Page 18 - ODUNovAndDec2018

The most important

piece of equipment in
any ice fishing, and
especially for bass, is the
flasher. My Vexilar FX28
is fantastic for this use.
The adjustable angle of
the ProDucer, separation
and colored bars are a

huge plus. When a lot of
red is seen, even with
the fish on the outer
edge of the transducer
angle, it is most likely a
bass, if you are not

fishing in water with
walleye and northern. It
can also be a large
crappie, but 80 percent
of the time it is a bass.

As for the technique used on the aforementioned jigs, it is the same for all three. I’ll drop the lure to
the depth where I see fish on the Vexilar, rip it upward a foot or two, and then let it fall back down.

There are also times when the Slender Spoon and Striper Special will be dropped all the way to the
bottom and bounced. This will stir up bottom dust, and get the fish looking.

Some strikes will be a hard hit as the lure is jerked upward, especially with the RPM where it rotates like
a crankbait, but most on the spoons come as the lure is falling. This is why it is important to keep a
close watch on the line and rod tip. There is also a feel to the pick up if the line is kept tighter as the
lure falls. The feeling is as if the weight is gone, so set the hook.

As I said before, don’t be
surprised if a big crappie,
or even a large bluegill is
caught while pursuing
the bass. It is not
unheard of for a nice
catfish to jump on the

offering, but that is
another article.

Until next time, get out
on the water, and enjoy
a great day of fishing.