First ice can make for some exciting walleye angling but there’s usually more to it than meets the eye. Getting on the ice as soon as you safely can is only part of the equation as it’s the rest of the story that can make or break your first trip on hard water.
Achieving early success requires a number of factors coming together at the right time and fortunately much of it is controllable and in your hands. For starters; it’s up to you to pick a lake that has the most potential for giving up the goods and there are some clues that might help you head out in the right direction. For one thing; you can look for trends as walleyes don’t suddenly turn on at freeze up and some of that information might be as close as a high speed internet connection. Websites that host fishing forums often include specific lakes and you can get a good idea of how well the summer and fall fishing went. Tough summer and fall angling generally carries right through the winter and may indicate an imbalance in the level of available prey. To give you an example; one of my favorite lakes in northern Minnesota was phenomenal for over twenty years but a combination of over harvest and a huge perch explosion has had things out of whack for the last five. Fortunately things are starting to improve and the fish are back big time. The DNR test nets prove it out but it’s taken forever for the baitfish to get back in check, where anglers at least have a chance. That’s an extreme example but it demonstrates why some lakes heat up and some cool down and why it can pay to be flexible. What was hot last year might not be now, and vice versa.
Next on the list is the rest of the “where” specifically. That includes the basics like shallow water rocks or weeds, or simple shoreline breaks. Rocky reefs and bars where they exist can be the hot ticket in cold water and may be your best bet for finding active first ice walleyes. When they heat up is the key, with water clarity being a deciding factor. A good rule of thumb includes a better daytime opportunity in darker water and more limited periods of activity in clear that is more likely to occur early and late in the day. Weed beds are another great early season option and like shallow rocks are typically better as the sun is just coming up and is going down. An after dark bite is another option, especially in super clear water and it might be good idea to be prepared to stay late.
Shoreline breaks are another potential hot spot and includes quick breaks near main lake points, or fast drop offs near shallow water bays, or shallow flats etc. Bays and flats hold lots of bait all summer long which will typically moves out and down at ice up. It’s the breaks near all of that forage where walleyes can set up and cash in as schools of bait make there move.
The thing about “the where” is you can’t always get to the good stuff safely and you may have to resort to plan B or even C. In that case forget about what you can’t have and concentrate on what you have at hand, right now.
After deciding “the where” you can develop a plan of attack which should include a jigging bait and a set bait. Jigging spoons like Northland Tackle’s BuckShot tipped with a half a minnow can rock a walleyes world and is perfect for drawing in and nailing early ‘eyes. It’s also a good time to get aggressive with the spoon which can really turn the fish on. Of course if fish are coming in are resisting try toning it down a bit, even hold it dead still. My eyes are always glued to the depth finder while I’m jigging and my Humminbird Ice 55 shows everything , including fish moving in and out tight to the bottom. With the ‘Bird I can see what’s coming in and how it reacts to my bait, and even get a good idea of how big a fish I’m dealing with. A big fish is produces a thick red mark and it gets plenty exciting when they show up.
Some of the largest walleyes I’ve caught through the ice have taken a jigging bait while it was sitting perfectly still. A set bait like a little jig head lightly hooked through a small shiner minnow sitting in a rod holder can really payoff when fish come and in look but won’t open their mouths. It can also help you double your fun and maybe double your catch. Walleyes tend to run in packs and so many times I’ve popped an ‘eye on a spoon only to have the set rig double over with another big fish. Floats are another option but a straight jig fishes a lot quicker and has been just as effective for me. My new Eskimo Escape 350 has super handy built in rod holders that drop into a unique carrier system that allow for perfect set rig positioning and allows for a quick free lift producing solid hook strikes.
If you’re serious about catching walleyes first ice is the real deal and a great way to get the season started.
See you on the ice.
Ron AnlaufBy: Ron Anlauf
