By Steve Weisman

So, this is how it’s going to be, Mother Nature! You tease us with some 40-degree temperatures last week, and then hit us with teens for highs and lows anywhere from zero to 11 below the last week of February. Oh, and add in a few inches of snow and windy weather!

Welcome to a really, really cranky Mother Nature! I hope that this means March will go out like a lamb, but I’m not betting on that one either-lol!

Ah, but the temperatures are okay by me, because that means that the accesses to get onto the ice remains good. It also means that we’ll get some good ice fishing for quite a while yet. There have been lots of years when the ice conditions (at least the accesses) have become shaky by the end of February/early March.

If there is a place of concern for me right now it would be anywhere near bridges and on Big Spirit where spots have opened up even during our cold stretches.

Excited about late ice

Yes, I am! I am excited about the ice fishing opportunities for the next couple of weeks. The days are getting longer, and the fish are coming out of their mid-winter doldrums! You can bet that East Okoboji yellow bass are going to really take off. As a matter of fact, they already have. The same will hold true for the bluegills and crappies on East Okoboji, West Okoboji and Minnewashta.

Of course, I am partial to the shallow water (10’ or shallower) in the bays of West Okoboji! At this point, the water is clear enough that I am in sight fishing heaven! To me, it’s the greatest video game of all time! Emerson Bay, Millers Bay, North Bay, Haywards Bay and Smiths Bay are all areas that contain these types of weeds. It’s a matter of eliminating water to find the best weeds. Of course, I am looking for areas with weeds. Most will be flat on the bottom this time of year, but occasionally, you’ll still find some standing weeds. This can really be a honey hole.

Sometimes, I’ll get lucky and find that special spot right away – I have my spots marked from past years with my Navionics, and they often give me a go-to option. I also use my Scout Underwater Camera to survey the bottom looking for those patches of weeds.

Once I find a good spot and catch fish, this becomes a go-to spot until angler pressure pushes them away. With all of the bays and weedbeds in West Okoboji, there are lots of options. However, on that first time out, if nothing appears after a while, it’s time to move on!

Each time I fish, I get to witness a wide range of reactions from the fish. While I am targeting bluegills and crappies, I will also get visits from perch, northern pike, largemouth bass and an occasional walleye (I wonder if it’s lost-lol!).

Equipment

For this type of fishing, I’ve gone to a Dave Genz Spooler Gravity Elite reel matched with a 22” ultra-light action rod. The spooler, like a fly reel, releases line out the front which helps alleviate the lure spinning. Nothing will spook fish like a spinning lure. They’ll stop in their track and back fin away!

Tungsten jigs are the rage now because they get down in the water column quickly. Yet they fish light. Lots and lots of colors from which to choose, but my go-to is the 1/32-ounce Clam Dingle Drop. I think the little chain can be a great attractor, and glow red is my favorite color. However, when the gills get really finicky, I go to the glow red 1/64-ounce drop jig.

As for bait, there are lots of options: wax worms, silver wigglers, Maki plastics and the new Silkies. I have found the Silkies to be kind of an ace in the hole when the other baits don’t seem to be working. However, at this point this year, I have been finding that a single wax worm hooked just below the head has worked the best for me.

Presentation

Bluegills can appear at any level and come from any direction. Once the lure is down in the water column, again, make sure the lure does NOT spin. Usually, a consistent subtle jiggle, jiggle, jiggle is my normal presentation. If a bluegill enters the picture, I keep doing what brought the fish in. Any change, slip up or stop, and the bluegill will move away. You just must continually be watching for responses from the fish.

There certainly are levels of frustration. I’ve had huge gills bump the jig with their nose-mouth closed and then just hover there watching. I’ve had them take just the tip and hold it in their mouth. No way I can set the hook. Then, I’ve had them put the head of the jig in their mouth, hold it there and then just spit it out. But that’s the fun of it!

If you are interested, these areas are largemouth bass areas, and they will readily bite those tiny baits. I’ll often let them go after the bait, lift it up and then drop it on their head! Sometimes, I’ll be a little off, and they will inhale the jig. Oops! Take a look at the photo of the big largemouth I recently took-it was so big, it couldn’t get itself back down an 8” hole! That’s the only way I caught it!

These are just some of my thoughts, and it’s not the be-all! There are lots and lots of great panfish anglers, who have their own ideas and are confident in catching these panfish in the Iowa Great Lakes. Bottom line is to get out there and fish and learn from each time we are on the ice!

This largemouth bass inhaled the tiny tungsten jig before the author could pull the jig away. (photo by Steve Weisman)

Good bluegill action occurring now in the bays on West Okoboji. (photo by Steve Weisman)