Page 32 - ODUNovAndDec2018

experienced of anglers is “Where do I

start?”

First, let’s think back to the fall patterns.
When the fall feed bags were on and the
water temps were dropping the fish
were stacked up in the shallows. 7 to 12
feet of water we were pulling cranks and
drifting bobbers. Start where you left off.

More times than not the fish haven’t
moved out of their fall haunts. They are
still staged on break lines, rock piles, and
shallow reefs feeding on the minnows
and smaller fish that haven’t left. Until
the temps really drop and the ice

thickens to the point of driving on the
majority of these fish will remain shallow
and hungry!

Start with selecting a piece of structure
or section of break and begin punching
holes every 20 feet or so. This goes much
faster with a friend to help drill holes.

Next take your sonar and check the holes
and look for bait fish clouds and/or the
infamous red arcs we so desperately love
seeing. You may bring a rod with that has
a search bait on the end and drop it
down and rip it a few times to see in
there is anything lurking nearby. Once

you locate the fish it is only a matter of
process of elimination to find out what
they want. I typically start with a search
bait like a Rippin Rap from Rapala or a
Psycho Shad from Clam Pro Tackle. Next,
I will move to a loud spoon tipped with a
minnow head. I have found that noise is
key to trigger aggressive fish into biting

during early ice. My favorites are a
Northland Tackle Buck Shot in Perch
pattern and a Clam Pro Tackle Rattle
Blade Spoon in pink with gold glitter
back. You may get some lookers that do
not commit to the bite but when
the active and aggressive fish