First Time Ice Fishing: I'm thinking about checking out my local ice fishing scene and seeing what all the fuss is about. What do you guys run during the winter for lures/bait? I...

FS Digest

I'm thinking about checking out my local ice fishing scene and seeing what all the fuss is about. What do you guys run during the winter for lures/bait? I imagine you're more limited since you're fishing a hole. I assume it's a lot of jigs.

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by gaybatman75-6

FS Digest

I personally like using an ice fly with a piece of panfish meat or mealworms for panfish. Works nicely. Spoons and small jigs tipped with bait work good for trout

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by assassin_erased

FS Digest

That makes sense, I get the impression it's mostly just bouncing lures vertically in the water column.

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by gaybatman75-6

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

FS Digest wrote:

I'm thinking about checking out my local ice fishing scene and seeing what all the fuss is about. What do you guys run during the winter for lures/bait? I imagine you're more limited since you're fishing a hole. I assume it's a lot of jigs.

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by gaybatman75-6

Always saved the roe from spawners and made roe sacks for ice fishing. Great for trout.

fast_randy Loc: Blackfoot, Idaho

I've been ice fishing Henry's Lake here in Idaho for two weeks already. First ice on any lake is usually amazing fishing. So it has already slowed down on Henry's. For trout I like white tube jigs and chartreuse paddle bugs. I will be fishing for pan fish latter as those lakes freeze.

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

fast_randy wrote:

I've been ice fishing Henry's Lake here in Idaho for two weeks already. First ice on any lake is usually amazing fishing. So it has already slowed down on Henry's. For trout I like white tube jigs and chartreuse paddle bugs. I will be fishing for pan fish latter as those lakes freeze.

Do you tip the jigs with a mealworm or some such other yummy?

fast_randy Loc: Blackfoot, Idaho

I tip it with a small piece of sucker meat or a whole red sided shiners.

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

I've always believed that some kind of scent helps draw them in especially in winter. Makes sense to me.

Dennisjj Loc: Kinston N.C.

what is sucker meet never heard that before

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

Dennisjj wrote:

what is sucker meet never heard that before

Cut bait from catching a sucker. Trash fish out here.

fast_randy Loc: Blackfoot, Idaho

Right, I catch them by me in the Snake River and fillet them with the skin on and freeze them for fish bait. I usually just use a small 1/2" or smaller piece. I cut it up as I need it with scissors.

fast_randy Loc: Blackfoot, Idaho

For perch I just use a tiny piece.

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

fast_randy wrote:

For perch I just use a tiny piece.

Blackfoot is mighty cold winter country Randy. Last time through there was in a huge ground blizzard.

MAS fish Loc: Peoria,IL

Check out customjigs.com I have used their 2 spot jigs for lm bass, walleye, crappie,& gills here in Illinois for years. We usually tip them with waxworms, mousies, or even minnows. I've caught a lot of fish over the years and waiting for the ice to get hard enough for this season.

JRK227 Loc: Cedarburg, WI

Small ice fishing jigs tipped with wax worms for perch and bluegill. Small jigs tipped with small minnows for crappies and walleye. There are scaled down lures that you can use for gamefish as well.