The ONE Ice Fishing COMBO Everyone Needs

 

Bluegills are known for light bites

Ice angling has changed so much in the past ten years, it is hard to believe at times.  One of the biggest advancements is electronics.  Vexilar keeps making their flashers better and better with each new release.  Their newest, the FLX-38 is a huge step above any other unit they have ever produced.  Forward Facing sonar (FFS) has completely changed the game on top of the ice.  These units can tell you exactly where the fish are...and more importantly where the fish "aren't".  However, one thing in the industry hasn't changed over the few decades which often causes anglers to miss out on opportunities while ice fishing.  I am referring to the rods/reels that we use.   

There are a lot of different rods out there to choose from.  Dozens and dozens of companies have a multitude of rod lengths, actions and handle preferences.  The "noodle rod" was all the buzz a few years ago and is still probably the most used rod on the market.  Again, every company has many offerings of this style of rod, however this is not the ONE ROD that everyone needs to have when ice fishing.  The one rod that I am referring to is a spring bobber rod.  This rod has a spring bobber designed into or along side of the rod blank.  There are far fewer companies that include a spring bobber option, the best I have found is Clam Outdoors.  They have several choices to choose from and they sell a good product.  A spring bobber isn't always needed, I may use it 1 out of 4 days that I fish.  It is a specialty rod that is made for jigs 4mm and smaller.  They really shine when using 2mm tungsten and light lead jigs.  If you are using some 4mm and larger jigs a properly balance noodle rod will work the same.  Back to the spring bobber...a spring bobber will help you see the lightest bites.  This has already helped me once in this young ice fishing season.  When anglers in the same area were reporting catching 5-15 fish, I ended the day catching dozens of fish...all because of the spring bobber.  The bluegills were hitting the jig so gently that other rods would not show the bite, thus the fish ended up just taking my bait.  As soon as I made the switch to a spring bobber, I immediately started catching fish at a higher rate.  It was like someone flipped a switch.  Again, it isn't like this every day on the ice, but when the bite gets soft, there is no better choice than a spring bobber.

The spring bobber is an extension of the rod to help you see the lightest of bites.

I hope this bit of information will help you get more fish on the ice this winter, as always, be safe out there.

Ice Season 2025/26 is HERE!

 

A limit of BLUEGILLS to start the season

The season rolled in quickly this year catching many anglers off guard.  Last weekend marked he first "safe ice" in Iowa for anglers to enjoy.  "Safe ice" of course is a relative terms and one not to take lightly.  Same lakes in Iowa are still wide open with water, while others have 8 or more inches on them in areas.  SAFETY is the most important thing to keep on your mind this time of year with the varying ice conditions.  I get asked all the time, "How do you know the ice is safe?"  I always say, "There is only one way to find out for sure, go test it."  Accessing lakes with a safety strategy and the proper safety tools is a must this time of year.  These include: a spud bar, rope, flotation cushion, and a Friend.  A spud bar will help you gage the ice as you hit it on the ice for every step.  This allows you a test that shows how hard/thick the ice is before you walk on it.  It is a must this time of year for exploring new ice.  The most important tool...is to take a friend.  Fishing alone this time of year, or fishing without a rope or flotation device is simply a STUPID thing to do.  Check the ice often...and you will fish another day.

The 2025/26 season started off on the Mississippi River for me.  I headed to a local community hole, Bussey Lake on Friday, December 5th.  There were many anglers out with reports of "catching" by the local bait shop.  The ice was solid in the area, ranging from 5-6 inches.  I started to pick up a few bluegills right away in about five feet of water.  I was not seeing very many fish coming through the area on the Vexilar FLX38, so I decided to hop around a bit to see what else was out there.  I quickly some water that was a bit shallower and had some nice weeds present.  Fish, especially bluegills love weeds.  I immediately started catching gills once I was in the weedline.  The fish were coming through at a regular rate looking for their next meal.  Not only do weeds hold a lot of small creatures for these river bluegills to eat, the weeds also provide great cover for the bluegills from predators like largemouth bass and northern pike that swim in the area too.  For the next 5 hours or so I sat on two holes of the Mississippi River backwater and caught gill after gill.  The weedline was one of the keys for locating fish today.  It allowed me to keep my limit of 25 fish, enough for a couple of meals for my parents and a meal for my family.  I also caught a half-dozen largemouth bass and a crappie on the day too.  It was a great way to start the ice season!