I recall clearly many days where an “ah-ha!” moment changed the way I did things forever.  One such moment happened on December 26, 2000, and it altered the way I fished through the ice permanently.
The converted trailer shack that my buddy Holmes, his cousin Adam and I were fishing out of on the day after Christmas had taken on a distinct chill, and I held my hand out over the flickering propane heater, which sputtered and spit the last fumes from the twenty-pound cylinder on the outside of the house.  Being back from Florida for my final holiday break of undergrad, I still was not used to the North Dakota winters which I had fled from in 1997, and I nervously asked how we planned on keeping warm the rest of the day.

“We’ll have to go back into town and refill the tank,” said my buddy, obviously annoyed.
His cousin nodded, and agreed to drive. I volunteered to stay behind just in case a school of fish decided to cruise by our spot on the channel edge, though I was doubtful.  I watched the duo pull away from the ice house in Adam’s Chevy, opened a set of handwarmers and clicked the bail on my borrowed ice rod.  The Northland Buckshot Rattlespoon zipped down the hole off to one side and disappeared from view in the twenty feet of dingy water below me.  I looked to my left at the whirring disk of green, red and yellow on the Vexilar FL-8 fish finder hanging in the next hole over while I jigged my lure about four feet off the bottom.
With each twitch of my rod, I saw a yellow flash on the monitor of the sonar device.  I would rip the lure up and down and the color would change from yellow to red to green and back to yellow, or when I’d move it just slightly, it would flicker between a light green bar and a thicker yellow bar.  It was like a video game of sorts, and as my brain made the connection, I smiled with the onset of that “ah-ha!” moment.
I would open the bail and the lure would drop into the solid red bottom and the line would go limp.  I’d slowly pull the spoon up and it would creep up warily from the edge of the sonar’s viewing area.
“This is pretty neat,” I said aloud as I banged the spoon on the bottom, ripped it up and let it fall; and then reeled it up a few feet in the water column.
I glanced at my watch, looked out the window and sat down as I jiggled the fishing rod some more.  I again turned my attention to the whir of the FL-8 fish finder and saw something that looked out of place.  A large red blob had materialized on the circular screen, just below my offering.  I jigged the rod to make sure that the object wasn’t my spoon, and as I did, the red bar rose up toward it and paused about a foot below the yellow mark on the screen.  I then ripped the spoon upward and the red mark exploded after it and I felt the fish whollop my offering.

The drag on the reel began to scream, the ice rod was doubled over pointing straight down the hole and the fight was on.  I went from watching the Vexilar, to looking down the hole, to loosening my drag.  Occasionally, the red mark would zoom through the screen and then quickly disappear.  Each time, the line was higher up on the sonar’s display.
Finally, I saw the fish – a large pike – swim under the hole.  My adrenaline surged and I cranked on the reel, attempting to steer its head toward the surface.  Finally, the gaping, tooth-filled maw angled just right and I put the last few turns on the reel.  I reached down and grabbed the northern behind the head and hoisted it out of the water.  It was a five-pound pike, my first ever through the ice.
My friends rumbled up in the pickup shortly thereafter with a tank full of propane.  I stepped outside the metal shack and held the fish up for them to see.
“That Vexilar is really cool,” I said to Adam, as I explained how I saw, triggered and caught the fish with the help of his sonar unit.
The next year, graduated and relocated back to North Dakota, my parents bought me one for Christmas, and that old FL-8 still ranks as one of the best gifts anyone has ever given me.  A few years ago, I upgraded to an FL-20 fish finder, and passed the old unit on to my brother who still uses it to this day.
I’ve often said that a sonar device is only slightly more important than an auger when ice fishing, and I wouldn’t leave home without one.  Today, there are more brands, models and options to fit any angler’s needs and budget than just the FL-8 fish finder, which was the only unit available at the turn of the century.  If you fish with any of them, you’ve probably had that “ah-ha!” moment on ice, seen what was once unviewable and learned how fish react to your presentations.  As a result, you probably agree with me that your chosen sonar is the most important piece of ice fishing equipment.  If you haven’t yet fished with one, it’s time to see what you’re missing and experience an epiphany of your own…in our outdoors.

Related Articles

• The Ice Fishing Sonar Revolution (1)
• Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips (0)
• Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge (0)
• MarCum – More Power, More Performance (0)
• Ice Safety Tips (0)

I often think back fondly to my times while ice fishing tip ups growing up in North Dakota.  For those anglers who love to chase a waiving flag across the ice, there’s no better place than the Peace Garden State, where on hardwater, fishermen are allotted four lines with no restrictions as to what’s on the other end.  It could be a treble or it could be a single hook, it could be in pursuit of pike or trout or walleye.  Smelt, shiners, fatheads, whatever your bait of choice there are so many ways to fish with tip ups.  We fished them all and found ways to modify our tip ups for any situation.  Now, even in Minnesota where only two lines are allowed, I still like to keep a lookout for an orange flag waiving in the breeze.  What follows are some tips for not only the usual slimy suspects, but for fishing flags for any other species.

10.  Barrel Role.  I like to spool all of my tip-ups with old-school 50-pound-test Dacron – simply because it’s strong and easy to handle.  However, if fishing walleyes or trout, it is far too visible to connect to a hook.  I like to tie a barrel swivel at the end of the line and from there I can add leaders of superline or monofilament in varying lengths above a smaller hook or treble to match the species I’m pursuing.

9.  Another Notch.  The flag-holding T on the top of each tip-up usually has two sides, an all-smooth side and a notched side.  The notched side will hold the flag more securely, requiring a good tug to pop it loose, as opposed to the smooth side, which will allow the flag to trip easier.  In addition, these sides can be turned into, or against the wind to prevent a premature triggering of the flag.  Use this feature to assist on those gusty days.

8.  Cleanup.  When using tip-ups, make sure the area around the ice hole is clean.  Also, keep the surface of the water in the hole free of slush and ice; making sure to monitor that there isn’t a build-up of ice sealing off the hole.  This might require a regular round of inspections – particularly when it’s cold – to keep the areas ice free.  Clean holes will make playing and landing fish with a tip-up easier and more successful.

7.  Depth Charge.  When fishing for species that tend to roam the water column or at least parts of it – such as stocked trout, lake trout and pike – vary the depths at which your baits are set.  I found great success fishing for wintertime rainbows stocked in a lake near my home town by finding depths of 15-to-20-feet and setting a bunch of tip-up offerings from five feet below the ice to five feet above the bottom.  Check them with a sonar unit and mark the line at the surface with a rubber band when the presentation is where you want it.
6.  Sharpen Up.  Now, most of my tip-up fishing is for pike.  I like quick-strike rigs and just plain trebles, where legal.  The key for toothy critters is keeping these bigger hooks sharp.  Go through your collection of terminal tackle, whether fresh out of the package or not, and run a hook hone to make sure the point finds the mark when it’s time for the hook set.
5.  On Your Mark.  As stated above, a line marker will allow for a quick reset of a tip up after a fish has been landed.  I like to use a broken thin rubber band, but a piece of string or yarn will do the trick.  Once you have your presentation set where you want it to be, or where you find fish are striking, tie in your marker so you can get back to fishing sooner when you bring your hook to the surface.

4.  Traction Faction.  When there are a number of folks fishing tip-ups in a group, the more the merrier.  Be ready for fast-paced flag action on the ice, and be ready to sprint to the nearest tip-up when a pack of pike rolls through.  Especially at early ice, the spring from the shore or shack to the flag requires traction on the ice.  Have a set of cleats, such as Yaktrax, on your boots to help you stay standing (or sprinting) after those tip-ups that pop.
3.  Wrapped Up.  It is important to keep the line spooled neatly on tip-ups, and you should check for an evenly wrapped spool each time you bring the line up and put the line back down.  Bunched or tilted line freezes and tangles easier.  This can produce resistance when a fish swims off with your bait, causing unnatural pull which in turn may cause the fish to drop the offering.
2.  Neat Freak.  When a fish is on the other end, there’s a lot to think about – tension, playing out the line, how to land it and where the fish is located.  Keep your line out of the equation by setting each section as neatly as possible on the side of the hole each time you gain a little on your quarry.  This way, if the fish runs the line zips easily up through your hands and back down the hole.  Refer back to tip #8 to make sure the loose line plays back easily – with no ice or slush to snag on.

1.  Let It Spin.  When fishing for species you plan to keep, you can take things a little easier.  Especially when looking for pike, when a flag pops, hustle over to the tip-up and watch.  If the fish still has the bait and is swimming away, wait until the T mechanism stops twirling.  Pike instinctively strike a bait and then run with it a while before stopping, turning the bait and swallowing.  If you’re keeping fish, it’s best to set the hook after the tip up stops moving.

With these tips and some you’ll undoubtedly pick up on the ice with a little experience, you’ll find your ice fishing tip ups success will increase.  And it won’t be long until the repeated and resounding shouts of “FLAAAAAG!!!” will echo across the hardwater surface of your favorite lake…in our outdoors.

Related Articles

• Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips (0)
• Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge (0)
• Ice Safety Tips (0)
• Ice Fishing Tactics for First Ice (0)
• Ice Fishing Safety (19)

The older I get the faster time seems to pass. My neighbor and friend Mick explained a few years ago it’s a function of the percentage of life.

Case in point is remembering the vivid details of my first trip to the old outdoor movie theatre in Valley City more than three decades ago, watching Clint Eastwood with my Mom, Dad and sister. I even remember we had taco-flavored Doritos as a snack.

But fast forward to this past spring and I struggle to recall the when and where of my first fishing trip of the season. Perhaps it’s not a bad thing to forget about last year. As I mentioned in my column last week, many of us can’t wait to put up a new calendar and hope for improvements in the year to come.

One of the first positive signs is access for ice fishing. While the moderate weather in December hasn’t produced much ice fit for driving yet, at least people can get on lakes, and it should be a banner year for both ice and open water fishing.

In the November 2011 issue of North Dakota Outdoors magazine, State Game and Fish Department fisheries chief Greg Power wrote, regarding pike fishing in 2012: “North Dakota now has more than 200 lakes with pike, including the Missouri River System and the Devils Lake chain. As a result of outstanding natural reproduction the last three years, many of these waters have never harbored so many northerns.

“The hope is that ice anglers will catch a break this winter and have easy access to the abundant pike populations. Although many pike are currently young and relatively small, fish of 5 pounds or more should weigh heavily in the mix.”

That same article lists a number of lakes with good pike fishing prospects, either this winter or heading into next summer and beyond. If you’re not a subscriber to the magazine, the article is online at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

The Game and Fish website also features a publication that will guide anglers to effectively taking the bones out of pike.

In addition to northerns, abundant precipitation and increasing water levels the past three years has benefitted most fish species in the state. Unlike game birds that grow from egg to adult-sized in just a few months, most fish take a few years to reach “keeper” size, and those from the good class of 2009 may start reaching that threshold in 2012.

Water, of course, benefits ducks and geese as well. While the state could use a little bit of snow runoff or spring rain to recharge temporary wetlands, prospects for waterfowl production in prairie pothole country remain good, barring a hot, dry spring and early summer.

Abundant water has also meant a resurgence in muskrat populations. Game and Fish has been getting a fair amount of interest from people thinking of giving trapping a try, as prices for furs of several species are up heading into the new year.

The mild December also bodes well for pheasants and deer. While anything can happen the rest of the winter, all resident wildlife have had a relatively stress-free start. That gives us reason for optimism in 2012.

I’m looking forward to it.

Related Articles

• Where Were Ya Fishing? (0)
• Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips (0)
• Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge (0)
• Scud: An Ugly Word for Freshwater Shrimp (0)
• Prepping for an Ice Season (0)

The best time to search for winter crappie spots is in the fall, when anglers can capitalize on the mobility of a boat and onboard sonar to cruise around marking spots mentally, preferably with GPS, too. Once the lakes freeze, though, assuming you didn’t conduct autumn reconnaissance, your tools are a lake map, GPS map chip to select probable areas, and then a whole lot of exploratory hole drilling.

Crappies in most lakes will already be near their winter locations by the time surface temperatures reach the low 50s, so there is a window of opportunity every year to do some homework in a boat before the upcoming ice fishing season.

Every lake has a unique personality, but there are enough similarities between lakes for anglers to make educated guesses to where the crappies are likely to be schooled. Crappies and other fish species must adapt to whatever habitat and food choices are available to them. If it’s not there, they can’t use it – pretty straightforward stuff.

Identifying lakes with the greatest potential is job one. Lakes with plenty of deepwater, with one or more mud basin areas are premium, the crappies likely feeding on zooplankton along with a various baitfish species. Crappies in shallower lakes usually consume a higher proportion of minnows and insects with less zooplankton. Large lakes often feature shallow bays that act like independent bodies of water. So it’s possible to have both ‘deep’ and ‘shallow’ bites occurring at the same time, on the same lake.

Anglers using premium sonar like MarCum’s new and highly anticipated LX-7 will recognize the colored layer of “stuff” that lifts off the bottom as night approaches and settles back to the bottom in the morning. Fish the band. Crappies feed there.

The “stuff” is actually zooplankton, which crappies vacuum up when the micro-foodstuffs are concentrated in layers above the bottom. Crappies feeding on zooplankton will have black mush in their stomachs once opened on the fillet table. What you’re seeing is digested zooplankton.

Crappies in deep lakes are usually located over mud basins in 25 and 45 feet of water. Crappies in shallow lakes are usually positioned in or just off standing weededges or along any area with an abrupt depth change, even if it is only a change of a couple of feet.

Crappies in both deep and shallow lakes like ‘isolated open water,’ meaning, they want to be close to some structure while resting and relatively stationary, and then move straight to the structure and cover to feed.

Crappies in lakes with featureless basins tend to wander more, behaving similarly on lakes with steep breaks around the edges of large basins or lakes with basin areas between structures that frame the deep water.

Crappies make runs when they’re in feeding mode. Anglers have the best odds of getting hooked up on lakes with predictable holding areas when the crappies are on the move. Anglers may have to use trial and error and make multiple moves to first find these feeding paths, though.

By and large, crappies prefer small presentations during the cold water months, but their mouths are soft and tear easy, so you need to use hooks with ‘bite’ lose fish. Most small lures have small hooks, so I like to open the bend on the hook to make it wider and get a deeper set.

Northland Fishing Tackle has added the Hard Rock Mooska Jigs to their line. The micro-lures are heavy for their size, which is on account of the tungsten not lead composition. Tungsten lures can be tiny and still heavy enough to get deep in a hurry. Also, the jigs feature a sharp, wide-gapped, upturned hook right out of the package.

Small minnows are proven offerings for wintertime crappies, most effective at dawn and dusk; in the presence of large crappies (and bonus walleyes); and early and late in the ice fishing season. During the midwinter period they react more positively to live maggots and waxworms, or some of the new highly-detailed soft plastics, such as the Bro Bloodworm from Northland.

Anglers should match their handpicked presentations with light line and a sensitive rod to be able to detect the slightest nips in deep and shallow water alike. I like use the 27-inch Quick-Tip “Bro Series” combo made by Frabill and match it with 3-lb. test clear monofilament. Another surefire ice stick from Frabill is the new Straight Line Combo. It offers Bro Series rod quality with a fly-fishing styled reel. The wisdom behind the design is to let line flow smoother, and without kinks and coils. And it works. Those of you who line-watch, the ‘tightliners,’ will really appreciate its performance. The Straight Line Combos come in three lengths and actions.

Relative to location, crappies usually start out the winter suspended in the bottom third of the water column and work their way higher as winter progresses. Good electronics are essential for anglers to identify fish in the water column and get their baits at or just above eyelevel of the crappies. So pay close attention to their elevation in the water column.

Wintertime crappie fishing is about sticking to the basics. These core concepts account for the majority of my catches every winter. Prepare for some flexibility on the fly, but the ‘KISS’ program is spot-on with crappies. Search the acronym ‘KISS’ – and not the makeup wearing glam band – and you’ll know what I mean.

Related Articles

• Scud: An Ugly Word for Freshwater Shrimp (0)
• Where Were Ya Fishing? (0)
• When Perch Won’t Bite Through the Ice (3)
• Unlocking the Perch Fishing Limit Theory (0)
• The Fishing Preseason – Spring Crappie Fishing (0)

We do much of our filming on late ice. We take a lot of our photos at late ice as well. The reason is simple, long relatively nice days on the ice where you can expect sweatshirt weather. When the sun begins to rot the ice, you can expect to get some work done if you are in the business filming television shows as you typically get good fishing and weather that doesn’t freeze fingertips and camera batteries. Like many of you however, I need to get on the ice long before late ice and in all reality, first ice is just as prime of an opportunity to catch fish but the conditions might not be so romantic.

The reality is that during that first ice period when we are walking on the first three inches of clear virgin ice making those very first footsteps, we are dealing also with some of the first real cold weather of the season. Balmy and sunshine doesn’t make ice. Chances are that we are fishing in bone chilling cold where the ice booms and moans through the night like a civil war battlefield. When I was younger, I was a pretty enthusiastic and ambitious angler who would typically find ice to fish and tolerated some fairly miserable conditions where I didn’t have the proper clothing and even chopped holes at times by pile driving holes with fence posts through a few inches of ice so there goes everything you ever heard about spooking fish at first ice. We fished in some miserable conditions and tolerated the uncomfortable of the situation because we wanted to fish so badly. I still have that passion but the gear has gotten so much better that I seldom experience any of that former misery anymore.

When I am walking out on early ice that is less than six inches, I often simply walk to close by locations where I caught fish in the fall. Regardless of what species I am after, most of the fishing is relatively shallow and often close or in proximity to the shoreline contour. Don’t out think the fish as most places won’t get busy until you get at least six inches of ice so pull fish off the obvious spots first. Weeds like coontail are typically still green so nice weed bed edges are obviously good for just about all fish but for walleyes and perch, gently sloping sand shelves or gravel shorelines that drop off into deeper water can be dynamite. If there is any weed growth like some patches of broken down cabbage, chara or carpet weed, the spot can be even better. Flooded timber can also be good. Often during the early ice period, we often find walleye and perch together or crappies and bluegills together. Some stretches of shoreline or some parts of the shoreline structure however, will just have more activity. If you start seeing activity on your Vexilar, even just bait fish or invertebrates rising through the water column when the sun sets, you are getting close to the zone. Finding the general areas and depths typically doesn’t take long. Just remember to look at the big picture so that you can slow down when fishing through some spots. If you are after walleyes and catching a few perch, slow down as the walleyes are around. If you are after crappie and find pods of bluegills, slow down as the crappies are typically nearby.

Early ice is typically a time of the year when a person can walk out and expect to catch some fish. This time frame is typically one of the best times of the entire season to ice fish. There are a few unique challenges however to catching or finding fish at early ice. Like mentioned earlier, conditions are often brutal. The right clothing makes all the difference in the world for enjoying your time outside. There are a lot of really good cold weather suits out there and to be honest, some are actually too warm if you are moving or doing any activity at all. My favorite cold weather suit is the Ice Armor Grey Suit. With this particular suit, I have fished outside in thirty below temperatures all day and was comfortable but just as importantly, the suit is still comfortable when the temperature is thirty above. If you plan on walking on ice, get some ice cleats, or if your soles on your boots are thick enough, even tack a few drywall screws into your soles so that you have some traction. A tow rope that hooks up to your shoulders makes towing a sled or Fish Trap much easier. Clam manufactures both the Fish Traps and the tow ropes for serious ice anglers. Keep gear to a minimum when on foot for obvious reasons. If you are planning on really exploring the lake, the Clam Scout or Pro one man shelters are perfect because they are simple enough to still tow easily. These light weight shelters offer heavy duty protection from the elements when needed and there is plenty of room to store your gear. A bucket, Mora hand auger, small tackle pouch, a few of our Jason Mitchell Elite Series Rods, rod case along with a GPS and Vexilar round out all of the gear in my Trap.

Unless I plan on doing a lot of sight fishing, I often like to fish outside and hole hop. I often just use the Fish Trap to haul my gear or I set up when I am tired and want a break or if I get on a really hot hole. With that being said, here are a few tips for fishing outside in cold temperatures. When the temperature is less than about ten degrees, I really like to fish with braided line when fishing outside. Many people make the mistake of thinking that braided line is no good when fishing outside in the cold because it typically absorbs water. Yes braid will ice up faster than mono but what I have found is that I can shred the ice off the line much easier by just running my mittens down the line and the line seems tougher in the cold. With mono, the ice just seems to slide down the line and you eventually have to put the line in your mouth to melt the ice off. Northland Tackle makes a Bionic Ice Braid that works extremely well. Ice on line however costs you fish because it is harder to distinguish bites especially when targeting panfish so be diligent about shredding the ice off the line. When it is so cold that I have to use choppers or gloves, our over sized spring bobbers that we designed for our twenty and twenty four inch Jason Mitchell Elite Series Spring Bobber rods save the day as this particular spring bobber rod gives you sensitivity in the cold and is fairly ice resistant.

Lastly, always keep safety in mind. Use a spud bar to check ice in front of you when walking on questionable ice. If water comes up the hole or the ice gets wet when you pound the spud bar down, back off the same route you came. Keep at least a couple of screwdrivers in your pockets to help pull you out if the worst happens. Put a cell phone in a waterproof bag and put that in your pocket. Wear an inflatable life jacket and avoid springs, muskrat huts, beaver lodges, feeder creeks and other moving water. If you do ever fall through, don’t panic and don’t worry about taking your boots or clothes off, you clothes will actually float for a while. Keep your head out of the water. I didn’t have screwdrivers or anything to grip the ice with one time when I fell in so I got out by laying on my back and kicking my feet until I got up on the ice far enough to roll over on my belly and crawled out. This sounds simple but getting out of the water is absolutely exhausting. Safety is nothing to compromise as falling through the ice is scary, dangerous and serious business. StrikeMaster actually makes a jacket that was designed for first ice safety with ice picks and cleats on the elbows. First ice is rewarding and productive but neither of that matters if you don’t use common sense and fish with safety in mind.

Related Articles

• Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips (0)
• Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge (0)
• Ice Safety Tips (0)
• Ice Fishing Tip Ups (0)
• Ice Fishing Safety (19)

The main event of WFW is the one-of-a-kind fishing tournament. Two-person teams will have their choice of fishing through the ice on the Missouri River/Lake Oahe, fishing at certain public stock dams,fishing from shore or fishing from a boat in open water on Lake Sharpe. Tournament coordinator Jason Gilk said that’s because central South Dakota offers a variety of winter fishing.

“We want to showcase the variety of winter fishing opportunities,” Gilk said. “Lake Oahe offers great ice fishing; Lake Sharpe below the power house has open water; and the Fort Pierre National Grasslands have some of the best public stock dam fishing around. This event allows the teams to choose where and how they want to fish for the tournament.”

That also means anglers can choose what kind of fish they want to go after during WFW. Gilk said the tournament committee expects to see walleye, northern, bass, crappie, bluegill and perch at the tournament weigh-in.

To date, nearly two dozen sponsors have contributed more than $50,000 in cash or prizes for the event. “Many of the local businesses we approached were excited about this unique winter event,” said Gilk. “We are extremely grateful for their support because without them, the bait bucket is empty.” He stated the major sponsor for WFW, Lynn’s Dakotamart, is contributing a big number of prizes, ranging from ice fishing equipment to outdoor clothing and gear.

And don’t think you have to weigh in a lot of fish to win great prizes, either. Gilk pointed out that every person who enters the WFW event is automatically entered into the WFW prize drawings, regardless of whether or not any fish are weighed in by the angler. “That’s a cool feature of the WFW,” said Gilk. “You could get skunked and not catch a single fish yet still go home with a really nice prize.” He said the prize list includes four-wheel ATV’s, ice augers, ice shacks, underwater cameras, fish locaters and clothing along with lots of other outdoor gear.

There is a $100 entry fee per team with the field capped at 300 teams. Registration information and online entry forms will be available starting September 1, 2010. The tournament website will be www.pierrewfw.com and will provide information about the event, including online registration.

The first-ever WFW event will also feature vendor displays at the Ramkota Hotel in Pierre. Gilk noted the tournament committee is also hoping to offer some informational fishing seminars as part of the weekend schedule. “The WFW will be a great way for a lot of people to bust the mid-winter blues,” he said. “There will be display booths set up at the Ramkota, products for sale and hopefully some fishing tips. We want to make this a fun, family event for years to come.”

Go to Pierre, SD Winter Fishing Weekend for more information

WFW MAJOR SPONSOR
Lynn’s Dakotamart

WFW SPONSORS
Petersen Motors PryntComm Dakota Motorsports
BestWestern Ramkota Hotel Capital Motors The Lodge
Running’s Farm & Fleet Shel’s Quick Stop Eagle Sales
Prairie Heritage Homes BankWest BPro Inc.
Dakota Radio Group Riverfront Broadcasting Acme Spray Foam
Down’s Marina Spring Creek Resort/Marina Jerome Beverage Inc.
Soccer Athlete Arneson Taxidermy

CONTACTS:
Lois Ries
PierreArea Chamber of Commerce
(605) 224-7361

Jason Gilk
Tournament Coordinator

Related Articles

• Where Were Ya Fishing? (0)
• Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips (0)
• Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge (0)
• Scud: An Ugly Word for Freshwater Shrimp (0)
• Prepping for an Ice Season (0)

One of my biggest outdoors pet peeves is trash. Empty cans along the river bank or discarded chip bags floating near the dock, even if it’s just one, seem to steal away the peaceful serenity that draws most of us outdoors.

The shorelines of Devils Lake are a prime example of how many slob fishermen their are and how bad it can get after they don't pick up their own trash.

Maybe to a fault, I carry extra trash bags along to make sure I leave an area cleaner than I found it. I guess it’s a hope that maybe my outdoors house-cleaning will save others from experiencing similar disgust. Actually, if everyone else was equally as disappointed with those outdoors litter bugs, we’d not have a problem.

My kids don’t have a choice when we find litter and trash as we spend time fishing and hunting. We pick it up, even if it’s not ours. If we’re seen leaving an area I don’t want the next person blame us, even if we didn’t make the mess. So rather than risk the accusation, we pick it up.

And it’s not just during the summer months either. It’s anytime, because what’s bad in summer can be even worse in winter.
In summer, bags float away and cans drift into cattails or over to another shore. The litter gets caught in trees, and dust and dirt over time camouflage the refuse.

Winter provides its own unique situation. Whether ice fishing, predator calling, cross-country skiing or just enjoying a brisk winter walk across the tundra, the white snowy canvas is indeed a special experience. Littered with fish guts or cigarette butts, however, the fluffy white backdrop makes the trash look even worse in my eyes.

Since we’re into the heart of ice fishing, it’s a good time to ask winter anglers to make sure to clean up the ice after fishing, and respect private property rights when traveling to and from a favorite fishery. It doesn’t happen very often, but it shouldn’t happen at all. Not only is on-ice litter unsightly, but it is also illegal to leave fish behind on the ice. According to the fishing proclamation, when a fish is caught, anglers must either immediately release the fish back into the water unharmed, or reduce them to their daily possession.

“It has also become common practice for some anglers to fillet fish on the ice,” said Robert Timian, chief warden for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. “If you are going to do this, don’t leave the entrails and sides of filleted fish on the ice. Clean up after yourself. Put the carcass in a trash bag and properly dispose of it when you get home.”
Beyond the litter aspect, on lakes with size restrictions for certain fish, filleting those species on the ice is not allowed.

Another issue that sometimes surfaces in the winter is people sometimes driving out into private land to get around blocked section lines or other public access roads to reach a lake shore. When access roads are not passable because of snow, travelers cannot just navigate through a field in order to circumvent the blocked roadway without first talking to the landowner. While you want find a route onto the ice, others may follow and create an unwanted trail. It’s just not the neighborly thing to do.

“Private property rights are the same year-around,” Timian said. “Regardless of the time of year, if there is not a drivable trail, you should talk to the landowner; if the land is signed no trespassing, you need to seek permission.”

The bottom line is, courtesy and responsibility don’t take the winter off. It’s our job to leave places a little better than we found them no matter what time of year.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email: dleier@nd.gov

Related Articles

• Where Were Ya Fishing? (0)
• Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips (0)
• Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge (0)
• Scud: An Ugly Word for Freshwater Shrimp (0)
• Prepping for an Ice Season (0)

Some opportunities on the ice are just too enjoyable to miss

As I put together the powerhead and the shaft of my auger, I took note of the extension that was still securely bolted into place from the previous season. And by “securely bolted” I mean rusted solid.

I figured it was best to just leave the set-up as is, considering last year’s 40 inches of ice on some area lakes put the full length of the auger and the extension to use, bumping the bottom of the powerhead on the frozen surface multiple times last March before I packed everything away. Thus far it has been a cold winter, even though the season hasn’t technically started, and I expect now, with eight to ten inches of ice already on area waters, a full 40 inches of ice or more is likely this season.

In fact, while sitting in my shack on a solid formation of eight inches of clear ice and watching the non-biting walleyes and perch slink along the bottom of my depth finder without so much as a nudge toward my jigging spoon, I heard a strange humming drown out the whir of the Marcum. It wasn’t a four-wheeler or the jet-ski like buzz of a snowmobile whizzing by. The subsequent “slam-slam” of driver’s and passenger-side doors coupled with a “this looks like a good spot” comment from the passengers confirmed that on December 6, the first ON-road vehicles were making their way on to the ice. Despite the apparent “safety” of the ice, it seemed a bit early for my budget, factoring in EPA fines, towing expenses, repairs, cleaning and fish removal costs – not to mention the stress of finding a way to the surface and swimming through near-freezing waters that go with an early-ice breakthrough. I’m not one to rush on to the ice, but it seems that this winter is meeting me halfway, and in all likelihood, I will join the brave souls this first December weekend in their cars and small trucks parking around my shack sometime at the end of the month…but most likely in January.

A long, and apparently thick winter lays ahead, the thrill of first ice initially with a good layer as solid as the beginning bite usually is available to many anglers, thanks to the rapid freeze. Then comes the waning action of late January and February, which tests the mettle and the fortitude of all who challenge the negative fish and negative-zero high temperatures. For those who do, a prosperous and prolonged bite well into March and maybe even April awaits as panfish and predators prepare for the spring spawn.

The calendar is marked by highs, doldrums, rough weather, January thaws and a lion-and-lamb finish. Each weather system that blasts through on the sails of an Alberta clipper changes the luck of anglers. Propane tanks are filled, burned up, refueled and again converted into BTUs through a Mr. Heater sunflower or cooker. Deer sausages sizzle, augers hum, rattle-reel bells ring and drags occasionally scream. Snowmachines zip across barren surfaces, GPS screens flicker, and propane lanterns burn in after-work panfish marathons on Friday night into Saturday morning.

It’s a great time, with a barrage of experiences. Sometimes you eat the fish, and sometimes the elements – snow, ice, and wind – that protect them, bite through your ice-crusted bib overalls and jackets chewing through the layers of sweatshirts, turtlenecks and long johns sending you whimpering, face covered in frozen tears and a snot mustache. It’s not for the weak, it’s not for the faint of heart, and it isn’t for those from south of the Mason-Dixon line. Believe me, having spent four winters away from home in sunny Florida, one day of ice fishing had me whimpering with bare feet dangling over the flame of a propane heater while back on winter break. Meanwhile my friends had blackmail material for the next decade with the pictures that were taken.

Memories with friends, family and a few fantastic fish come with all the ups and downs. It’s only here and only at this time of year that we can make them. Only in this place where woods meet water and prairie meets pond, does everything happen when the temperatures start dipping near zero.

Get out there. String up a rod, and string up some fish. Experience ice fishing the way God intended it, or the way man has, in some instances, made it a second home. From the shacks and shanties, to the pop-down trailers and the turrets of veritable ice castles rigged with Dish TV, Satellite Radio and the NFL Sunday Ticket, take in every moment of it, in every way imaginable, because it will be the only way to fish for the next few months…in our outdoors.

Related Articles

• Where Were Ya Fishing? (0)
• Spouse Ice Fishing Trip Tips (0)
• Sight Fishing – Ice Fishing With an Edge (0)
• Scud: An Ugly Word for Freshwater Shrimp (0)
• Prepping for an Ice Season (0)

Marcum sonar and Marcum cameras are taking ice fishing to the next level

Through years of studying, fishing, and testing by engineers rooted in the heart of the ice-belt, a new leader emerges on the forefront of the ice fishing electronics market.  The result is the MarCum line of high-power sonar flashers that were designed from the ground-up, relying on modern principles of sonar and science. MarCum’s approach has always been the most performance for the money, period.  It would follow then, that every single feature on any of the MarCum flashers and cameras results from years of continuous innovation and study.  There’s alot of terminology here, but in the end, it’s all about features that translate into fishing success.  Ultimately, all the features in the world mean nothing unless they allow you to accurately gather more critical information about what’s below you.  Here’s a quick rundown of the many reasons that a MarCum will put more fish on the ice for you this winter. 

More Power – MarCum flashers transmit the highest power in the industry, which directly effects the unit’s ability to effectively detect its own return signal

Most efficient – MarCum manufactures its own transducers to ensure quality, balance, and efficiency when paired with the flasher’s other components. 

Increased sensitivity – Better transducers, paired with more power and efficiency translates into the best target separation in the business.  The gain sensitivity on a MarCum flasher is nearly surgical, with the lowest signal/noise ratio in the industry.  This translates into finer detail with less distortion. 

Better Resolution – TrueColor razor thin display (not blended like competitors).  MarCum never distorts any of its display segments by widening the signal, ultimately resulting in the best resolution, most crisp display, and finest detail in the industry. 

“Total system performance” is what MarCum calls it.  All the features in the world can’t help you if they’re independent of one another, not working in concert.  A unit with more power, better efficiency, increased sensitivity, and better resolution is the complete package.  The net result for the angler is a better understanding of what’s going on below them; something that can’t help but put more fish on the ice this winter.

In addition to those standard performance traits, below are features exclusive ONLY to MarCum, and why they’re engineered to be the best:

Adjustable, Optical Zoom – While many folks know that MarCum has the only zoom feature that’s adjustable anywhere in the water column, few are aware that the zoom on a MarCum is a true, optical zoom.  Unlike competitors, whose resolution never increases and whose display is merely “blown-up”, the MarCum optical zoom feature actually increases your ability to discern distance and size between targets.  Rather than a larger display of the same data, you’re getting better information through a true optical zoom.  This is the same principal that applies to digital photography.

Patented Interference Rejection (IR) Technology – Due to the very positive signal/noise ratio put out by the MarCum units, the IR in-turn performs better allowing the receiver to better separate noise and clutter from true signal. 

Super Fine Line – This patented feature reduces the width of target display to increase the target separation and give you more information, especially in weeds/cover or amongst schooling fish.

True-Color – Marcum makes the only flasher that utilizes 3 separate, distinct colors; Red, Green, and Yellow. True color offers the most crisp, distinct display, giving the user the best accuracy in distinguishing targets. No more fuzzy blending.

Ice – arm – Rather than a float which moves about the hole and bobs with increased pressure on the ice or currents under it, the ice-arm allows the transducer to be placed anywhere in the hole.  This includes up against the edge, hiding most of the transducer under the ice to the far edge of the hole.  This results in fewer tangles, and less confusion from a changing bottom depth.

3 Stage Digital “Smart” Charging System – An accurate, digital battery life display, along with a single plug 3 stage charging system maintains the electrical performance of the units.  The single plug prevents reversing the polarity and burning up your battery, and promotes reduced corrosion on the battery charging posts themselves.  Even if you only have an hour to charge your MarCum, the initial charging stage loads heavily at first, and backs down to top the battery off.  No other charging system can claim this!

Standard Soft Pack – Rather than an add-on feature, a padded soft pack anchors and protects your investment in electronics.  

This year is not without surprises. NEW for 2008, all MarCum flashers will get a boost in power, as described below.  Furthermore, Nature Vision has announced the inception of Auto-Tune Technology for their full line of 2008 Marcum flashers. Since all transducers have a frequency tolerance of plus or minus 4% (192-208kz) there exist a small mismatch between power head and transducer.  This variance, depending on how extreme it is from ‘ducer to ‘ducer, creates increased noise and essentially decreases the sensitivity and performance of the sonar unit.  Marcum engineers have developed Auto-Tune Technology to automatically adjust the frequency of the transmitter/receiver to the frequency of the transducer, thus eliminating additional noise and sensitivity concerns.  As if MarCum’s technological feats weren’t impressive enough, this innovation is essentially a “sonar technician in a can” and available in every new 2008 Marcum flasher. 

Power Boosts

Marcum LX-5 – 2000 watts peak-to-peak to 2500 watts peak-to-peak
Marcum LX-3 – 1500 watts peak-to-peak to 2000 watts peak-to-peak
Marcum VX-1 Pro – 600 watts peak-to-peak to 1000 watts peak-to-peak

That is why MarCum leads the industry in innovation and performance.  It’s a fact that MarCum engineers can and are willing to test and prove.  A full suite of mechanical and electrical sonar tests have been run on all flashers currently on the market, and MarCum’s technology exceeds the competition often by orders of magnitude. 

Also, stay tuned for this winter’s MarCum On-Ice Challenges.  MarCum openly invites all to come and take a look at their flashers, and compare the competition on the ice where it matters most.  View for yourself the power, sensitivity, and display; along with the features exclusive only to MarCum, and compare them to the competition. 

In the lab or on the ice – MarCum leads the way.

Related Articles

• Fish Finders – An On-Ice Epiphany (0)
• Where Were Ya Fishing? (0)
• Weight Forward Spinners (0)
• Walleyes on Soft Plastics (0)
• Walleye Trolling Boards & Trolling Deep for Walleyes (2)

The gaping mouth and sucking powers of a crappie make vacuuming up freshwater shrimp child's play. Bro's Scud Bug from Northland Fishing Tackle is just as easily inhaled.

A system is only as good as the weakest link. That’s a profound statement and applies to everything from a football team to stereo systems. Think about it. Well, in fishing, it also pertains to the freshwater shrimp – or scud as they’re referred to on the ice.

They’ll never make it into a shrimp cocktail or even grow to scampi size, but they certainly fill a niche in the freshwater food chain. Scuds are a staple dietary item on many bodies of water, and a more important food source than you might realize.

Lakes that do contain scuds tend to produce tape-measure bluegills, crappies and perch. The key is availability. Baitfish are scarce at times. Aquatic invertebrates (immature insects) aren’t always out in the open. Shrimp snacks, on the other hand, are always being served. Panfish might have to search-out the mother lode, but there’s always a cloud of scud somewhere out there.

One sign of a lake being shrimp-free is finding empty stomachs while cleaning fish. Again, shrimp are the slow moving, easy to catch, fail-safe food. Panfish will literally go hungry at times, on some lakes, when shrimp aren’t available. In fact, the absence of shrimp can diminish the overall size structure of panfish on a given lake. Scuds are a stop-gap in the food chain, ensuring that there’s always food on the table.

Freshly found shrimp indicate that panfish are likely nearby. To first find shrimp, though, you need to know a little about their required habitat and dietary needs. Shrimp love vegetation. Large mats of weeds covering largely soft bottoms make for ideal habitat. Shrimp are omnivorous, dining on both detritus (decaying organic matter) and live critters, such as bloodworms (mayfly larvae) and daphnia (zooplankton), all of which share parallel surroundings.

Shrimp, like panfish, will also wait for zooplankton to rise in the water column, which generally occurs during low-light periods and into nightfall. I’ve seen this happen on open water, too. The Humminbird shows a cloud of bigger marks (shrimp) tracking smaller marks (zooplankton).

The volume of scuds in a lake also affects actual fishing success. If a lake is wall-to-wall with scuds, the fish are scattered and hungry less often. I prefer lakes with sizable but isolated populations of scuds. This keeps panfish on the prowl.

Fish recognize forage based on their profiles. Not always is a scud’s color and pattern obvious, but its silhouette is omnipresent. That curled shape; those dangling legs; that flexing tail. It’s hard to reproduce with a lure, though. With that inspiration, I designed Bro’s Scud Bug, part of Bro’s Bug Collection from Northland Fishing Tackle.

The emphasis is on realism. Not only does the Scud Bug physically resemble a freshwater shrimp; it swims like one. The hinged tail straightens and returns to its curled posture with every pull. Shrimp propel with a compound action. So does the Scud Bug.

From a technique standpoint, whether you’re fishing a Scud Bug or some other plastic, there are key strokes that aim to mimic the real thing. Freshwater shrimp move in short bursts, kicking with their tails. Between motions they pause and gently fall, making up for the drop with the next kick. The action is easy to replicate. Make 2 inch or so pulls with the rod tip, following each jig with a limp-line freefall. Maintain the cadence while gradually working your way up the water column. Strikes typically come on the pause. And if you mark fish but they’re uncooperative, go to a modest quiver. Maintain the action for 5 to 10 seconds between bursts.

You’ll want a rod with a soft tip as well; something that promotes the soft stroke. I’m partial to longer, strike-signaling rods like the 24-inch quick tip Bro’s Series Combo from Frabill. Spring bobbers are also effective for indicating strikes and making a smooth-moving, natural presentation.

Modern soft plastics nail the fluid motion of native forage, but not the scent. Only live bait can achieve that. My solution is threading a single waxworm or maggot up the hook shank and hiding it under the belly of the Scud Bug. This adds seductive scent while not jeopardizing the desired action.

Okay, so scud isn’t the most flattering 4-letter word, but neither are the street names for burbot (lawyer), dogfish (bowfin) or junk fish (carp and other bottom feeders). “Scud,” however, is music to the ears (lateral lines) of crappies, bluegills and perch.

Related Articles

• Ice Fishing for Panfish – The Right Ice Rods (0)
• Ice Fishing Essentials for Crappies (0)
• Ice Fishing at Night (0)
• Fishing with Spring Bobbers (2)
• Bluegill Ice Fishing Tips (0)