In order to be able to safely land your ice pike, you either need a strong fluorocarbon leader of about 50-60lb or a titanium wire leader of about 25-30lb. Both leaders have excellent abrasion resistance and will be able to handle the ice hole’s sharp edges, even under hard pressure.
Table of Contents
What equipment do I need to ice fish?
Jigging ice fishing rod and reel. Live bait container stocked with live bait. Terminal tackle such as line clippers, fish grabbers, pliers, hooks, sinkers, etc. Ice fishing tip ups.
What do you need for basic ice fishing?
- Ice Fishing Rod, Line, and Reel. If you’ve been fishing in warmer climates, you’re probably used to the longer fishing pole with the spinning reel.
- Lures and Bait. The only way to get a fish to bite is with bait, a lure, or a combination of both.
- Tackle Box.
- Ice Auger.
- Ice Shelter.
- Warm Clothing.
- Find Your Ice Fishing Gear.
What is best for ice fishing?
Mono is still the best overall line for most types of fishing, both openwater and ice. It offers outstanding strength per diameter, handles well even in extreme cold, ices up less than other lines, and is inherently low-vis.
What do you need for an ice fishing tackle box?
How deep should you ice fish?
In my experience, I’ve found that most of the best ice-fishing action comes in water from 3-to-20 feet deep. I like to set up my traps so that they cover a variety of depths. Areas with rock piles, weed beds, or dramatic contours are all good spots.
Do you need weights for ice fishing?
These weights help get your baited hooks and light jigs down quickly. They can make it easier to detect a light bite, too. Soft shot weights are less likely to weaken your line. Regardless of the weights you choose, apply only enough pressure to secure them to your line.
What is the best time to ice fish?
The best time of day to ice fish is during the first couple of hours after sunrise, and for about 2 hours both before and after sunset. These are the times when most fish are heading to their feeding grounds, and when most species are active.
What size line is best for ice fishing?
The best ice fishing line for targeting larger species, such as largemouth bass or walleye, is ice fishing line in the 8 to 10-pound test range. You may also want to use a fluorocarbon leader that will be less visible in clear water when fish are more finicky while offering more abrasion resistance.
How do you attract fish when ice fishing?
- Chumming and scents. Chumming is the most obvious way of attracting fish to a centralized location.
- Glow lures.
- Bottom bouncing.
- Turn on the transducer.
- Change up your presentation.
- Match the hatch.
- Cover the hole.
- Bring in some flash.
Do you use a bobber for ice fishing?
Do spoons work for ice fishing?
Day in, day out, jigging spoons consistently catch fish in winter. Most spoons can be classified as either straight or bent models. Then there are variations within these categories, such as slab spoons and dropper spoons. Below are some popular ice fishing spoon styles every ice angler should own.
How do you store ice fishing spoons?
How many pounds can 4 inches of ice hold?
Ice is not considered safe to walk on until it is at least 4 inches thick. At 4″ the ice is suitable for ice fishing, cross-country skiing and walking and can support about 200 pounds. At 5 inches of new clear ice should be enough to hold a single snowmobile or ATV or about 800 pounds.
How do you know if ice is thick enough to fish on?
What thickness of ice is safe?
Ice Fishing Safety Thickness Guidelines Stay off of any ice that is 3 inches or less thick. Remember that a minimum of 4 inches of clear, solid ice is a requirement to support an average person’s weight.
Why are ice fishing rods so small?
Ice fishing rods are so small because they are designed specifically for use in ice. For ice fishing, you need to be close to the hole, so a standard open-water pole will be too long. You also need a more sensitive rod for ice fishing, so the small size of ice fishing rods helps with feeling the fish.
How long should an ice fishing leader be?
To get the maximum number of bites, the author recommends using a short fluorocarbon line as a leader at the terminal end. For panfish I recommend a high visibility main line made of monofilament and a zero visibility fluorocarbon leader about 24-inches in length.
Do you use a sinker ice fishing?
Is it good to ice fish at night?
Less fishing pressure Most anglers are active during the day, so fishing at night will mean fewer anglers hovering over that hot brush pile or creek channel. The reduced the number of anglers crunching across the ice and the potential fish disturbance won’t hurt either.
How do you stay warm in ice fishing?
How do you measure ice fishing depth?
Does line color matter for ice fishing?
Is braid or mono better for ice fishing?
A few things to think about: First, ice fishing reels have very small spools and that leads to more memory and coiling in your line. For the most part, braid is the most resistant to building memory, monofilament will develop memory over the time, and fluorocarbon will hold the most memory.
How much line do you put on a ice fishing rod?
Ice fishing line is often sold in 50 to 110 yard spools. This means a 50 yard spool can be used on two reels. That’s 25 yards each. Just start spooling with your leftover braided line you used in the summer, then finish it off (with a GOOD knot!) with 25 yards of some decent ice fishing line.