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hole and land the fish. Not only can no other method or set-up match the sensitivity of this system, but

it gives anglers the ability to spread out lines as they would tip-ups yet be able to fight the fish with a
rod instead of pulling it up hand over hand.

While you can also jig, it is important to remain
mobile. It is imperative to spread lines from the

base of the drop-off and into the basin to get
bites. We like to give our Hot Boxes about 45
minutes in one location before moving. We
move more while jigging, as we rely on our
Lowrance Ti2 to mark fish to be sure we’re on
them.

When it comes to bait; suckers, shiners or larger
fatheads work well with the Hot Boxes. Set the
depth of the bait anywhere from 6-inches to 3-
feet off bottom, depending on the water clarity.
If the fish will come up for the bait, you’ll get
more aggressive bites and catch more fish, so
always experiment with your set-ups until the

fish tell you what they want. Jig set-ups can be
spoons, Moonshine Shiver Minnows and plain
jigs with minnows. We use many of the Clam, Moonshine and Sidewinder spoons (pictured), and most
of the time we have a minnow head on the spoon too.

While it may be hard to avoid the itch to get out on the ice, we can’t stress enough the importance of

waiting until the ice is safe enough to do so! Always take along and wear a float suit such as the
IceArmor by Clam Rise and Ascent suits. It is also important to wear ice picks this time of year so if you
do break through you have the means to crawl out.

Be sure you are constantly using a spud to check the depth of the ice as you make your way out. If it

becomes unsafe turn around and come back another day. If there is enough ice to take a four-wheeler
or sled out, be sure to pack a Nebulus Emergency Floatation Device. This product could save your life if
you break through the ice on your machine.

While early ice is very productive and a great way to get your Next Bite, it can also be treacherous. So,
have fun, but always remember to be careful!