Ice fishing-For Beginners
By: Ron Shannon
Have you ever tried fishing in the winter months? This is the
time everyone gets out on the lake. Even if you don’t own a boat
you can fish those places you always wanted to.
Here are a few tips on ice fishing. First of all, you don’t need
a lot of fancy equipment. A set of five tipups and a hand auger
are all you need to get started.
A set of basic tipups with line will cost around seventy-five to
a hundred bucks. Tipups are a simple affair where you set the
cross sticks on the ice with your spool below the water line.
Unless there is a lot of snow on the ice this should not be a problem
as the water will even out to the top of your hole. I know you’re
saying, how do you keep the line from freezing? This is
accomplished through the use of braided line, sometimes called
squid line. Theses lines are usually 18-25 pound test. Fill your
spools to within 1/4 inch of the rim, for that big one that wants
to run. After you have done this it’s time to add a leader. I
normally use 8-14 pound test monofillament. If you are on a lake
with a lot of large fish go with heavier leaders. I use a swivel between
my squid line and leader. This gives the bait a chance to move
around without twisting the line. It also makes it easier to
change hooks, just buy the pretied leaders and hook them on your
swivel and you’re ready to go fishing.
Finding Bait
Don’t know what the fish are biting on? A stop at your local bait
shop will get you some pretty good tips on what is working. It’s
a good idea to pickup a couple different types of baitfish. You
never know what they are biting on today. Pick up a dozen of two
different types to get started. When hooking the bait on the
hook I like to hook them just behind the dorsal fin. Most fish will
take the bait from the rear, so you want the hook where it
will do the most good.
On The Lake
Now you’re on the lake with your traps in hand and you need to
get to the fish. This is where your auger comes in. Whether you
opt for a hand auger or a power auger, you need
to find a place to fish. A good place to start is around points,
as fish use these spots to find bait fish year round. If you know
of a deep hole within walking distance, head out
there without further delay. Fish will hang on the edges of the
hole looking for baitfish all year. Get that auger powered up and
let’s drill some holes. Drill a couple to start with and
after you get a couple of traps set up drill the other three. Be
sure to check your states law book as some places restrict the
number of traps. If you don’t get any flags after a while, don’t
be afraid to move.
That’s just about it for getting started. Make sure you are
dressed for the weather to make your day more enjoyable. Don’t
forget the kids, they make good runners when the bait bucket is
out by the last trap in line.
Stay warm and good fishing.
Written by Ron Shannon;
Outdoors With Ron at
www.outdoorswithron.com
The author lives in central Maine and spends much of his time in
the outdoors.
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See Also:
Index of All Hunting & Fishing Articles
Index of All Sports Articles
