By Bob Jensen
Fishing the Midwest Fishing Team
(photo by Bob Jensen) Ice fishing expert Steve Weisman used a slow quivering presentation to get this crappie to eat his jig.
For many people across the Midwest who like to fish, we’re in that “in-between” season. Although open water fishing can still be very good, many anglers don’t participate in it. And there’s no ice or no safe ice yet, so we’re in between our fishing seasons. During this in between season, I like to try to plan my first ice fishing trip of the year. Here’s what I’m thinking for this year.
As soon as the ice is safe, I’ll leave home in the morning and head to the Alexandria Minnesota area, arriving early to mid-afternoon. We’ll get on the ice right away for the late afternoon bite. The Alexandria area has many outstanding bodies of water that are home to panfish, bass, and walleyes. We’ll probably chase panfish that afternoon and again until mid-morning the next day.
When we conclude our fishing in Alexandria, I’ll take off for Big Stone Lake a couple of hours to the west and south. Again, I’ll arrive mid-afternoon and we’ll get after’em. Big Stone is legendary regarding walleyes and perch, but a population of truly big bluegills has developed there. We’ll repeat the fishing routine from the previous two days. Later afternoon and early morning fishing, then load up and hopefully head for Upper Red Lake and its walleyes. If all of this comes together, the ice fishing season will be off to a good start.
My fishing friend and expert ice angler Steve Weisman and I were talking on the phone earlier today. Steve lives in the Great Lakes Region of northwest Iowa. Many of the lakes in this area are exceptionally clear. Steve does a lot of sight fishing, which means that he sees the fish with his eyes. This has taught him a lot about being a successful fish-catcher in clear water. Clear water often creates tough fishing, but Steve can usually catch more than a few. He had these ideas for fishing in clear water.
When fishing clear water Weisman prefers cloudy days and early and late in the day when the sun is shining. He likes to fish from a shelter because it allows him to see into the water better, and it’s also more comfortable.
When the fish are willing biters, he likes a Clam Dingle Drop Jig in the 1/32nd size. This jig has a little more action and will draw the fish from farther away. When they’re finicky and have to be convinced that they should eat, he goes with a 1/64th ounce Drop Jig. Color can make a difference, but what really makes a difference is that the jig can’t be spinning.
A really important presentation tip that Steve offers is this: When you see a fish approaching, don’t change the action of the lure. If you’re quivering it slowly, keep quivering it slowly. If you’re putting no action on it, continue to do so. Keep doing what you’ve been doing.
Weisman tips his jigs with plastic sometimes, live bait sometimes. Use what you’ve got confidence in.
Sight-fishing under the ice is the “Greatest underwater video game ever created” is how Steve refers to sight fishing through the ice. However, he still uses his Vexilar sonar to help him understand what he’s seeing when he can’t be sight fishing. Watching fish in real-life and real-time helps him to understand what the sonar is showing him when he can’t see the fish.
So, if you can, take some time now to plan your first ice fishing trip of the season. Keep Steve Weisman’s ice fishing ideas in mind, and you’ll be very prepared to be a successful ice angler.
