MID-WINTER WALLEYES
By Bob Jensen
As
we enter the mid-winter time of year, ice-fishing can change a little bit.
The most important ingredient for ice-fishing success continues to be the
same as any other fishing: You’ve got to find the fish if you want
to be successful. However, this time of the year, even after you find the
fish, it can be a little trickier to get them to bite. Here are some ideas
for catching mid-winter walleyes.
Early in the season it often pays to sit on a spot and wait for the fish to come to you. Too much commotion on top of the ice makes the fish under the ice skittish.
This time of year however, there is usually thicker ice and more snow cover, which camouflages activity on top of the ice. Also, the fish seem to be more conditioned to the activity. Either way, the walleyes seem to be more accepting of a little noise. It pays off big time for anglers to keep moving in search of fish that are willing to bite. If you are on a hole more than five minutes and don’t see fish life, it’s time to move.
To detect fish life below your hole, you’re going to need a sonar unit. Sonar is just as important in ice-fishing as it is in open water fishing. You need a unit that will show the bottom and anything in between. If you’re not seeing fish, it’s time to move.
If you’re seeing fish, but they don’t take your
bait, it’s time to do something different. Maybe a different lure
color or size is in order, or maybe you need to impart a different action
on the lure. Whatever, don’t sit on a hole if there are no fish, and
if there are fish, don’t keep doing the same thing if it isn’t
working.
The new MarCum LX-5 sonar does a great job of showing fish close to the
bottom, as the color display for fish is much different than the color marking
the bottom.
There are some great walleye lakes that get lots of fishing pressure, and there are some marginal walleye lakes that get no fishing pressure. Sometimes you’re ahead of the game to go to those lakes that don’t have the great walleye reputation. Those lakes might not have as many fish, but the fish that are there aren’t as spooky and are more willing to bite.
When it comes to walleyes, I like to get my Frabill Ranger Solo and put the auger and sonar in it and just start moving. The Ranger provides an easy way to carry your gear as well as protection from the elements. Find an area that you know has fish, pop a hole, and fish. If nothing happens, move twenty or thirty yards, pop another hole, and fish some more. Keep doing this until you find some fish. Once you find the fish, tailor your lure presentation to something they’ll hit. If you do this, you will catch walleyes in mid-winter.
For more fish-catching information, visit fishingthemidwest.com
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