If you are an angler of any type then you are going to need the right bait for the situation. Ice Fishing is no different. There are many options in lures and jigs abut the best for catching the most fish has always been a nice stinky live bait.
Lures come in many shapes, styles and sizes but the kind that you are going to want for ice fishing is specifically designed for jigging instead of being dragged through the water. These kinds of ice fishing lures are tied on the top and other than that are extremely similar to regular trawling lures.
For live bait you can use any thing that you can think of. This includes worms , maggots and other stuff like minnows. If you are not near a bait shop then you can always get your own bait by just going to a grocery store and buying a can of corn. Corn is a surprisingly good bait for catching fish.
If you have completely removed yourself from civilization then you are going to need to find your own bait. This is easier than you think because you can just use the discarded pieces of last nights fish dinner. This would be eyes, guts, brains and all of those nasty bits. You can also find worms and other wiggly bait under rotten logs and places like that in the nearby forests.
Another option is to just collect your own bait from home. There are worm farms that you can make to just grow your own but the best option is to just wait until a rainy day. On that rainy day all that you are going to need to do is head out to your driveway or side walk and you will see that there are worms all over the place. Welcome to my rainy day tradition. Once you have gathered you bait you are also going to have to keep it alive. To do this just put some dirt in with the worms to keep them happy. Be sure to keep that dirt wet or you are going to lose your live bait and are going to be trying to convince the fishes that they want to eat a rotten old piece of crap.
Now that you have learned all that you can about ice fishing bait, it is time to get outside and have a great time in the cold catching huge fish.
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Underwater Ice fishing cameras are a unique device that are use just for looking around under the ice. Because you can not just look into some clear water and see where your frosty fish are located, you are going to want to use one of these nifty devices in order to prevent yourself from walking all over your favorite ice fishing lake, poking test holes everywhere.
To use your ice fishing camera properly you are going to need to make a smaller hole in the ice about two feet away from your main ice fishing hole. Lower your underwater camera to about the same level that your bait is going to be. Once the water settles you are going to want to point the camera at your bait and wait and watch the screen for some fish.
It is always a good idea to locate your ice fishing hole around areas that are weedy or rocky areas that fish love to hide around. This is another important use for the ice fishing camera, so you will only have to find a good location for your ice fishing shack once.
Your camera is also going to be able to tell you if the local fish population likes your bait and if you should try something else.
The underware ice fishing camera is a great peice of ice fishing gear if you can afford it. They usually retail for just under two hundred dollars and if that is withing your budget or your can sneak it past the wife then I would strongly suggest adding it to your list of ice fishing accessories.
This particular question is something that you are going to want to think about when you are venturing out to your favorite isolated ice fishing location.
Snow shoes can provide an excellent way of easy walking if you are planning on travelling over deep snow. If you want to know wether to bring them on your ice fishing trip or not, then you are just going to have to check the weather forecast. If there has been a lot of snow falling recently then I would suggest them.
You are also going to have to keep in mind that when snow falls on frozen lakes it is probably going to have been blown around and mostly accumuliated near the shore. You are also going to have to consider not bringing them if you are travelling along well worn paths. If your destination is near a populated area then maybe your route there will be well trampled and the snowshoes will just be an inconvenience to you.
Either way, you can pick up a cheap pair that is light enough to just bring on your trip anyway. Hopefully they will be more of a help than a hindrance.
If you are going to be out and drilling through any depth of ice then you are going to need an ice fishing auger. What this is, is basically a screw shaped device that drills through ice for you.
There are two main kinds of ice fishing augers. One is gas powered, which is heavy and cumbersome but great at drilling through any depth of ice. The other kind of ice fishing auger is human powered. This is a much lighter ice screw, that is more portable but can really tire you out if you are going to be drilling through a foot or more of solid ice.
The choice between these two pieces of gear depends on your own needs. If you have a truck or a snowmobile that can tow a sled of gear then I would recommend getting yourself a nice gas powered auger because the chances are pretty high that you will be going onto very thick ice. A human powered ice fishing auges would be more practical in a situation where you have a long walk to your ice fishing hole.
Another reason why gas powered ice screws are great is the fact that if you are not getting any bites at your current hole you can very easily just move to a new location and quickly pop a new hole in the ice.
So know matter what your choice of auger is, keep these important facts in mind and you will be making your life just that much easier.
Ice fishing is a great past time that can be enjoyed by anyone with a bit of line, a hook and the ability to cut a hole through some thick ice. There are many chilly northern countries where frozen fishing is a full time activity but most countries have to wait until winter for the water to get frozen enough to walk and sit on.
As any ice angler already knows, the right equipment is key to ensuring your enjoyment on you expedition onto the frozen water. Basic ice fishing gear includes, a short rod with some fishing line, some way to chip or drill your way through the ice and warm gear so you can stay comfortable in the frigid temperatures. There is a lot more elaborate choices in gear such as electronic fish finders or even huts that are dragged onto the ice to ensure maximum comfort or to stay on the ice for days at a time.
There are many countries where ice fishing is abundant during the winter. One such country is Canada. You could also go ice fishing in the northern states of America. Minnesota is one of the best states for ice fishing anywhere in America. There are also several northern European countries where ice fishing was invented. You can’t even believe how awesome the ice fishing scene in those countries is.
When venturing onto the ice, you are going to want to be safe at all times. The best way to stay safe on the ice is to know just how thick it is “Your on thin ice” is not just a warning from your parents but a vey serious reality that kills hundreds of winter anglers every year. The best way to check the ice for dangerously thin spots is to just visually look at it. If it is clear and you can kind of see water throught it then it is no good to walk on. If you can not see throught it and it looks kind of milky then it is all right to venture onto it. Those are just a guide line though. The best and proper way to check the thickness of the ice is to actually poke a hole throught it and jam some kind of measuring tool through it.
So you want to go ice fishing? Well, there are a lot of things that you are going to want to consider before you even set out. Stuff like what gear you need, including clothes, rods, shelters, and a whole lot of other stuff.
You are also going to want to think about the weather outside and the thickness of the ice outside. You are also going to want to consider safety equipment like an ice thickness checker and some way of hauling yourself out of the water in case of you accidentally falling through.
These are just a few of the options that you have to think about before your head out for your ice fishing expedition. Be sure to check some of the other articles on this site for more specific information about ice fishing and how to have a great experience on the frozen water.
