Ice fishing for walleye is a growing sport that more anglers are taking up every year. They’re learning that this species can be caught in the winter and it’s a great time to go fishing. There’s not a bunch of other people around scaring the fish away and since there are fewer people on the water this time of year you basically have your choice of fishing spots.

Of course, this is not to say that there are not a few drawbacks associated with ice fishing too. For one thing, it’s cold so you must be prepared for the weather. The good news is that technology has made it possible to design clothing in lightweight material that’s easy to move in that will also protect you from the cold weather. Be sure and invest in some of these outfits before heading out to the water.

Another thing to take into consideration is the fact that it’s harder to find the walleye underneath the ice but that is where using electronics come into play. Using a fish finder can help you determine where to drill your holes. This way, you don’t need to spend all of your time drilling instead of fishing. You’ll also want to invest in good quality drilling equipment to help get the job done faster and easier.

Your safety while fishing is also a big concern. It’s obviously more dangerous going ice fishing than any other time of the year due to the extreme cold temperatures that you’ll encounter and because of the danger of falling through the ice. Nevertheless, if you go prepared and take special care to be cautious, you shouldn’t run into any major problems.

Walleye Ice Fishing Tips

When you’re ready to try your hand at this amazing sport, leaning what other anglers have to say about ice fishing for walleye will give you a head start. You can use the information they provide to learn how to be more productive this time of year. For example, the three tips on how to ice fish for walleye below can be quite useful:

1. Using lightweight fishing line and tying the hook directly onto the line is one productive way to ice fish for walleye. However, you’ll need to check the line regularly to ensure it’s still in good shape and that the knot has not become loose or you could lose your catch.
2. When ice fishing, you’re going to be vertical fishing because you’ll need to drop your line in the hole that you cut out of the ice. The best bait to use when ice fishing is jigs. They’re colorful and come in a variety of sizes, shapes and styles making it easy to find something that captures the attention of the fish and draws them in your direction. Chartreuse, black, yellow and white are considered to be some of the best colors to use for ice fishing. Other baits that work well include spoons, airplane jigs, shrimp and house flies.
3. Walleyes tend to stay on the move a lot so it’s important that you move around as well. For this reason, you need to carry equipment that is lightweight and easy to transport from one location to another to make it easier on yourself.

Walleye fishing is fun and exciting anytime of the year. This is an elusive fish that will fight you all the way to shore once you get them hooked. However, when you add the challenges of ice fishing on top of the ones already existing for this species, you can see how it would be even more exhilarating for you than the traditional methods used for fishing.

More Ice Fishing Information

When ice fishing for walleye, it’s important to stay alert. It can be difficult to feel the bite and if you’re not paying attention, you may be missing some of the bites and this will greatly reduce the number of walleye that you could be hooking. Using lightweight gear can make it easier to feel when you have a bite or you can use a bobber to help detect a strike.

Before you go ice fishing for walleyes, clean and oil your gear. This will help improve the performance of the gear so you can get the most from your fishing adventure. Go over your gear and make sure you have everything you need before heading out so you don’t have to return home prematurely because you forgot something important.

Always check the thickness of the ice before venturing out over the water. Thin ice is the leading cause of accidents associated with ice fishing and it’s something that can be avoided if you use caution and follow proper procedures to avoid accidents. Ice fishing for walleyes is a unique way to enjoy your favorite sport all year long.
Be safe and enjoy this fun and unique way of fishing.