Practical Suggestions for Ice Fishing Walleye Jigs

Have you ever been ice fishing? If not, then you should give it a try. You will find that it can be an amazing experience that you will never forget. This is why it is becoming one of the most popular forms of fishing today and this trend is expected to continue to grow. Ice fishing can be very exciting and a great way to catch a lot of walleyes.

First of all, you can expect the walleyes to be found in the warmest part of the water they can find, which is usually near the structures under the water. Many times you may find yourself suspended over water up to fifty feet deep searching for walleyes. Using a fish finder can help you locate areas where the fish are gathered but your fishing skills are what will allow you to actually catch them.

You need to search for the walleyes around the main channels of the lake and usually they can be found between twenty and thirty feet deep. Sometimes they will move around searching for food near the ledges and inlets. The best feeding time is late evening or early morning and they really go for the minnows during this time. Keep in mind that they may not feed in the same area for long periods of time so you need to get as much ice fishing in as you can when you find a good spot.

Best Jigs for Catching Walleye When Ice Fishing

Using jigs are the best and most popular way to catch walleye when ice fishing. Using light line is recommended and you can tie directly to the line or use a snap swivel. However, tying to the line is the most popular choice for most anglers. You just have to look for wear and tear on the line where the knot is located after catching a couple fish and retie it whenever it becomes necessary.

The most popular jig weights are 1/32 to 1/8 ounces. You do need to consider the color of the jig as well as the weight. Normally the best colors to use are white, yellow, olive, chartreuse and black. The jigs that are designed to produce action from marabou or plastic tails are great for ice fishing. These should be about medium length to attract the attention of the walleye.

If you are not familiar with jigging here is a basic idea of how it works. Start out by allowing the jig to go all the way to the bottom. Then you will reel it up between six to twelve inches. Next, you need to let it sit still for a bit. Every so often you need to bounce the rod tip occasionally. You can also lift the tip of the rod about a foot every few seconds and allow the jig to slowly filter back down. The only problem with this method is that it will be hard to feel a bite if you get one so you need to pay close attention.

The average equipment that you should carry with you include slip bobber rig, split shot, an action rod and an open faced spinning reel. Bring extra line just in case. Some newer lures that seem to work very well are shrimp, house fly, jigging wooley and the jigging fly. Cleaning your reel in advance and replacing the regular oil with thin oil will make the fishing reel work better in the cold.

Don't forget to have a method for drilling the holes. Having a power ice auger is highly recommended. After all, the more holes you drill the more success you can have. This is because after fishing a hole for a little while if you are not having any success, then you need to move on to another one. If you want to save yourself even more time and effort, then you can always use fish graphs to help you locate where the fish are much faster.