One of the best aspects of ice fishing is that you really need very few supplies and they are relatively inexpensive. Some of the must have ice fishing equipment is discussed below, however it is important to remember that ice fishing equipment should be of a reasonable quality, definitely avoid the cheaper, flimsier equipment as it will usually only last one season and will need constant replacement. It is usually much more economical to buy the slightly higher priced equipment that will see you through a couple of years fishing. • Rods – ice fishing equipment lists should start with a good quality rod or tip-up. Rods for ice fishing are very short and typically very sturdy to accommodate for the tension and weight of the fish. The tip-up is a rod or reel attached to a cap or board that sits across or above the ice hole, with a flag or marker attached to the rod or spring where the line lids through. When a fish strikes the flag moves, allowing the angler to work the line and hook the fish. Typically anglers with more than one line in the water will use tip-ups to locate where fish are biting, then move to single line fishing. • Lines – the monofilament lines used in spinners and fly fishing will not work well with the ice fishing equipment. A braided line that has a test weight of 10 to 20 pounds will be much better suited to the cold and icy conditions found when ice fishing. • Lures and Bait– lures can be of almost any variety, but shiny and colorful plastic minnows, live bait, plastic worms and ice jigs being some of the best to have in your tackle box. • Ice Auger – a gas powered ice auger can save a lot of time chipping a hole through the ice. Since a safe depth of ice for fishing is at least four inches, an auger can be a time and energy saving piece of ice fishing equipment. • Shelter – there are many different types of canvas, plastic or even insulated “igloo” type shelters that can be pulled onto the lake or can be set up when you get there. Even a simple three-sided frame with a piece of tarp to break the wind can be effective. • Skimmer – a slotted spoon or flat slotted paddle type device to keep removing the ice crystals from the fishing hole. Many people now use “caps” which provide a thermal layer to prevent the hole from freezing over. • First Aid Kit – cold fingers often result in cuts on hooks so a good, well stocked first aid kit is important. Last, but not at all least it is important to have identification and a current fishing license in your ice fishing equipment. Additional supplies such as heaters, chairs, blankets and even a camping stove are great additions to your ice fishing equipment and gear.
Perch Fishing Tips Through Ice Ice fishing is a great experience for anyone and everyone. Fishing for perch, which are bottom fish can take a great spot and some good angling skills to have a good day. Preferred baits for perch fishing are cut up minnows. The heads and tails of minnows make great baits and will drive perch crazy to bite. Drop your bait deep as perch are deep bottom dwellers and hang out at the bottom where they catch small baits and feed. Presenting your bait in this territory has a high success rate for fisherman. With todayÂ’s electronics many perch fisherman are able to check local hot spots for fish activity. By using sonar, fisherman can see if the perch are in the area before deciding to fish. Once the fish are deemed to be in the area, give it some time as they are usually finicky eaters and take some cohering to eat. However if you catch them at the right time, they can get into frenzies and take up your free meal right away.
It is always a bit of a challenge to decide, which is the best ice fishing lure to use in the various lakes. While there is no hard and fast science to lure selection there are some basic factors that anglers can keep in mind when deciding what type of ice fishing lure is likely to attract the most fish. The key in most cases is to have a good selection of the basic lures including spoons, hard bodies, plastic worms and bugs, and bait-type lures to allow you to be able to switch around. Jigs will be a key type of ice fishing lure no matter where you fish, but they may not be a great idea if the bottom is full of a lot of debris and vegetation. Most seasoned ice fishermen and women will indicate that minnows and live bait is typically the best type of bait to use for the larger species such as pike and bass. If live minnows are too tough to work with in cold temperatures frozen minnows, worms or even bloodworms from bait stores can be very effective as an addition to a lure or as stand alone bait. Most ice fishing is based on getting the fish in a mood to feed. In the colder, winter weather the fish move to the deeper parts of the lake to stay in the warmer waters. They move slower and have a greatly reduced metabolism which leads to a decrease in the amount that they will actually need to consume. Therefore ice anglers have to be concerned about making their lure look very attractive to the fish, as they will pass on lures and bait that donÂ’t look good. Bright, shiny colors with reflection are often an excellent ice fishing lure quality, regardless if it is a spoon or hard-body. Many anglers prefer the brightly colored or even "glow in the dark" options of plastic worms, jigs and hard bodies lures to attract fish in the darker, clear waters. Fishing in deep weedbeds and where there is a lot of debris requires a special ice fishing lure as well as a special jigging method. Basically a bright colored jig can be dropped into the center of the weedbed. Since hooks will naturally snag on vegetation try using plastic worms or larva on the hooks, and basically stop any jigging or up and down motion to avoid hanging up in the reeds, weeds and submerged logs and debris. The natural movement of the water will cause the jig, which should be floated at least three to six inches off the bottom, to mimic the movement of a minnow or bait fish in the water. Slowly falling spoons and tails do not work as well as an option for an ice fishing lure in weedy conditions as they may snag on the upper edges of the weeds, much higher in the water than the fish are feeding. Eliseo is an avid fishing guy Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eliseo_Lao
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