locate a school of 10- to 12-inch perch that will yield decent-sized boneless fillets.

Tackle, lures, and bait

Tackle: An ultra-light jigging combo rigged with 4-6 pound test line is probably the most efficient tool for fishing perch as they congregate in schools. Where anglers are allowed by law to ice fish by deploying multiple lines simultaneously, tip-ups can also be an effective method by which to catch perch.

Lures: Any small, bright, and/or shiny jig or spoon that weighs less than ½-ounce will work for perch. Excellent choices include smaller sized jigs and spoons such as Swedish Pimples, and Hali jigs. Such lures are most effective when tipped with at least a little bait.

Baits: Perch are not picky and will bite on pretty much anything meaty. Good baits include small baitfish such as shiners, earthworms, mealworms, waxworms, and maggots.

Above: A selection of perch-capable jigs and lures

Fishing Methods

As mentioned earlier, it is harder to avoid catching yellow perch than it is to catch them.  I have caught them in water as shallow as three feet and in water as deep as 40-feet, both near the bottom and just under the ice. That being said, I have noticed that larger perch during the winter months will be found within one foot of the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water.

To fish for them, lower a baited jig to the bottom and then reel in a few inches of line. Move your hand just enough to give the jig a slight bouncing or shuddering movement interspersed with periodic pauses. Perch are active feeders during the winter, but they are typically more sluggish than in the summer and lack the ambition to chase a fast moving jig or lure. If a few minutes of jigging yields no bites, reel in a little more line and repeat the process. If no perch bite within 15 minutes, it may be prudent to move on to a new location.

Tip-up users should suspend bait 6 to 18 inches off the bottom and keep their lines relatively close together in order to accommodate the schooling nature of perch.

 As table fare

The meat of yellow perch is undoubtedly exquisite. Properly cooked fillets are white, mild and flaky and are good lightly seasoned and grilled, deep-fried, or in soups and chowders. Unfortunately, the meat to bone ratio of a perch is very low and even larger specimens yield only bite-sized boneless fillets.  Additionally, the meat of perch and other warm water fish is often heavily infested with parasitic flatworm larvae known as Clinostomum complanatum. While properly cooking the fillets will kill the worms and make the fish safe to eat, most anglers (myself included) are not willing to consume parasitic worms even when perfectly seasoned and cooked well-done. (10)

To people who have never tried it, ice fishing is often seen as a ridiculous or comical winter pastime.  After all, why would grown men and women haul themselves out of the comfort of warm homes to drill holes in frozen lakes just to catch a few fish?  They sell fish at the supermarket, don’t they?  There are also the inevitable jokes about ice fishing being little more than an excuse for grown men to get away from their wives and drink beer without fear of being nagged to complete a honey-do list.  While there is a nugget of truth at the core of any stereotype, by and large, ice anglers are as devoted to and serious about their pursuit as warm weather anglers.

What follows is a brief guide to get the uninitiated, would-be, ice angler started in the sport without investing a tremendous amount of money.

Why Ice Fish?

The reasons people enjoy ice fishing will inevitably vary from person to person, but in general there are two underlying justifications for spending a day on the wind-swept surface of a frozen lake or pond. First and foremost, winter is the best time to target certain species of game fish, especially lake trout and landlocked salmon.

Throughout most of the open water fishing season, these fish lurk in the deepest portions of lakes and ponds. Catching them typically requires a boat equipped with a sonar unit, downriggers, and other specialized equipment, none of which is inexpensive.  Once the surface of the lake freezes to a safe thickness in the winter, however, anyone who can walk can access prime trout and salmon fishing territory. Since these species thrive in cold water, they are just as active (if not more active) during the winter as during the warmer months and often move into shallower, easier to fish regions of lakes and ponds. Catching a trophy landlocked salmon in July will likely require thousands of dollars of equipment but during the winter all that is needed is a hook, line, and a hole in the ice.

The second reason to ice fish is emotional and psychological in nature. Winter is long and dark in many parts of the world. It is inevitable that cabin fever will affect even the most iron-willed individual at some point and feelings of claustrophobia will set in. Spending a day outside getting fresh air, exercise, and possibly a little winter sunshine goes a long way toward counteracting cabin fever. Sure, it’s cold out there, but being cold for a few hours will really make a person appreciate a warm home and hot shower at the end of a long day of fishing. Further, while a number of outdoor winter activities will provide a mood boost, ice fishing is the only one that offers a fresh fish dinner as a potential reward.

A frozen Vermont lake just after dawn. Vistas like this are sure to boost the mood of even the most winter-weary soul.

Basic gear

Like any other outdoor activity, the gear associated with ice fishing can be as simple and inexpensive or as expensive and complicated as the angler chooses. Minimally, however, the beginner will need the following items.

A way to make a hole in the ice

Technically, a hole can be made in the ice with a variety of tools including axes, spud bars and chippers, and chainsaws. The most practical and safest tool for the job is a hand operated or powered ice auger.

Gasoline, propane, and electric power augers are available through most hunting/fishing retailers and typically cost $400 or more new. While a power auger will save a great deal of labor when drilling multiple holes through thick ice, they are heavy, require the operator to bring fuel or large batteries, and are not immune to catastrophic mechanical failure. Additionally, the high price of power augers may be prohibitive to the novice.

A better option for the first time ice angler is a hand operated auger. A good hand auger can be purchased for $50 to $80 new and will cost significantly less used. A hand auger with sharp blades and a determined operator can bore through 12-inches of ice in less than a minute. Fatigue is inevitable if dozens of holes are drilled but then a little exercise is never a bad thing.

A hand auger (left) and a power auger (right). A power auger will bore through ice quickly while a hand auger will bore a hole in ice cheaply.

Rods, reels, and tip-ups

A length of line wound around a cleat will suffice as a very basic and inexpensive ice fishing outfit, but the first time ice angler is best served by investing in at least one ice fishing rod and reel combo and possibly a tip-up or two.

An ice fishing rod, also called a jigging rod or jigging stick resembles a miniature version of an open water rod/reel setup. The short length of the rod (typically 18 to 24 inches) allows the angler to use the rod within the confines of an ice tent or shelter.  Reels for these setups are identical to those found on warm water rods and are wound with the same monofilament or braided lines. Some ice buildup on the line, guides, and in the spool is inevitable, but can be mitigated to a degree with application of unscented mineral oil to the line and guides.

Above: An ice fishing rod and reel.

An alternative tool for catching fish through the ice is the tip-up, which is a device equipped with a reel of line set to trigger a spring loaded flag in the event of a bite. Numerous makes and model of tip-up are available to consumers but beware of the ultra-inexpensive models often found in ice fishing starter kits at big box retailers. There are invariably poorly made, hold an insufficient amount of line, and are unlikely to last a season.

A tip-up set and ready to catch fish.

Lures, baits, and rigs

In a manner similar to open water fishing, an angler’s selection of lures will depend upon the target species. In general, jigs of varying size and style are preferred for ice fishing as they do not rely on casting and retrieving to achieve the desired action.

A small assortment of ice fishing lures.

Where allowed by law, the use of live bait is highly effective for catching fish through the ice. Various baitfish including smelt, shiners, minnows, and small suckers are common ice fishing bait as are meal worms, maggots, and even earthworms.

More details on how and when to employ various ice fishing baits and lures will be provided in an upcoming article.

Clothing and comfort items

Selecting appropriate clothing for ice fishing can be a challenge due to the fact that a typical day on the ice consists of periods of activity (walking to a fishing spot, drilling holes) followed by periods of inactivity (watching tip-ups, jigging). This can create an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation where clothing, soaked with sweat from activity, becomes cold during sedentary periods.

It follows that bringing extra articles of clothing to replace sweat-soaked items is a prudent idea. Additionally, as is par for course when dressing for outdoor winter activities avoid cotton fabrics and dress in layers. Hand warmer and foot warmer packets are also an invaluable addition to an ice fishing kit.

 Safety

It has been said that no ice is safe ice, but realistically that’s a little hyperbolic and off-putting. The number of ice fishing fatalities every year is statistically nonexistent and almost all ice fishing deaths could have been prevented with a dose of common sense.

For additional details on ice fishing safety, I will defer to a comprehensive guide published by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Planning your first trip

Instant gratification is crucial to fostering a lifelong interest in any activity and ice fishing is no exception.  To ensure, to whatever extent possible, a fun and action packed first ice fishing trip, a novice would do well to locate a body of water with a large population of such fish as yellow perch, bluegill, and chain pickerel. These fish are voracious eaters and are highly active throughout the entire year. When these species are present in great numbers, it’s difficult to avoid catching them and a day of fast action is all but assured.

Ice caught yellow perch.

  (25)

Like many northern New England ice anglers, most of my hard water fishing has historically been done primarily with tip-ups. For those of you completely unfamiliar with ice fishing, a tip-up (often called a trap here in Maine) is essentially a spool of line rigged to a spring loaded flag. The tip-up is placed in a hole in the ice with its spool just below the surface of the water. When a fish grabs the baited hook that is presumably attached to the spool of line, the flag is released alerting the angler of the strike. The fish then must be pulled by hand to the surface.

While this method of icing fish is efficient as well as tried and true, it’s not without its drawbacks. For example, a fish is likely going to pull a lot of line from the spool before the angler even reaches his or her tip-up. As the angler pulls in the fish, this line is probably going to pile up on the ice next to the hole, freezing into an icy rat’s nest that sometimes can’t be untangled. Additionally, and this is just a matter of personal opinion, fighting a fish by way of rod and reel is more fun than hand-lining it in.

The obvious alternative to the tip up is some sort of jigging rod setup, but managing multiple jigging rods can be tricky. An angler may not notice a strike on a jigging rod that is set up 50 feet away.

There are now a variety of products on the market that attempt to bridge the gap between the tip-up and the jigging rod. The two that are the subject of this article are the Arctic Warrior tip-up offered by the Clam Corporation and the Ice Rigger rod tender offered by HT Enterprises. Both devices are designed to connect a standard jigging rod to a spring loaded signal flag in order to allow an angler to simultaneously take advantage of the best qualities of the tip-up and the jigging rod.

What follows is my initial assessment of each device based on how they performed during my first ice fishing trip of the 2012 season.

How it works in theory: the Arctic Warrior

1.

The Arctic Warrior essentially consists of two parts; a collapsible metal base with attached flag and a metal bearing attachment that affixes to a rod handle with two Velcro straps.

 2.

With the reel oriented as pictured above, the metal attachment is placed into the base. To balance the rod in the cradle, move the bearing back and forth along the rod handle until the rig is appropriately balanced. This is best accomplished indoors prior to taking to the ice.

3.

After setting the line at the desired depth, the Arctic Warrior is set by hooking the flag into the metal attachment as pictured above. The device works with the bail of the reel either open or closed. To use the Arctic Warrior with the bail open, run the line through the hooked part of the flag. When a fish takes the bait, the rod rocks downward, releasing the flag.

So far, the weakest point in the design seems to be the metal part that attaches to the rod handle. It will not secure to all rod handles (straight, even handles work best) and the small, metal attachment seems like it would be fairly easy to lose.

How it works in theory: the Ice Rigger

1.

The ice rigger, pictured above, is somewhat easier to set up than the Arctic Warrior and consists of a PVC rod holder, a flag, and quick release clip attached to a Teflon bearing.

2.

To use the device, place the rod into the holder and set the bait to the desired depth. With the bail of the reel open, affix the clip to the line as pictured above. The flag is then set into a notch in the bearing.

3.

When a fish takes the bait, the bearing rolls forward, releasing the flag. The line also pulls free of the clip. The amount of tension require for the line to release from the clip can be increased by moving the line farther back in the clip.

How they worked in practice

I didn’t get a single hit on the Ice Rigger during my recent trip so its effectiveness is yet to be determined.

I did, however, have two hits on the Arctic Warrior setup and so far, it seems to work as advertized. I botched the first strike of the day when I attempted to set the hook without first de-icing the hole. I was a little more patient and managed to land a twelve-inch brook trout.

Overall, I’m so far encouraged by the results. However, there is still some streamlining of the setup to be done. I need to find a way to prevent my reels, rod eyes, and the ice holes themselves from freezing. Keeping the holes free of skim ice is pretty much a full time job on extremely cold days. I have read that applying a few drops of unscented mineral oil to line spools and guides can inhibit freezing, but keeping holes open is going to require some creative thinking. (9)