Ice Jig Basics

Ice jigs selection by Brendan Herbert including a spider.

“Slow down!” my dad told me as he was trying to keep up with us. In just over an hour, we had caught 56 bluegills and perch. Last winter, I didn’t have a lot of time to ice fish, but I had fun when I did. This year, I’m hoping to get on the ice a lot more. When I do get out, I’m going to stick with some basic rules to help me catch some more fish.

The Weather

When the sun is shining through the ice, it is a good time to use a gold or silver ice jig. The reason being is because the light hits the jig and reflects the color all around, attracting fish into the area. Gold or Silver flashes make fish think it is a little bait fish swimming away, so it is good to use year round; ice or no ice.

Dark water

In muddy water, deep water, water with poor clarity, or even weedy water; its best to use a brightly colored Orange or Chartreuse jig. Chances are the sun isn’t hitting these areas and the fish are going to need to see something bright to catch their attention.

Clear Water

In clear water, using a lighter colored jig. White or pink colors work best. From what I observed when I was ice fishing, a white or pink jig seems more natural to a fish in clear water, so don’t be surprised if the fish bite aggressively.

Experiment

I’m looking forward to trying some new things this year. I want to try ice flies and spiders because regular  flies work good for summer fishing, so why wouldn’t they work through the ice? I also plan to try horizontal jigs, because I have heard they work really well. I am also going to experiment with the Luna Tick (pictured right), Anise bombs, and glow in the dark jigs. My dad says fish use smell a lot, so we are going to try scent killing sprays on our lures, like we do on our clothes during deer season.

Stay tuned because I will report back what I find out. To get any of the jigs I talked about, or anything else for ice fishing, visit www.anglersmart.com. Happy Fishing!

By Brendan Herbert