Ice fishing can be such a simple sport….if you let it be! However, when you choose to dive below the surface and really get to know what is happening under the water, ice fishing is anything but simple! If you follow along, you’ve seen we’re really taking an in-depth look at every factor that goes into ice fishing. We laid the foundation in Frozen Details of Ice Fishing, and then took a long look at the water itself in Importance of Water Clarity When Ice Fishing. If you haven’t already read these, now is a great time to do so, because we’ll be putting it all together on the finer details of your presentation.
Learn More: Frozen Details of Ice Fishing
As we discussed in Importance of Water Clarity When Ice Fishing, I am a firm believer that presentation is the final piece that needs to be put in place for a successful day on the water. The most important element is location, which is why we took a close look at the areas to target depending on what the water clarity is for that area. After that is timing, again, why we scrutinized each element of the lake to figure out when the highest percentage chance to catch fish is.
Learn More: Importance of Water Clarity When Ice Fishing
In Frozen Details of Ice Fishing, we also discussed the fish themselves. Winter is a time their metabolism, and thus their energy levels, is going to be at its lowest. Fish are not actively chasing like they were in the summer months, and that means you have to hone in your presentation to what they are feeling at that moment. In this case, sluggish.
Now that we’ve finally got everything laid out-the water conditions, the fish’s mood, and the factors that are going into making them bite it’s time to talk about what every angler loves-presentation! Now, as a disclaimer, I am not one that believes in secret baits, magical lures, or the latest hot bite. If you’re here for that, well you’ve probably left me when I started throwing the word “endothermic” around. If you’re still with me, first off thank you, and now let’s talk about the things I factor when putting my presentation together.
What’s Up with the Eyes of Walleyes
The most important rule of thumb I have is your presentation doesn’t have to be perfect. Ironically enough, this is why I named this article “Perfecting Your Presentation.” The reason being is too many times anglers give walleye too much credit. Walleye cannot, literally cannot, see the finer details of your presentation like you can when you’re looking at it above the water before you drop it down. This isn’t because you have perfect vision, please still go to your eye doctor, it’s because of the type of vision walleyes have.
It’s pretty well known that walleye are low light creatures. This has everything to do with the makeup of their eyes themselves. Walleyes’ eyes have more rods than cones. Rods are the light sensing element, where cones are the color sensing element. By contrast, perch have more cones than rods. Perch have better color vision than walleye, at the expense of their low light vision. This is why walleye are most active in the twilight hours, this is when they have the competitive advantage and can feed on these perch.
In addition to the rods in their eyes, walleyes also have a tapetum lucidum. This is the organ within the eye that captures all available light and harnesses it for that creature to utilize. This is what causes the eye shine we are accustomed to seeing and is present in many other species such as deer, dogs, and other mammals as well. All of this contributes to walleye seeing exceptionally well in the low light conditions, but at the expense of their ability to see finer details.
Simply put, the best colored baits are appreciated more by anglers than walleye. Color is an element, absolutely. I firmly believe that color is influenced not by what the fish prefer, but what shows up in the water column in that condition the best. Blues and purples are a staple on the Missouri River all season long, this is because of how those baits show up. The same is true for ice fishing. Greens, oranges, and pinks are common colors, and that is likely how these colors show up below the layer of ice and snow.
Colors of the Season
Now let’s dive deeper into that. Ice anglers go through a spectrum of color that open water anglers don’t. In the early ice period, the ice is relatively thin, and chances are likely that the heaviest of the winter snow storms have not yet hit. This means that on some days, with the combination of clear ice, clear water, and lack of wind it may even be brighter than it was throughout the open water season.
When faced with these ultra clear conditions, flash is going to be an angler’s best friend. Lean heavily on baits that are silver, gold, or other shades of metallic. An aggressive rip and flutter are key, especially when worked higher in the water column as this can draw fish in from a distance. A favorite of mine when I lived in Brookings was a Custom Jigs and Spins Slender Spoon, a bright silver ⅛ oz spoon. The Mack’s Lure Hum Dinger has since become my favorite, fishing the same way.
Early ice walleyes are often aggressive, and many will smack this offering once they come in, especially if you back it down a bit once you see fish on screen. That said, it’s a good idea to have a smaller jig and minnow ready to go. Oftentimes, attracting fish in with this aggressive jig stroke and sealing the deal with a small jig and minnow can be the most effective combination.
This is also the condition in which your finer details of presentation are most critical. The combination of clear water, still ample light conditions, and slower moving fish and bait gives fish more time to scrutinize your offering. This is the time that a fluorocarbon leader is critical, and 12-18 inches of 4-6 pound fluorocarbon goes a long way in both increasing bites and being resistant to the inevitable northern pike.
As far as other bait options, smaller spoons that do not have rattles are a better option. I personally favor a 1/16 oz Northland Tackle Forage Minnow in silver or blue. Tipping this with a minnow head or wax worms is the best bet and allows you to have some flash, but also tone it down when a fish comes in. The traditional flutter spoon is a bit more difficult to back down, so each has their pros and cons.
Notice we’re focusing on the leader line, action, and color. The exact details of your bait-a blotch of red here, a stripe there, extra spots on the back still play very little role because again, walleye simply can’t see those finer details of the presentation. Think big picture, because that’s all the fish can do too.
As Old Man Winter’s grip takes a firmer hold, conditions will then change again. The combination of growing, and aging ice, will naturally reduce light penetration. Adding the element of snow on top of this thick ice can make a pretty ugly situation by the time you get to the bottom of the lake. This means those finer details will matter even less and your method for attracting fish to you will change as well.
As the season progresses, the brighter colors are going to be a better choice. Green, orange, and even pink are personal favorites. More importantly, the added component of rattles is going to be key. A Northland Tackle Buckshot Spoon, VMC Rattle Spoon, or a Lindy Rattln Flyer are excellent options. (No brand bias here-those are just my personal preferences. These are just the concepts of baits you’re looking for.) Fishing these aggressively and really letting them shake is key, and then also gives you the ability to tone it down once a fish comes in.
More aggressive baits, such as lipless lures, have additional action and noise but present their own challenges. Namely, these baits are very difficult to back down once a fish comes in. Now, similar to what we did in the early season, working these baits hard to call in fish and then dropping down on them with a more passive presentation can produce fish as well.
Anglers can get away with a shorter fluorocarbon leader in the middle of the season as well because fish are going to be less likely to both see and be spooked by braid when conditions are darker. The shorter leader makes for a little bit easier fishing, increased sensitivity, stronger hooksets, and still gives you the bite resistance for the wayward northern pike. This is also a crucial factor in reducing line twist as well.
Learn More: Reducing Line Twist for Increased Ice Success
Understanding all the factors of your presentation will help you streamline the number of baits in your tackle box, attract fish quicker, and seal the deal as well. The combination of water conditions, light conditions, and understanding the functions of the fish themselves throughout the winter season can help you make informed decisions on location, timing to target certain areas, and presentation.
Ice fishing can be a very simple sport. When you get into the finer details though, there is plenty to consider when you’re an ice angler. Whether you’re looking to just wet a line and have fun with friends, or dive deep into everything we’ve discussed throughout Frozen Details of Ice Fishing, Importance of Water Clarity When Ice Fishing, and Perfecting Your Presentation When Ice Fishing you’re able to fish your own way, and that’s what fishing is all about! Good fishing!
Discover More Frozen Details
Want to dive deeper into the details of ice fishing? Check out these articles to learn more about the finer details of ice fishing and help you put more fish on the ice this season!
Frozen Details of Ice Fishing
When you dive into the details of ice fishing, you’ll come to find there is much to consider. Water conditions, light conditions, your presentation, the biology of fish, and more all come into play throughout the course of an ice season. We discuss all of these factors in Frozen Details of Ice Fishing!
Importance of Water Clarity When Ice Fishing
As we’ve discussed, water clarity is a major element of ice fishing. Now, take a deep dive into how water clarity impacts your location, timing, and presentation when it comes to ice fishing. Find it all, in Importance of Water Clarity When Ice Fishing!
Learn More About Line Twist
Line twist is one of the biggest reasons you see a fish come on your graph and refuse to bite, yet it is one of the most overlooked aspects of your presentation. We’ve got everything you need to know about line twist, and more importantly how to prevent it, in Reducing Line Twist for Increased Ice Success!
