Ice Fishing Basics B

Basic equipment A. Cooler for food and refreshments ICE FISHING BASICS B. Ice auger to drill fishing holes A vintage method of fishing in which an angler catches C. Tackle box for gear such as jigs, fish through a hole in the ice of a frozen body of water, spoons, hooks, split shot, bobbers, whether a pond, a lake or, in some cases, a river. fingernail clipper (to cut line), pliers D. Sled to haul your gear Safety is No. 1 E. Minnow or bait bucket Recommended minimum thickness of ice is 4". F. Slush dipper (removes excess ice) Always have a fully charged cellphone on hand. G. Waterproof insulated boots Tell someone where you're fishing, when you're H. Layered clothing, windbreaker, leaving and when you expect to be back. hat, gloves and polarized sunglasses Always bring along a spare set of winter clothes in case you fall into icy water. Hypothermia can kill a person in as little as 20 minutes. A H Tip-up B Jigs your bait up and down Flag with the slightest breeze. Flag releases to signal angler when a fish is hooked.

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Portable chair D Fishing hole G E

Bass, crappie, perch, pickerel, sunfish and walleye are F Crappie popular species in area lakes.

Ice thickness: Minimum 4“

Vertical jigging rig Fishing techniques Fish feeding frenzies Jigging is the most eective Walleye and crappie are more Line to tip-up: method for attracting and active during the 90 minutes Waterproof braided catching fish during the winter. surrounding sunup and sundown. nylon fishing line, Jig larger lures about a foot o Sunfish are more active during 15-30 lb. test the bottom to attract and catch the day. A full moon or the more aggressive fish. If you're the falling barometer of an Snap swivel seeing fish but not catching approaching storm will increase Barrel swivel them, switching to a smaller jig fish feeding. may entice a fish to bite. Leader: Supple ice Digital Swiss fishing line, 18-36” Depth matters in finding fish Army Knife In shallow lakes, fish move into Today’s Split shot placed shallow water due to low oxygen smartphones 12-15” above bait levels. In deep lakes where incorporate oxygen levels are not a problem, many useful fish seek food and cover near tools in one Single hook structures such as points, bars device: GPS, weighted jig and breaks. Fish also can be camera, radio, found in deeper water where the flashlight, Live temperature is slightly warmer. phone, lake minnow Generally, walleye and perch are maps, weather for bait found close to the bottom, while apps and the panfish are normally suspended. Internet. Waterproof case

SOURCES: WWW.ICE-FISHING-SOURCE.COM, DNR.WI.GOV/ORG RESEARCH/GRAPHIC, READING EAGLE: GARY VISGAITIS