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Chuck Thompson (AKA the Legend) once told me that he employs 16 different jigging motions until he finds the hot one for the exact time on the lake he is ice fishing, but at any given moment, that could change. So if you are using jigging motion #4, you better be ready to switch to motion #9 or you will miss the bite window. Unfortunately, I couldn't even remember jigging motion #1. Sigh..the challenges of jig fishing! Jig fishing way back when Back when Chuck was in his prime, there were no tungsten jigs available, he relied on lead jigs and copper spoons. He believed that jigging …

Sorry folks, I can't come up with one single "best ice fishing jig ever". But how about a jig that has stood the test of time for more than 40 years, having caught millions of fish during this time! This is one of THE best ice fishing jigs ever for walleye, crappie, perch, rainbow trout and bluegill! The Demon is one of the most effective, versatile ice fishing jigs ever created. It has a unique design, a dash and dart motion on the lift and a flutter-flash on the fall. The Demon is available in five sizes from 1/100 oz. to 1/14 oz. which covers all species of fish. Th …

Oh panfish. I love panfish. They are fun to catch and good to eat. If you’re new to fishing, you may wonder what is a panfish? It isn’t a specific species. It’s a term that refers to many different species of fish that are small enough to fit in a frying pan but large enough to be legal and fun to catch. Perch, bass, crappie, are all panfish and we talk a lot about how to catch them. Once upon a time the Fox Chain in Northern Illinois was a yellow bass factory. Everyone complained that those pesky yellow bass were infiltrating on their bluegill and crappie fishing, but not me and Popp …

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 …