2024 Indee Bass Club Kick-Off Tournament

Gable and Jackson with the WINNING fish from the Wapsi

 This past Saturday marked the first day of tournament action for the Indee Bass Club in 2024.  The Wapsi River was the site of the event that saw seventeen anglers take to the water on a chilly morning.  The water level was normal, the water temperature was normal but the recent weather was up and down every other day.  Fish like steady conditions, which made this day on the water a bit tougher than most expected.  However, like all bass tournaments, some boat was destined to find them, and when hey did, they caught them!  

Coming in as the Wapsi Champions were Jackson Beatty and Gable Eddy.  These boys caught five keeper smallmouth bass that weighed 10.05 pounds.  Jackson also caught the big bass of the tournament which weighed 2.66 pounds.  Jackson Toale, their captain, led them to a few areas that had the bass feeding up on crankbaits and Hot Rod Baits Tubes.  The two students caught 8 keepers throughout the day, most fish coming from two small areas on the river.  Coming in second was EJ Miller and Kayden Donnelly, captained by Brian Miller.  This duo brought in four nice largemouth bass to the weigh in, they weighed 6.46 pounds.  EJ and Kayden caught their fish on spinnerbaits, Texas-rigged crawdads and 4-7foot diving Rapala crankbaits.  In third place was Ranger Reed and Cal Sweeney, captained by Todd Reed.  They used bladed jigs and spinnerbaits to catch their two keeper bass.  The two bass weighed in at 3.21 pounds.   In the fourth place spot with one keeper bass weighing 1.97 pounds was TeJay Ratchford and Evan Hoyle.  They were captained by Dan Sweeney.  A bladed jig was their best bait on the day.  Rounding out the top five was the boat captained by Dave Wilson.  Aiden Svoboda, Will Clark and Clinton Junk brought in one keeper that weighed 1.46 pounds.  Full results can be found on the Indee Bass Club website.

The club, which is FREE to all Independence students was able to give away about $800 worth of fishing gear, awards and gift cards.  All students walked away with some new fish fishing gear with the help of our sponsors; Colony Heating/Air Conditioning, BankIowa, Klever Concrete, Tim Reed State Farm, Buchanan County Wildlife Association, Shay's Minn Kota, Rick Wendling Memorial, Cy & Charley's, SCHEELS of Cedar Falls, Lew's, Strike King, The Rod Glove, Hank's Bait and Tackle of Waterloo, Hot Rod Baits and X-Zone Lures.  

The club is operated by Coach Todd Reed, Keith Donnelly and Garry Anderson, weigh-in helpers include Dan Sweeney and Randy Toale.  The students next event will be the The Bass Federation Student Angler State Tournament at the Okoboji Lakes April 27th.  If you want more information about club or want to help them with an event, check them out on Facebook, Instagram and their website.

Jeff Heinze helping with the weigh-in on the WINDY day.

How to "Take a Kid Fishing" ~ The Iowa Sportsman Magazine

The lastest Iowa Sportsman Magazine is out, and the highlighted article this month is "How to take a kid fishing".  Here's my article, also a direct link to check out the entire May 2024 issue.

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Fishing has been a huge part of my life from a very early age.  I can remember begging my dad to take me fishing on the weekends.  He worked six days a week, church on Sunday mornings, but I just knew a father of seven kids wanted to take us fishing every chance “I wanted to go”.  Looking back now, I can’t believe we went fishing at all.  However, those times out on the river, ponds and streams always seemed like fun.  As for my dad, I don’t remember him fishing much, but he didn’t seem to mind.  Those early days out enjoying nature and catching fish sparked something in me that has lasted a lifetime thus far.  I have taken this passion of fishing and passed it on to my kids, their friends, extended family members and the community.  It hasn’t always been perfect over the years with young kids trying to fish, but I have found a few things that are a must when taking kids fishing.  I hope my trials will help you have some enjoyable times with kids this year.

Location isn’t just important in real estate, it is vital when taking kids fishing.  First, you must think about an area that has plenty of catchable fish.  Most kids don’t really care about the size of the fish, it is all about seeing that bobber going under the water, or feeling that thump on the end of the line.  Take your time, do some research and pick an area where fish will be caught.  If you don’t have action every ten minutes or so, kids will get bored and lose focus, this is when the mood will turn negative and take away from the outdoor experience.  A private pond or county park lakes are a wise choice when it comes to a nice place to take kids.  Many of the county parks that dot Iowa are small, have great access from shore and typically have a lot of bluegills that are willing to bite.  Private, stocked ponds are obviously a great choice if you have permission to fish some.  Spring is typically best with small ponds, as the warm weather increases many small ponds can become full of weeds making shorelines difficult to fish from.  You will want to do your homework and check areas before loading the kids up for a fishing trip. 

When taking kids fishing it is important to KISS. (Keep It Simple Stupid)  Equipment should be the basics only, spincast, push-button reels are best for young kids, and as they get a little older spinning reels will work well too.  Live bait is great to use, most kids love to play with worms and minnows.  When getting bait, try to get small red worms, not the big nightcrawlers.  Smaller worms work so much better than nightcrawlers when fishing for bluegills.  Live bait rigs with slip bobbers are my go-to when fishing with kids.  They are simple to set up, easy to re-bait and the kids love to watch that bobber.  It is nice to have a few basic lures for the kids who want to mix it up a bit.  Small jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits all are simple to use and will give some extra joy to the kids as they cast them out and reel them in.  

Food and drink are a very important thing to consider when taking kids out.  Plenty of water, fruit, juice boxes, fruit snacks, crackers and other treats are necessary for a successful day.  Trust me, you can never have too many snacks when it comes to taking kids fishing.  First, it gives them energy and keeps their bodies going, secondly, it gives them something to do when the fish are not biting.  Bring plenty of them and a good variety, the kids will love them and hopefully give them a boost in the trip when the fish are not cooperating.

We all know that fish have their own mind and sometimes bite well and other times not so well, no matter what we do it may just be a bad day of fishing.  If this is happening, turn the day into a day of learning.  Talk and teach the kids about the different species of fish that live in the lake or pond.  Another neat topic to discuss is the ecosystem of the body of water you are fishing.  Discuss the small creatures that are food for the fish, perhaps try to catch some of those.  Crawfish, bugs, minnows and worms can take attention off of the negative fish and get their attention on other cool nature items.  Most kids will soak up any knowledge of creatures that may be close to your fishing area.  

The last thing to consider when taking kids fishing is the time factor.  Depending how things are going with your fishing activities, keep a good eye on the time.  You do not want the kids to want to go home, ideally you want them asking to stay longer.  This will set up your next trip nicely and allow you to have a positive conversation on the way home about the next adventure.  

Taking kids fishing can be very rewarding.  When the fish are active and biting things are pretty easy, however I hope you remember a few of the tricks I have discovered over the years to keep kids busy and learning about nature when the fish are not so interested.  I hope you all have the opportunity to take some youngsters out this year, remember, it is all about them and the outdoor experience.  Keep those things in mind and you and the kids will have a great day.

***NEW Fish Sandwich/Snack

 

With the first fresh crappie catch of the year I decided to try something completely different to enjoy them.  I love a good tuna sandwich, fresh lettuce, cheese and dab of mayo, YUM.  So with this idea in mind I decided to take twenty crappie fillets and give it a try.  The idea was to prepare it just like the quick tuna fish sandwich many of us have loved for years our of the can.  It turned out pretty good, totally different taste, but still very tasty.  I also tried it the next day on some RITZ crackers as a snack...I must say this tasted even better than the sandwich.  Either way, this will not be the last time I create this quick, simple, and healthy meal.

~Bake 10 crappies (20 fillets) for 10 mins at 350 degrees

~Flake the fillets to small pieces

~Add flavorings- see picture (I did add some mayo also)

~Fix as a warm crappie sandwich, or let cool for a cold sandwich or cracker topper snack.

The "Crappie Salad" mixture

April BIG BASS

 April always brings another season here in Iowa, sometimes a new season every other day!  As we all know we can't do anything about Mother Nature, but we can and should be trying to catch your biggest largemouth in the month of April.  The water tends to warm around fifty degrees in April, and when you get some consistent weather, that surface temperature can really get the bass biting, especially the big ones.  As you can see from the highlighted picture, bass can get big quickly this time of year.  A couple of key things if you are looking to catch your biggest largemouth bass this month.

1) Watch the weather: consistent weather patterns allow bass to feed up.  Warmer, sunny days will be the best times for you to to chase after your big bass.  Consistent weather is important too, it doesn't have to be really warm weather, just consistent.  Steady water temps will get these bass feeding and actively searching for food.  

2) Baits: This time of year I keep it pretty simple.  Jig and chunk, spinnerbait, and jerkbait for deeper water.  These three baits will cover shallow water, mid-depths and deeper water too.  These work on lakes as well as rivers all around the state.   This time of year you can really keep things pretty simple.

3) Speed: Thinking back to almost all my bigger bass in the month of April, it was a slow retrieve.  Whether it was a jig crawled on the bottom, slowing twitching a jerkbait or slow rolling a spinnerbait.  Keep your baits moving slowly to get those big bass in the chasing mood.

Best of luck to you the rest of the month, I hope you can catch a GIANT too!

Catching Early Crappies

 The Iowa Sportsman Magazine: April Issue

The ice is long gone, the grass is turning green, and the birds are singing, all of these are signs for anglers to get out and go fishing.  Walleyes, bass, catfish, and pike are fish that really come alive in early spring, but as we flip the calendars to April, panfish, especially crappies become the focus for many anglers.  It’s that time of year, so let’s get the gear ready and catch some!

 Crappies bite all months of the year, however crappies in the early spring are very rewarding once you find them.  Springtime crappies can be a feast or famine type of fishing, once you catch one, there are typically many closer by.  Let’s examine where to look for crappies this time of year, what gear you will need to catch them, and how to properly keep, clean and prepare some crappie.

 Crappies are located all across Iowa, from rivers, ponds, small county lakes, state parks and large reservoirs.  No matter where you live, you are not far from catching some crappies in the next few days.  The best resource you have is the DNR website to find these areas.  This site has a lot of information on it, including most every lake in the state and the fish that are living in each lake.  These lakes can be sorted by county, so you will find something close to you very quickly.  As we all know, all lakes are not created equal, especially when it comes to crappies.  Crappies can be very cyclical, meaning that they can do very well for a few years in a lake, then have some bad years in that same lake.  Spawning conditions can vary and create some very good years as well as down years.  There are many good crappie lakes in the state, especially if you are trying to get enough for a meal.  Doing a little homework online will lead you to an area and save you a lot of trial and error.  Getting a good working “network” of friends is probably the best route to go.  Once you develop some friends that you can trust with sharing information, giving, and taking information can lead to less homework, and more fish.  Who doesn't want that?

Early season crappies are probably one of the most sought-after fish this time of year.  It could be because all anglers can have success doing it.  You do not need a boat or kayak to chase these fish down, fishing from the shoreline can be just as effective.  When it comes to rods and reels, these do not need to be fancy either.  Crappie fishing requires some basic gear, but for the most part most anglers will have enough to get out there and catch a few fish.  The best combo for catching crappies is a spinning combo.  The rod should be six feet to seven feet in length and be a medium power with moderate action.  This rod will give you the flexibility to throw little baits, as well the ability to set the hook without ripping the bait out of the crappies’ mouth. Matching that rod with a spinning reel will allow you to throw light baits at the crappies at greater distances than baitcasters or spincast reels.  Spincast reels work well too, it is hard to beat a push button Zebco for a younger child.  Spinning reels should be lined with six- or eight-pound test line.  If you are going to be fishing in ultra-clear water, then a six-pound test is best.  If your lake, pond, or river has a lot of rocks, sticks or logs, then the eight-pound test line would be best.  Both lines will cast long distances and work very well with spinning or spincast reels.  Note, spring is the time for new line, trust me, it is well worth the cost.  I prefer monofilament line for casting to crappies.  Small leadhead jigs and live bait presentations are the best when fishing from shore.  Casting out different colored jigs with plastic tails or tossing out a live minnow under a slip-bobber is so fun this time of year.  If you are in a boat or kayak adding a longer rod, twelve-foot or longer as a dipping rod and or a spider rig rod.  Dipping is a technique when you are near or on top of the crappies, or a brushpile they may be hiding in.  A spider rig is just like trolling, however the bait is in front of your boat and more directly down in the water column.  All these techniques can be fantastic when the crappies are still away from the shoreline and best accessed in a boat or kayak.  Again, jigheads with plastics or live minnows are a crappies dream meal.  As you can see, the tackle and gear needed to get out and start catching crappies is pretty simple.  Get these items together and get to catching!

Have I mentioned that crappies taste great?  I am pretty sure if you are this far in the article you already know that fact.  They are a delicious fish that can be eaten many different ways.  Before we get to eating them, we need to take care of them properly.  Once you decide to keep fish to eat, you need to do one of two things right away.  You can either keep them alive until you process them, or you must get the fish cold.  If you are in a boat, a livewell is best to keep them alive, on the shore that really isn’t an option.  A stringer or a fish cage might keep them alive for a while, but not for long periods of time.  A small cooler is ideal for the shore angler or the boat angler.  If you know you are planning to keep some crappies, plan ahead with ice and a cooler.  If the water temperature is fifty degrees or colder, that will be just fine, and ice isn’t necessary.  Once you have your crappies on ice or in cold water, the next step is fileting them.  Again, keep the meat cold by placing the filets in a bowl of cold salted water with ice cubes.  The cold temperature firms up the meat, while the salt will help to reduce blood and preserve the meat.  One more step to delicious crappies, cook them up!  Frying them in oil is great, however there are a few other ways I like to enjoy crappies.  Crappies make delicious “Crappie Cakes”, as well as “Baked Fish Tacos”.  There are many recipes out there, but those are my three favorites for crappies.  You can get further details of these recipes on my website: www.fishingwithtoddreed.com .  Before you take your next trip, plan ahead to keep the meat cold, you will see the difference, and taste the difference.

 Catching panfish in general is a great way to spend a few hours or a few days.  Focusing on crappies this time of year is a must if you want to capitalize on the spring bite.  Start shallow and work out from there, lake channels and drop-offs are a great way to discover where crappies are this time of year.  Cover a few different areas and narrow down where you are catching them, this will lead you to more and more crappies in the cooler.  Just a reminder that anglers are allowed to keep twenty-five crappies a day in the state of Iowa, but I encourage you to be conscious of the body of water you are on and be a steward.  We all fish the waters, take what you need and let the rest go.  Some days I may keep a limit of twenty-five, while other days I may keep six for a meal.  Do your part to keep our public waters a great place to fish for years to come.

Get out there and enjoy this early spring, typically there is still a lot of ice on the many of the Iowa lakes, this year every lake is wide open.  Have fun and be safe out there!

The FRIST Bass

 

That first outing in the boat each spring is a special one.  First off, you just hope things float, the motors work and the batteries hold a charge.  After those things have been checked, it is time to make those first casts.  This spring was very unique in the way that I was not throwing a Quantum combo.  After using those products for about 30 years, it was time to move on to Lew's rods and reels.  It is always fun trying new models of things each spring, but a new product line was VERY exciting.  I was like a kid on Christmas morning.  The new combos were a pleasure a use, very balanced and overall lightweight, they are going to be wonderful throughout the many years to come.  More details on those will be coming.

The fishing the first time out is always a bonus, just hoping for that one bite.  Also, the first month or so of open water fishing is your best chance to catch a giant, especially a giant largemouth bass.  No giant on the first trip out but some nice fish.  The biggest did come on a jig and chunk pitching to some rocks, pretty typical for March, let alone late February.  A fun time, the boat floated, both motors worked, and fish were caught.  I guess the 2024 open water season is here!

The Shortest Ice Fishing Season Ever

Last fish of the season:
9.5 in Bluegill

Looking back to November, I was so excited for the ice fishing season.  I love to fish from the boat, but the fall weather patterns did not produce a steady bite like a typical fall.  Each and every year before the ice fishing season I do some homework to search out new lakes I have never been to before to try.  I had three of them on this winters list, I only got to one of them.  I was able to make it out on the ice 14 different days, which is about half of a normal winter.  This was not the plan back in November, but once again Mother Nature is in control.

The ice is pretty much gone here in Iowa and it is time to move on to the open water.  It was the shortest ice fishing season ever for me, and I hope next winter is much longer.  My friends and I did have some great trips.  The best; the last one at the Okoboji Lakes.  I get up to the Okoboji area a few times each year, it is by far the best fishing in the state.  Whether you are ice fishing or fishing in a boat, no other place comes close...the only one that is in the conversation would be Pool 9 near Lansing.  The Okoboji trip "saw" many bluegills, crappies and yellow bass to come out of the holes, and many great meals in the future.  I am looking forward to a meal of yellow bass tacos tomorrow night as I write this.  The bluegills are the reason for going ice fishing at Okoboji, they just grow different up there.  An 8-inch bluegill is common and when you are doing things right, you will catch numerous 9-inch bluegills each day you target them.  What makes this even more exciting is that you literally see the fish down the hole when they come up to your lure, it is a rush for sure!  Mix in a few sightings of northern pike and muskie and you are in for a trip you will not forget.  If you have never been there...please...do yourself a favor and get there next winter.

THE GEAR:

I cannot conclude this without a special note about some of the equipment I had this winter.  The Vexilar FLX30 is my everyday flasher, it is hands down the best flasher out there.  However, the Vexilar FLX28 is a must for sight fishing, I love the wide cone angle it has for the early bite warning.  I love starring down a hole all day waiting for fish to bite, but sometimes you need to sit back and relax.  The FLX28 allows you to do this and gives you plenty of warning when a fish is coming in.  The low power feature on this model is key too, bluegills live in the weeds during the winter and the low power filters those weeds out of the screen, again allowing you to detect incoming bluegills.

I was able to get my hands on the new Eskimo E40 auger from the good folks at the Cedar Falls SCHEELS store.  I have used every electric auger on the market, each has its pros and cons.  This auger, so far has no cons.  It was absolutely amazing this winter.  Now, this was not your typical winter and I only saw a foot of ice once this entire winter, most winters these augers shine when there is 18+ inches of ice.  So far this auger is has impressed me and everyone that has used it.  Next winter the real test will come when we get a large amount of ice on the lakes...I hope.

CLAM Tikka Flash

Lastly, a new lure.  CLAM came out with the Tikka Flash this year.  A small horizontal hanging bait with a spinner on it.  I tried this bait back in November on some crappies in the boat, right away I noticed the unique fall of this bait.  It shimmies down the water column and looks great with side to side action with jigged.  It was a great bait this winter for crappies and a few perch.  I did make one upgrade to the smallest size of Tikka Flash.  I took off the small treble and replaced it with a larger one, this helped the hook-up ratio tremendously.  

On to the open water, it was a short ice season but I made the most out of the few weekends we had to get on the ice.  

The Prettiest fish swimming?

The Yellow perch, which can be found in lakes around Iowa and in the Mississippi River, might be the coolest fish swimming in our Iowa waters.  Their bright colors and dark black stripes are unmistakable with any other fish.  These fish do not grow very large, a big perch is considered around 12 inches, and if you catch one over 13 inches, that is nearing "trophy size" in this state.  Currently, the best place to go after a "trophy" is the Mississippi River.  Pools 9, 10, and 11 have good numbers of perch in them.  Other top places to search for perch through the ice are; West Lake Okoboji, Spirit Lake, 12-Mile Lake and Brushy Creek to name a few.  

Perch are fun to chase around, but you better have a lot of energy and several augers with you.  They are a roaming fish and are constantly on the move.  You can sit and wait until a group swims by, or you can move around and hunt them down.  Hunting them down has always yielded more perch for me, and the more holes you have drilled the better.  Using your Vexilar to move from one hole to the next is so important to catching these fish.  Also, a smooth spinning reel is a must.  Those big perch do not like the looks of the bottom of the ice and when they get close they are sure to go on a fun, letting that drag sing.  It is a beautiful sound, but at the same time you hold your breath!  My favorite lure for perch is a spoon.  There are many good ones out there, the CLAM Pinhead is great and the CLAM Rattlin PT Spoon are my two favorites.  They sink fast, have great paint jobs and the hooks are durable.  Another great way to catch perch is using a live minnow with a Tip-Down.  These rigs have been popular on the Mississippi River for decades for all types of fish.  They really work well on days that the perch just do not want a spoon or a jig.  It is worth every penny to pick up a couple, they have saved several days on the ice for me.  

The ice season is coming to a close and if you do not get a chance to get out and chase down some perch this winter, I hope this helps you to catch a few more in the future.  Enjoy your time outdoors and be safe out there.

What's the BEST bait for Winter Crappies?

Crappies can't hide when you are
watching your VEXILAR.

The winter of 2023/2024 has not cooperated well with ice anglers, however I have had the opportunity to go out and catch some crappies on four different bodies of water.  I love chasing crappies throughout the entire year, and one thing I do know is there is NOT a perfect bait.  These fish seem to change their mind on the hour as to what they want to eat.  I have a series of baits that I try each time when targeting crappies.  Here are those offerings:

1- I will usually always start with a jig and large plastic.  I really like the CLAM Dropkick jig, it has a large hook and the larger plastic really fits on them well.  I do not worry much about the style of plastic, just as long as it is larger and appears like a minnow.  My favorite color is the white/pink glow jig with a white plastic.  I can give it a a quick "glow" in the early mornings or later afternoons to entice a few more bites too.  

2- After I have tried the jig and plastic, I have two options to pick from.  If I am only catching smaller fish out of the schools, or pairs of crappies that come in, I will switch to a spoon tipped with spikes.  This will help me ignore the small crappies and help me catch the larger ones.  The second part of this decision is if the jig and plastic is not working at all, then I will switch the plastic out for two or three spikes.  This will catch those leery crappies that do like the larger plastic/jig combo.

3- If those three baits haven't hooked a desirable fish, then it is time to finesse them.  Crappies can be very temperamental and once in a while they want a very small, finesse bait.  I always have a finesse jigging rod ready whenever I am on the water.  My choice is a "Schooley" set up with 1# line, micro jig and a couple of spikes or micro plastic.  A spring bobber helps aid me to see the "up bites"  with these finicky fish.  This set up is the most basic way to fish, but to be honest, it always seems to work.  

Schooley Reel Set-up

ICE FISHING- What's in my Tackle Box?

 What’s in my tackle box?  ICE FISHING EDITION

Ice fishing is in full force right now in Iowa, do you have the baits needed to trick your favorite fish?  There are so many options in the world of ice fishing these days, one can become confused very quickly.  The next time you are in your favorite outdoor store, you will want to make sure you have these top baits while you are on the ice.

Ice fishing jigs are the most popular bait you will see while out on the ice.  These small, micro jigs are specially made for ice fishing.  The smaller profile is a must during winter conditions, your jigs from your summertime bluegill box will not catch you as many fish.  Ice fishing gear is very specialized due to the time of year.  During the winter months the water is very clear, and most fish are feeding on smaller prey than usual.  These two reasons are key to matching those circumstances with small lure presentations.  Ice fishing jigs come in all sizes, but if your tackle box doesn’t have a good selection of 3mm and 4mm jigs in it, you are missing out on a lot of fish.  These sizes seem to be key to tricking panfish during the wintertime.  My favorite bait to tip these jigs with are Eurolarvae.  These small worms (maggots) are great winter bait, you can put a couple on a jig or load it up with several more to see what the fish like on that day.  Larger jigs can be used for walleyes and perch, as they will continue to feed on larger forage throughout the winter.  Tip these larger jigs with a minnow for a deadly combination.  It appears every ice angler has their favorite jig, or their favorite color of jig.  For me, I really like the Clam Dropkick jig.  It is different from most of the tear drop jigs that many companies have, and I really like the rocking motion it has in the water.  In my many years on the ice I have really narrowed down the color of jigs I buy; black, gold, silver, white, red glow, and green glow.  I have found that in almost every situation that one of these colors will work.  Most days, it is the size or jig, action of your jigging or the size of bait you have on your hook, experiment with those things before changing colors.

 

Next up for your tackle box is the spoon section.  I can remember a time when spoons were once limited to the Swedish Pimple.  In today’s world there are dozens and dozens of companies with their own ice fishing spoons.  Spoons are used to target just about every fish that swims under the ice.  The smaller the target species, the smaller the spoon should be.  The larger the target, such as walleye, the larger the spoon should be.  Color, once again, is a personal preference.  However, my color choices are even smaller when it comes to spoons.  Gold, silver and any color that glows can be found in my tackle box.  The glow options work well under low light as well as dirty water, while the gold and silver work anytime of the day.  Spoons can be the vertical type, like a Kastmaster, or Clam Pinhead minnow, which stay pretty much below your hole and hang vertically.  There are horizontal types of baits too.  These baits sit horizontally in the water column, like a minnow swimming.  Some popular types of this style are the Clam Tika Mino and the Rapala Jigging Rap.  Both, horizontal and vertical types of spoon lures work well, having a few of each is nice to experiment with.  Next to these spoons in my tackle box are extra treble hooks.  Many companies use a lesser quality treble hook and will wear out after a few dozen fish.  Make sure and buy some extra hooks to replace them as needed.  Be sure to buy #14 treble hooks, they are perfect for just about any spoon.  Another item that I always have on hand are dropper chains.  These are small chains that replace the treble hook on a spoon.  It “drops” the hook and bait down from the spoon for fish that may be finicky.  These can be single hooks or smaller treble hooks.  I have seen these really shine during the middle of the day.  Fish may have been biting well on spoons, and then they start to shy away.  This is your signal to go to a dropper chain, the fish will love it!  

 

The last thing, and perhaps the most important is an extra spool of line.  I typically use 2-pound monofilament on my panfish spinning reels.  It flows nicely off the spool, and the memory is manageable.  Having an extra spool ready can save your day, or at least make it more enjoyable.  The smaller reels that we use on the ice tend to coil the line and make it brittle.  A quick change of line on your favorite reel is easy and only takes a minute of your time on the ice, it may just save your day. 

 

Ice fishing has many different baits to fill your tackle box.  The best advice is to have a little bit of everything when you hit the ice.  Trying different baits and colors at lakes and rivers is key to allowing you to get confidence on those bodies of water.  Also, my advice for any ice angler is to use spoons more often.  Many times, anglers will have dozens of spoons, but they do not use them much, or maybe only use them for perch or walleyes, this is a big mistake.  If you have found a school of fish, it is time for the spoon rod to come out.  You may not catch as many bluegills or crappies, but the big ones that you catch will make everyone else in your group jealous!  Tie on a few spoons this winter for larger panfish, you won’t be disappointed.  Stay safe out there enjoying the wintertime fishing.

~~~This story appears in The Iowa Sportsman Magazine,

to catch a glimpse of the magazine CLICK HERE~~~