Page 25 - ODUNovAndDec2018

Tackling Tough Times
Tackling Tough Times

By Tom Gruenwald

Over the past several winters,
I’ve spent some time deliberately
fishing highly pressured waters
and acutely “educated” fish,
often during arduous conditions,
attempting to get a bead on

tactics that would consistently
perform.

Here are a few things I learned.

LINE

Carefully choosing what connects
our above water world to the

presentation below was
unquestionably the most critical
factor.

Thin, sensitive, low-stretch lines
that hang straight are necessary
to maximize contact with the lure

and ensure the most diminutive,
nit-picky pokes from light-biting
fish are transmitted in noticeable
fashion--and even when using the
finest compositions, requires the
recognition of a keenly trained
eye.

Although many ice anglers turn to low-visibility lines to reduce spooking under tough conditions--
especially in clear water--high-visibility colors actually perform better for detecting subtle takes. I
resolved this issue by combining premium, high-visibility backing with a relatively long, low visibility
leader connected via a small, lightweight swivel.

LURE SELECTION

The next challenge was determining the best receptors on each end of that line.