By Nick Simonson

For the past few weekends, I have been exploring a small impoundment about twenty minutes from home.  Rumor had it that big bluegills roamed the basin out from the public access, but all my efforts had produced over the past month was a plethora of puny perch.  At the urging of my buddy Randy, we headed back for one more try on the small reservoir, based on a tip a fellow gave us on our way off the ice at the end of our last trip.
We ventured off from the point and I fired up the auger and began punching holes out in a line from shore.  After the thirtieth hole I clicked the auger off, tied a tiny jig on my spring bobber rod and began to explore the basin before us.  With my friend fishing shallow, I walked out to the farthest hole in the line with plans of working my way back toward shore.
As soon as I dropped the transducer in the hole, three lines flickered against the black backdrop of my sonar.  I dropped the jig and watched it spiral out of view into the murky waters of the forty-acre lake formed by the damming of a small creek some thirty years ago.  The lines rose up to meet the jig and I readied for the inevitable – undoubtedly they would be the same six-inch perch I had encountered before.  The spring bobber on my rod bounced and I set the hook with a snap of my wrist.
The blank bent in a solid arc and I knew right away the fish on the other end was not one of the tiny perch I had worked so hard to get away from.  The line spun around the hole as the whirling fight of the fish pulled it tight against the edge of the ice and then popped it loose and over to the other side of the hole.  The upside-down tornado whirled closer and closer to the surface as the line between the rod and hook shortened.  Like the moon sliding in front of the sun, the circular body of a big bluegill eclipsed the diameter of the hole and I felt my eyes go wide.
With many other anglers in the shallows where my friend was fishing, I gave a quick but muted whistle to my buddy and held the hand-sized panfish up for him to see and motioned him to join me out over the deeper water.  In a few minutes we were in the thick of a bluegill bonanza.  Our backs turned to the rising south wind; we raised the red lines off of the bottom and got them to bite with a subtle shake of a small plastic tail or a lightly-hooked spike.  Time and again, quality sized bluegills came to hand, but as the wind rose, the fish became more stubborn.
We switched ice fishing rigs to pull a few more from fourteen feet; bounced to a hole just on the break to land another out of twelve feet; and varied our baits to trigger other fish we encountered at various depths in between.  Even when we were forced by the wind to set up the shack and settle for a more stationary – but comfortable – position, the fish directly under us could be fooled by keeping our baits moving and modified from time-to-time when things slowed down.  The entire afternoon we landed forty ‘gills.  In that time, we hooked only one perch.
If it wasn’t for my friend’s continued press to give the lake one more try; the bluegills might have just been a hopeful thought for next season.  But by persevering, trying new areas and varying our presentations, we found success where we once found only frustration, and had we given up the stories of the big bluegills would have remained just that.  I’ve learned in the past few seasons – whether hunting or fishing – that sometimes perseverance is all it takes to have a breakthrough like the one I experienced this weekend, and help make those stories a reality…in our outdoors.

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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.

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Late in the 1980s my family moved from LaMoure to Valley City. I’d fished the Jim River and Lake LaMoure prior to the move, and enjoyed an array of fish, from pike to perch and even the lowly carp.

In Barnes County around Valley City, I spent a good chunk of time fishing Lake Ashtabula and the Sheyenne River, and found a few favorite bluegill ponds. In fact, looking at my time living in towns from Bismarck, Stanley and Bottineau to Moffit, Kulm and now West Fargo, I’ve always enjoyed the small-fish bite – not 10-inch walleye, but bluegill, perch and even bullhead.

In my experience, and I suspect that of most everyone else, perch and bluegill taste better than bullhead, so I now find myself and the family seeking out a steady bluegill bite as first priority. Right about now is a good time to start looking, as water tempertures heat up and turn on the bluegill spawning effort.

Crappie, bluegill and pumpkinseed and green sunfish are often slapped with the catch-all label of “sunny” before an angler takes the time to discern the correct association. Bluegill are members of the sunfish family and do vary in coloration, but usually are  dark olive above, with dark vertical bars on the upper sides and orange or yellow on the throat and belly. Its gill covers are blue – hence the name – with a black tip on the flap.

Beneath the shallow depths this time of year, male bluegill select nest sites and prepare the spawning grounds, moving away mud, sand and vegetation, with the final goal of a plate-sized depression in the lake bottom.

After the site is ready, the male begins the process of attracting a female with an assortment noises. Eggs hatch in a matter of days after they are deposited in the nest.

The peak of the bluegill spawn in North Dakota is from mid-June to about the end of the month. Male bluegill are on call the entire time, guarding eggs from any disturbance or threat, and continually watching over the nest and using fins to disperse unwanted mud and removed unfertilized eggs with no chance to hatching from the nest. Scientists say that several females typically spawn in one nest and hatching success is high. But despite the best efforts of diligent males guarding eggs and newly hatched fry, mortality of young is correspondingly high.

I’ve learned through a few decades that prime time bluegill fishing comes during the spawning season, as male bluegills will attack most any type of bait. The only real skill you need is the ability to cast a bait within striking distance of a nest. The fish don’t seem to care what is in the water. A hook tipped with a bit of nightcrawler, or a small spinner or jig and twister tail, all can generate attention from fiesty bluegill.

I’m not trying to convince anyone that catching a bluegill is like fighting pike or bass, but those of us who appreciate a bobber popping the water have nothing to apologize for.

Odds are you won’t find many best-sellers on tips and tactics for catching bigger and more bluegill, but a quick search around the area and odds are you’ll find panfish just a few casts from any corner of North Dakota.

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

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During summer months, look for crappies along shallow weedlines early and late in the day. During midday, they will typically hold near deeper stronger close to the same weedlines.

Panfish – be they sunfish, crappies, perch or white bass – are present throughout the upper Midwest. They comprise the midsection of most lakes’ biomass and present a sure-fire fishing opportunity for anglers young and old. If you are new to fishing, or already a panfish aficionado these species are right up your alley. Enjoy the heat of summer, and the hot fishing panfish present throughout the upper Midwest.

Sunny side up

Nothing says “summer is here” like a school of bluegills hovering around a dock. Sunfish just seem to wait in suspended animation for a child’s worm-covered hook and red and white bobber to hit the water with a splash. When it does, all hell breaks loose. Keeping bait on the hook is like keeping plywood on the shelves in Florida before a hurricane. One after another, two- to ten-inch fish rocket after corn niblets, crawlers, grubs, wax worms and anything that can be speared on a hook.

Bluegill, pumpkinseeds and other members of the sunfish family are fun to catch and are readily available. A simple 1/16-ounce jig with a piece of nightcrawler on it is the ticket to endless fun. For young anglers, a hook, some splitshot and a bobber will get them started in a love affair with all things aquatic. For fly fishermen, bluegills make for a great back up when the trout stream is just too far away. Try these fish on a light rod using small sinking nymphs or wet flies and the action is sure to be intense.

To top that off, sunnies make great forage for fish fries. A dozen bluegill in the eight-inch range can be filleted or scaled and cleaned to provide a summertime meal.

Slab happy

One of the area’s top targets is the crappie, a fish that bites year round. These big-eyed panfish come in the black and white varieties, but can be so selective that angling for them is anything but monochromatic.

Sometimes they want jigs, other times they are triggered by small spinners, occasionally only a plain hook with a minnow will take them, and every once in a while doll flies will be the only lures that land them. Not to mention, lure selection is only part of the puzzle. Crappies are notorious for preferring one color over another. One day it is silver tubes, the next day its blue or pink. Sometimes they like gold bladed beetle spins, other days it is chrome. Figuring out what they want is half the fun.

Crappies are fish of many names; true masters of the alias. Their regional monikers such as papermouth, speckled perch, calico bass, and slab give the crappie a unique persona across various areas of the country. But when it comes down to it, all anglers know that the reward for catching these fish is in the golden fillets that can be baked, broiled or fried into a dish that can only be called perfection, no matter what the local name is.

Give crappies a shot this summer on one of many regional waters and try to figure out these nomadic panfish. Using tubes, jigs, and small spinners or just a plain hook and minnow, crappies can sometimes be brought into the boat by the dozen on any given day.

Popular perch

By far the most popular panfish on the prairie is the yellow perch. Droves of anglers can be found hanging out of pickup cabs, piled into ice houses, and staring down a hole in the ice in pursuit of these green-and-yellow footballs each winter. But summertime provides a fast bite as well when perch forage for insects and other prey along the weedlines of area waters.

While white bass are typically known to hold near structure, they are known to be aggresive open water predators

A simple pleasure for young anglers, the perch is a universal bonus fish. If it tops eight inches and can be filleted, it usually goes in the livewell. Perch are the kicker fish to a nice stringer of walleye. Catching the two species together is not uncommon, as smaller walleyes run with bigger perch, and bigger walleye try to eat smaller perch.

Try trolling a bottom bouncer with a crawler on a spinner near weedlines where perch forage. A few nice fish will have a frying pan full of perfect white fillets for the family. Watch for perch to be at their warm-water peak in mid-summer and into fall, gorging themselves on whatever they can find to prepare for the long winter.

Great whites

There’s never a better time than summer to go chasing after a school of white bass. Aggressive white bass target small baitfish and hatching insects as the summer season gets underway. Look for these fish to pile up on structure and along weed beds where prey are concentrated.

It is a rush of excitement to watch a phalanx of fish follow a lure to the boat. Getting one (or two, or even three) silver flashes to lash out at a jig and twister or a Rapala floating minnow adds to the exhilaration. When on a tear, white bass will attack any lure they can fit in their mouth. Once a school is located, it is time to cast and hold on tight.

Young anglers will get a kick out of fishing these silver-sided panfish. Whether learning how to use spinning gear or fishing with a Snoopy rod, kids will have consistent action once a school is found. Look for a few white bass rising aggressively on insects or minnows and the rest of the gang can’t be far behind. Set up about 15 yards away and begin casting.

Anglers should only get as close to the target area as needed to cast at the belligerent bunch, as they may spook at the whir of a trolling motor or an anchor being dropped into the water. White bass can provide hours of entertainment and are a popular target throughout the region.

This summer, celebrate the diverse fishing opportunities near you and keep an eye out for some of the region’s most wanted panfish…in our outdoors

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Another April is upon us and I can’t help but get excited! What a great month: the Twins play meaningful games, the NFL draft, snow melting, longer days, and the start of what I consider my preseason fishing. Giving normal ice out, in the middle of April, crappie fishing is my preseason of fishing. It is a time to get the rust off and spend some quality time on the water. For me catching crappies ranks right up there with walleyes, and the few weeks before walleye opener can be great for crappies (again taking into account normal ice out). It takes some patience and a lot of movement to find where the fish are at, but when you catch one crappie you can bet there are a lot more there. So what works for me?

Crappies normally move into the reed beds to spawn when the water temperature reaches around 50 degrees. The lake I spend a lot of time fishing in the spring peaks at 51 degrees. The areas that will receive the most activity early on are the mud flats on the north side of the lake. That is the part of the lake that receives the most sun, and the mud bottom will absorb the sunlight. If you’re having a problem finding fish, try to target these mud bottom reed flats. The first place I go it the reed lines in the morning or a few hours before sundown. I will anchor off the reed lines and work different depths, but as sunset gets closer the shallower I go. I will use a slip bobber and a jig tipped with a minnow. Now I don’t endorse one brand over another, but I have found that Northland’s Gypsy jig really works well in the reeds. I use the 1/64 to 1/32 ounce and have found that the best colors seem to be yellow-green and white. Of course each lake is different and the fish may take orange or pink better so I usually have a variety of colors and see what works best. I cast in and let the wind work the jig around to find where those crappies are hiding. It is also a good idea to rig up and have three or four rods with you. The reason is that pike and bass can hit your jig and take the whole works with them. Nothing is worse than finding and getting into crappies and then having to take time to retie your line because jaws just hit your rig.

A key element used in all this is the wind. When I am looking on where to start fishing I will target the reed line that the waves are sweeping into. There is a pretty good chance that the crappies will come into the reeds searching for the baitfish blown up in there. My favorite situation is where you have had a 15 mph wind and it dies to almost nothing going into the evening. With the light wind cast to the edge of reeds and let the wind carry you rig in a ways. If crappies are in the reeds you will know in a few casts or if you will have to move to a different spot. If the wind is really blowing hard then I will fish in the calmer areas on the lake. My reason is that I hate trying to fight big waves and keep control of the rig. On a dead calm night you’ll want to use the trolling motor and move just a little bit to find the fish. You also want to be quiet because a lot of noise in shallow water can really scare the fish. Don’t be afraid to go back to places you tried and hour earlier because sometimes crappies will move in from deeper water and you might have left 10 minutes before they came in.

The crappie fishing gets better each week in the spring and can stay that way well into May as far as fishing in reeds goes. There are other methods that work well such as casting beetle spins but I seem to have better luck in June when it comes to spinners etc. There is something about watching that bobber sink that really gets the heart pumping. There are some nights in the spring when you really can’t get the line out fast enough. So when the ice goes off get out there and give crappies in the reeds a try, it can be a great time. Oh yeah, don’t forget to bring a facemask and gloves with because that ride across the lake early in the spring can be a cold one. Tight Lines!!!

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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.

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Waterfowlers in ND are very disappointed with 2004 duck numbers, especially with another liberal season.

More ice anglers are discovering that the tip of the rod we are using has as much influence on our presentation as the actual motion we put on the rod while fishing. A rod with a fast tip for example will give the lure a distinct flash and pound that is more abrupt, perhaps more noticeable. By quivering or bouncing the tip of a fast action rod, the jig or lure literally bounces in place which can be the ticket some days, especially with aggressive fish. This bouncing might also work better for pulling in fish from further distances. A light action noodle rod or light spring bobber however will give the lure or jig a much different action even though the movements on the rod might be the same. The action often becomes more fluid, softer and subtle which again might work better the next day or on the next lake. Many anglers make the mistake of getting comfortable with just one style of fishing because they taste some success but the biggest mistake we make is thinking that this one style or way to present a lure is better. We can become much more effective ice anglers by recognizing the strengths, limitations and advantages of each rod type and how it affects our presentation.

While fishing, we typically encounter the aggressive fish first. The easy fish get caught right away and we than have to choose whether to move or change our presentation to catch the less aggressive fish that are still floating around in the same vicinity. There are also situations where there are no aggressive fish and the factors could range from fishing pressure and weather to visibility. Each lake is different, each day is different and in the end, each fish is different. The attitude of the fish can also change throughout the day. Early morning for example might present an opportunity to pick off aggressive fish while the presentation that worked so well in the morning looses effectiveness as the sun climbs higher in the sky. Panfish anglers across the Midwest are realizing the importance of rigging a handful of different rods with varying presentations so that these changes can be countered from day to day, lake to lake.

High Modulus Graphite Ice Rods

The aggressive side of the spectrum generally incorporates a fast action graphite rod. A quality graphite that allows a sense of feel is often important in this situation because the bite is generally distinct, usually a thump or perhaps the lure or line just stops to signal a fish. The fast action rod generally allows the angler to react quicker with a hook set. There is no mushiness on the tip of the rod to delay contact with the fish. These are all advantages when fishing aggressive presentations for aggressive fish that come up to the lure or jig and chomp. Aggressive lures might include panfish size spoons or lead and tungsten jigs that hang horizontal in the water. Gulp! Maggots work great for aggressive fish because they stay on the hook and let you get back down in the water fast. More important than the actual lure or jig however, often is the cadence you give the lure. The stroke doesn’t necessarily have to be big or fast but rather just a pound or dabble that keeps the lure bouncing and quivering, in turn keeping the lure from spinning.

Spring Bobber Systems

An ice fishing rod Jason designed for panfish, equipped with a spring bobber.

Many of the same lures and jigs can be fished dramatically different by incorporating a spring bobber system. Both tungsten and lead horizontal jigs that fish heavy can be fished in a fluid and subtle bob that can trigger less aggressive fish. Scaled down finesse jigs that fall slowly due to shape and or plastic tails and skirts along with ice flies can also be fished effectively in this manner. Spring bobbers excel whenever the mood of the fish dictates a more subtle and delicate presentation. Spring bobbers can also shine when the fish move up or backwards after hitting the jig or lure. Aggressive fish often have the tendency to coast forward with the bait in mouth while less aggressive fish often back pedal. Spring bobbers seem to work better for signaling this back pedaling that often occurs as fish less aggressive fish sample and spit. Spring bobbers can also be of an advantage whenever anglers are fishing in elements where gloves are necessary or sense of feel is limited. Often, we can react more quickly by using our eyes than sense of touch when out on the ice.

Noodle Ice Rods

Noodle rods can also be applied to many of the situations and presentations where spring bobber systems shine. The traditional disadvantage of noodle rods is the lack of back bone for setting the hook. What noodle rods do better than any other type of rod however is tackling one of the toughest types of bites we encounter on the ice. There are times where the fish want the lure or jig hanging almost motionless. Hanging any presentation motionless without the lure spinning takes careful monitoring of line and patience. Using fresh line and stretching the line with your fingers to unwind built up line twist is crucial. My favorite monofilament for most panfish applications is two pound Berkley Sensation. Line twist can also be countered on this dead stick presentation by using extremely small crappie minnows as the struggle of the minnow will counter some of the spin. A rod with a noodle tip can also offer another advantage and that is the fish can hang on to the jig or lure longer before feeling any kind of tension.

All of these types of presentations are important tools. Each tool has a place depending on the fish and day. Don’t make the mistake believing that there is an end all approach. Strive to be flexible and have fun learning how to use the different presentations and learn to fish from other good anglers who fish differently than yourself. Remember as well that when the fish are biting well, they make us look good. A wide variety of presentations matched with contrasting fishing styles and equipment often all work when the fish are biting well. When the bite changes or becomes more difficult, adding versatility to our own fishing styles allows us to make the adaptations often needed to catch fish. We believe we have designed on of the most extensive lineup of application specific ice rods on the market (Jason Mitchell Elite Series Ice Rods). By using specific, high-quality rods that are specialized for different presentations, anglers can master versatility much more effectively. One final note, fishing is and should be a great source of enjoyment. For many, learning more about fishing and learning more about the fish we are pursuing can add to the enjoyment while spending time outdoors with family and good friends in a remarkable environment. Have fun learning as much as you can about fishing and enjoy the process of becoming versatile.

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Devils Lake perch fishing is back with a good cycle of jumbo perch.

Finding and catching jumbo panfish can be a challenge, even on lakes where a good population of big fish exists. Ironically, the healthiest jumbo panfish Mecca’s are often bodies of water where catching these fish does indeed challenge the ice angler, demanding the right combination of mobility and finesse.

The healthiest fisheries are often environments where fish are well fed, have places to hide and stay alive long enough to reach trophy status. Healthy jumbo panfish fisheries are getting harder to come by all the time. Just not as many places anymore where perch can enjoy an abundant food supply and live long enough to awe you at the bottom of the hole.

Many trophy panfish anglers are starting to realize that some of the most consistent fishing for truly impressive perch often takes place on large bodies of water. That isn’t to say that small bodies of water can’t grow big panfish because they do… just that when big panfish are discovered on small water, they become more susceptible to over harvest and fishing pressure. Thousands of acres of ice can often intimidate anglers but size also acts as a buffer against fishing pressure. There is no doubt in this day and age that some of the largest populations of truly large panfish indeed swim the untapped basins of large lakes that host strong forage bases.

While big water with ample food can be the ingredients where old humpbacked panfish can flourish, this environment can also be a double-edged sword. Perhaps nowhere is this double-edged sword more apparent than North Dakota’s famous perch fishery, Devils Lake.

Devils Lake is a massive body of water, sprawling for more than 125,000 acres. The lake has a notorious reputation for growing jumbo perch that take the shape of a barrel. These fish grow to impressive sizes because they have so much water to hide from anglers and because these fish feast on a never-ending forage base of freshwater shrimp. What a great situation for a fish, being able to hide from anglers and never having to deal with hunger pains. The places that grow jumbo perch often present a challenging situation for the angler.

While genuine jumbos are at times aggressive and easy to catch, more often than not, finesse is needed to coax these fish to eat. Remember that environments capable of growing truly large perch are often the same environments where fish seldom have to compete aggressively against each other and the food supply is unlimited.

Big baits and aggressive presentations don’t necessarily mean big perch. Savvy anglers must often switch combinations and rely on finesse to be successful.

Devils Lake jumbo perch have a long standing reputation, but when it goes cold there are many bodies of water loaded with jumbo perch within a couple hundred miles

Calling All Perch

Successful anglers find fish with the help of electronics. Sonars are excellent tools for locating perch. When searching for perch on deep mud basins, the zoom mode and bottom separation features on the newer models are invaluable. Your electronics are your eyes underwater.  

On big water, finding perch often starts with a lure that will attract and draw fish in from a distance. Working a small spoon like a Frostee Spoon or Lindy Rattler aggressively will let you know if there are any fish in the vicinity. Some fish in the school might indeed be aggressive and an angler can do quite well aggressively working one lure. A small spoon tipped with either; maggots, wax worms or a minnow head is a time honored presentation that works well for aggressive perch.  So often however with temperamental fish, an aggressive presentation might indeed find fish and pull wandering fish into the cone angle of your Vexilar but something subtler is needed to trigger a bite. Call fish over to you with a flashy presentation like a spoon than make the switch to something smaller or subtler when needed.  Again, your electronics let you know when fish are found and how they are responding to your presentation.

Downsizing to Up-size Your Catch

Tiny horizontal jigs might be poor lures for finding fish in the regard that they do not emit much flash or water displacement but these same morsels can be deadly for triggering perch that need to be coaxed. When perch refuse to hit a spoon, downsizing to micro jigs like; Fat Boys or Genz Worms can often mean the difference between catching fish and just watching fish on the electronics.  For really fussy fish, successful perch anglers often use two-pound low stretch monofilament for detecting these fish.  Spring bobbers can also be a huge advantage for sensing an often-subtle strike.  If you are getting the hits, downsize until you start to catch fish.  One of the deadliest triggers for perch without an appetite is simply holding something small perfectly still in front of the fish and waiting. This hold-still mode will only be effective however if your jig can hang perfectly still without spinning from line twist. Run your fingers down the line repeatedly to get rid of the twist. Watch your jig in the hole, if the jig is spinning, you are not going to catch many fish.

Combining the Elements

Overfed perch can be temperamental and a good way to combat this temperament is to combine the elements each presentation offers. Successful anglers often switch back and forth between two or more rods rigged with different presentations. Besides switching rods, anglers often combine the strengths of different presentations into one lure by making a dropper rig. The Dropper rigs are extremely popular in perch circles for the simple reason that they drop through the water fast, can attract fish from a distance but offer something easy and small down below for a fussy perch to eat.

Waiting Out the Bite

So often, mobility becomes a catch phrase in today’s ice fishing circles. Anglers can often cripple their success however if they focus on moving so much that they move right past finicky fish. Don’t be so quick to leave areas where fish are showing up on the electronics but refuse to bite. If these finicky fish are the right size, there are advantages to staying put and waiting out the bite. Well-fed jumbo perch often binge feed, turning on and off like a light switch. At other times, experimenting with different presentations can entice reluctant fish to bite. When facing perch that don’t ever have to work for a meal, accept the fact that the bite might indeed be light and the fish probably won’t be aggressive. Fish accordingly.

Putting It All Together

Lakes capable of growing true jumbo perch are all unique. Many of the characteristics of a lake that are essential (for nurturing bragging size perch) are often disadvantageous for the angler. The key to consistently catching big perch is to fish bodies of water that hold big perch and recognize why these fisheries grow trophy fish. When you can recognize the traits inherit to these fisheries, adapt accordingly and you are on to jumbo road.

True jumbo perch are highly regarded by ice anglers.Ice angling for perch continues to flourish and increase in popularity. Few fish are better eating or offer as much excitement. The big perch game might not always be a numbers game where the action is as fast as you might find in a fishery full of stunted five-inch fish. The trade off is well worthwhile however for anglers who really enjoy and appreciate big panfish.

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Bill Mitzel has been helping anglers catch fish for over 2 decades through his work at Dakota Country Magazine

Soon, it’ll be rotten out there. Not rancid like spoiled produce, but soft and dark nonetheless. I’m talking about the ice. It’s thick and resolute now, but it won’t last forever, actually, scarcely longer than a few weeks, less in some areas. Fortunately, though, ice fishing’s swan song is a cheery tune; one fraught with foraging fish and wonderful weather. And lead vocals are belted out by my favorites, jumbo perch.

Now I really hate being a killjoy, especially in an upbeat discussion about perching, but it’s necessary to first underscore ice safety. Folks do some pretty stupid stuff at winter’s end. They drive through open water along the shore to reach the ice, only to find the watery rift too wide to cross at day’s end. They’re stranded. Others wheel and deal across decomposing ice, paying little or no heed to significant and enlarging fissures, ones spacious enough to capture a tire, too, maybe the whole enchilada. When March rolls around, I park the rig at the landing and walk, ice permitting, perhaps four-wheel or sled.

Basically, I treat last ice like first ice, but with an understanding that aged ice can’t be “read” like a fresh coat. Rather than developing, late ice is deteriorating, decaying on the inside as it absorbs surface melt. Visibly speaking, the blacker it appears the weaker it is, too. As reassurance, I wear a life jacket, carry hand picks, and fish with a partner, despite the fact that I trust my ability to decipher ice conditions. Ramifications are too grave to rely on speculation alone.

Enough preaching, though; let’s move onto the where’s, how’s, and what’s.

Basically, the month of March can be cleaved into two parts: Early March and Late March. During Early March — the first week or two — perch remain engaged in midwinter patterns. They’re not exceedingly aggressive, either, preferring smaller baits and subtler jigging motions. They reside on offshore humps with sharp breaks, as well as deep flats. But all that’s about to change.

About the time you tire of fishing deep and offshore, the perch wear out their welcome, too. So they move up. At first, this push shoreward predicates on a change in dinner plans. Shoreline zones begin to bustle with aquatic life, chiefly baitfish and insects. Later, as the ice recedes, perch stay in tight, but their concentration then divides between eating and mating. Perch set their sights on specific areas during the migration, too.

Cattail-lined shorelines and deeper sloughs are a couple of the chosen areas. Banks of emergent cattails mark the whereabouts of soft substrates that are home to edibles. It’s usual for anglers to ignore said areas, too, because muck is seldom linked to perch. But during late ice, perch will wallow in the mud if they’re well fed. Stands of bulrushes have similar powers; they too teem with foodstuffs. Typically, though, rushes sprout over sand and gravel areas, which are preferred by perch anyway.

Deeper rushes are superior too, so search for stems stabbing skyward in 4 to 6 feet of water.

While discussing vegetation, one can’t neglect cabbage beds, either. Even fields of withered cabbage attract perch. Aquatic insects still writhe in mats of browned salad. Deeper beds — 10 to 18 feet — tend to harbor more perch as well. Humps, bars, and points that adjoin spawning areas also hold fish. Generally, I look for such structures in depths of 6 to 20 feet that feature level feeding areas on top and distinct breaks along their flanks.

A change in behavior accompanies this passage to shoreline tracts, too. Perch become cranky, aggressive, and take these frustrations out on the forage base. They not only consume in volumes, but choose bigger targets as well. Jigging a spoon is an “in your face” approach. The lure falls fast, reaching the strike zone right now. In a hot hole, you’ll actually see — via a Vexilar — red missiles rising off the bottom to intercept the lure. But if nothing attacks on the initial drop, I let the spoon smack the bottom, then raise it a foot, and commence jigging with steady 6-inch motions. In these times where something’s going somewhere though, I won’t burn more than a couple minutes in a cool hole.

Oppositely, if the action’s blistering, I rig a secondary setline for bruisers-only. Suspended by a float, this supporting apparatus features a jig or plain hook and a walleye-sized fathead or rainbow chub. It’s not unusual for the chunkiest perch of the day to come on the setline, either.

Late mornings still yield the best bite. That’s a universal certainty, no matter the season or region. And during March, warming sunshine seems to really rouse spirits. It’s tough to think about work on a balmy and sunlit March day. During late ice, schools of perch can be quite voluminous too. So even if you tap into a swarm of puny fish, don’t fret, because legitimate jumbos might be only 40 or 50 paces away.

And put a governor on that bucket, because there’s no shame in releasing jumbo perch.

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Dave Genz with a giant winter walleye

Many ice anglers of today understand that winter’s fish live in water at its clearest. In such conditions, fish tend to locate and choose prey based on visual evidence. That might sound like mumbo-jumbo, but it means that what your bait looks like is more important under the ice than at any other time of year.

It also helps explain why plastics are coming on so strong in ice fishing.

Dave Genz, as he always does, has spent countless hours looking at plastics on his kitchen table, fishing with them under a wide variety of conditions, and watching what other people are doing with them. Known forever as a live bait believer, and known to his fishing friends as both practical and creative, it has been interesting to ask Genz his opinion on plastics and watch it evolve over the years.

Even when Dave holds a strong opinion, he is ever the mad scientist, constantly challenging his current beliefs against what else there might be. That’s why he has experimented with plastics for years, doing his own tests to see how artificial teasers stack up against maggots and minnow heads, waxies and wigglers.

As we sit here right now, Dave Genz has decided where plastics fit in his personal fishing approach. These beliefs will be treated like everything else: as temporary findings until constant experimentation refines them. But, at least until it changes (and we’ll report changes as they come), Dave’s approach to plastics can help you, too.

Plastics in the Genz System

All other things being equal, Genz believes that plastics are at their best in clear, shallow water under daylight conditions. In other words, any time fish can see what they’re looking at easily, plastics can shine.

Even under ideal conditions, it’s extremely important to experiment with different styles of plastic, and colors– and most important of all is how you rig plastics and then present them.

“Just because we say that plastics work,” says Dave, “doesn’t mean they’re no brainers. You still have to put them on right, and make fish believe they’re real, and get fish to sample that bait by sucking it in.”

Plastics are very effective on panfish species

Plastics are becoming increasingly popular in ice fishing, for good reason. In this article, Dave Genz describes his personal take on where plastics fit in his fishing. Here we see a jumbo perch taken on a Genz Bug and plastic, one of Dave’s favorite combinations. The plastic is a Mini-Spade in the Munchies series by Lindy. When Genz wants a glowing plastic, he chooses one of the Techni-Glo tails.

Genz describes how much care he takes to slide plastic tails on straight when they are intended to trail off the end of an ice jig, for example. Crooked tails produce spinning baits, especially when you stop pounding or swimming a bait (to see whether that might trigger a fish that’s nosing up to it). “Spinning is not a good thing,” says Dave. “When you (stop or slow down the jigging motion), the bait should not spin around in circles.”

As mentioned, how you present plastics is often the difference, especially when fish are not aggressive. In most clear, shallow, daylight situations, most fish react best to ‘horizontal’ presentations. First step is choosing a jig style designed to be fished horizontally, such as the Genz Bug, Fat Boy, Genz Worm or Flyer. Assuming you have the plastic rigged properly, and your knot snugged so that it helps the bait maintain a horizontal attitude, you then experiment with different ‘speeds’ to see what the fish want.

“Sometimes, they want it vibrating rapidly,” says Genz, “and sometimes they want it swimming smoothly. You have to try different things and watch how fish react to them.”

In clear water under daylight conditions, Genz typically chooses non-glowing plastics, such as Munchies. “The Munchies are scented, too,” he says, “which seems to make a difference. For daytime fishing (where fish can see the bait well), I like the vibrant colors. They tend to be brighter than glowing colors. The reds and purples and whites seem to be the colors that I’ve had the most success with.”

In deeper water– and at any depth during low light conditions or after dark– live bait often outproduces plastics.

“When they can’t see as well,” says Genz, “I still believe that flavor is an important factor. Live bait is still the best, for me, in deep water. That’s also where a heavy pounding presentation is usually the best way to get fish to come in and inspect your bait. Then, the live bait seals the deal. But only if you keep fresh bait on there, so it has those juices coming out, enough scent to trigger the bite.”

This is the point where Dave goes into detail, for the millionth time, about how it’s not a contest to see how many fish you can catch “on the same worm,” and after your waxie or maggot becomes an empty skin it’s long past time to put a new one on.

Plastics have a place in deeper water, and under low light conditions. In those situations, Genz has proven to his satisfaction that glowing colors are a distinct advantage. This might seem obvious, but nothing in fishing is obvious until you prove it to yourself, which breeds confidence.

“In those situations,” says Genz, “the Techni-Glo colors are important. Even during the daytime, when you’re fishing in deeper water, you can have good success with glowing plastics, but you have to keep them charged up. If the sun is shining, hold the plastic up to the sun and it will charge the glow. But if it’s not sunny, use a Tazer (an inexpensive ‘flashlight’ made for the purpose).

Note: Dave Genz, known as Mr. Ice Fishing, was the primary driver of the modern ice fishing revolution. For more, including details on his new instructional DVD on bluegill fishing, go to www.davegenz.com.

Article provided by the Ice Team.

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