.... for ice fishing to start.
Over last weekend I had the occasion to drive around and check out some different areas where ice fishing usually takes off each winter and, sure enough, there was ice and a few brave souls walking on it in a couple locations. Too early for this old boy to be out there on thin ice, but then I don't ice fish anymore.
If you're getting ready to hit the ice, what are you going to take, tackle-wise? What jigs are you going use and plastics.... which of the multitude out there are you going hang on those jigs?
Its early but the best bite is likely right about now if you're standing on ice. Lets hear some reports.
Shown here are some really hot little vibe baits that have been putting the hurt on crappies here in open water but in areas where the crappies are first ice feeders, so they'd be likely contenders as far as first ice baits. At the top is a EuroTackle's Z-Viber at 1/16 ounce. To the right is a Scheels branded Big Eye Vibe bait at 1/16 ounce. At the bottom is a Kendar's K-Rip at 1/16 ounce and on the left is a #3 Rapala's UltraLite Rippin Rap at 1/16 ounce. All of these have been grabbing major attention from some seriously nice crappies while jigging open water but will carry right into the early ice season. It would be a tough decision to make as to which of these is the best bait so I won't even go there . They all have been great. All of these are being jigged using a conventional 6 foot rod with 6 pond Clam Frost ice braid in the smoke color. They're tied directly to the line, no snap.
These will be heading to the Mississippi in the morning and will be jigged around dock pilings in a marina, where they did a good job on fish the last time we fished there. We've been chilly here for a couple days/nights so we may have to knock some holes in ice to fish but that just comes with the time of year. Regardless, at least one rod will have one of these tied on and will be fished to start since we'll be there in the dark and fishing has been best then. Fished side by side with jigs and plastics to 2" they've been an even match. So, if you are headed out and need another something to tease fish with, these would make a good place to start. They do catch fish and thus far that Scheels branded Big Eye has taken the largest crappie of the fall, but they all catch fish.
