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If you're a river fisherman, chances are you've got some blade baits in your tackle box. You probably don't use them very much...which is a big mistake, because when the water cools down to near freezing it's a time when the vibration of blade baits creates a motion that walleye,sauger and white bass can't resist! What is a blade bait? A blade bait is a metal crank bait that features two sets of treble hooks, one on each end. It relies on vibration and sound to get the fish to react on a reaction strike. A blade bait consists of a flat metal spoon with a weighted nose. The blade bait …

Tungsten jigs are the NEW Hottest Baits Below the Ice! But, they won’t improve your fish catching unless you know how, when and where to use them. Plus, don't put them away when ice fishing season is done. Tungsten jigs are a great addition to your jig box all year long!The need for speed One time Poppee and I were fishing bluegill in twenty feet of water over a weed edge. We were sitting next to each other in the same tent with three holes drilled in front of us. The center hole held the flasher and we could see both of our presentations on the flasher at the same time. Poppee was using …

What if you absolutely had to catch your daily bag limit of fish every time you hit the ice? What jig would you use? What fishing techniques would you apply? Well, here are three pros employing their favorite techniques to catch more fish! Kevin Fassbind and Nick Smyers Kevin Fassbind is one of the top anglers on the NAIFC tournament trail. Along with his partner Nick Smyers, they have won or placed in the top 5 in just about every event they have entered in the past dozen years. Kevin's approach is simple and straightforward when he is after bluegill. He studies a map, drills …

I was headed to Fulton County in Illinois to fish the Herman Brothers strip pit lakes and I was chasing after my favorite fish through the ice...the bluegill. But not just any bluegill, these were stocked hybrids..these were trophies and like fishing for any trophy, it was a catch, photo, and release deal. In this part of the state, you get one month of fishable ice, then it's over. The water was shallow, under 8 ft. and clear, you could see the bottom or watch the action on the underwater camera. The presentation needed to be precise. Small jigs, light line, no noise and being able t …

A lot of fishermen will identify themselves by the species of fish they target, this is especially true in the open water season. There are bass fishermen, walleye fishermen, crappie fishermen muskie fishermen, and even cat fishermen! While ice fishermen usually aren't as species-specific, we do tend to get pigeonholed into fishing a specific species until the bite wears out and then we're lost. By becoming a better multi-species ice angler you can avoid the "dead bite" and the doldrums of winter! The benefits of multi-species fishing I've had many a trip where the walleye bite …