Five Gotta Haves For Early Ice by Mike Frisch

Five Gotta’ Haves For Early Ice!
By Mike Frisch

The peak early ice bite for walleyes is just around the corner! In fact "early ice", the time when safe ice first forms and for a few weeks after, is one of the best times of the entire year to catch numbers of walleyes and trophy walleyes as well. Here is a look at five equipment “gotta haves” for success during this peak period.

Ice Walleye 1) A reliable ice auger
Early ice anglers might use a hand or gas auger to drill ice holes. Regardless, sharp blades are important. Also important is the starting and running reliability of a powered auger. I’ve used several auger models with good success over the years. A key is to make sure the blades are sharp and that powered augers run well before heading to the lake.

2) A portable shelter
Early ice is a time when the portable flip-over fishing shelters really shine. They double as lightweight sleds for hauling gear, serving as roomy shelters when the fishing starts. I use Frabill shelters and am very impressed with their quality and “fishability!”

3) Jigging spoons
You’re at your spot, the holes are drilled, you're in your portable shelter; it’s time to fish! Jigging spoons shine for catching aggressive early ice eyes! My favorite is a 1/8-ounce Super-Glo Perch Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon. In fact, I’ve caught more early ice fish on this spoon the last several years than on all others combined.
Buck-Shot spoons fish best by using short, erratic jigging motions activating the built-in rattle shell. A new spoon by Northland Tackle, the Macho Minnow, is designed as an erratic falling flutter spoon that will give anglers another top option when jigging ice walleyes.

4) Quality sonar
Being able to see bottom, your jigging spoon, and walleyes as they approach it is critical to success, enabling you to put the bait in the fish’s face and then monitor how the fish respond to your jigging methods.
I use a Humminbird Ice 35 unit. It’s easy to use, very reliable, and does a great job of letting me “see” the things I need to see to catch early ice walleyes.

5) Warm, dry clothes
Early ice might not require the extremely heavy clothing we'll probably need later. However, staying dry, especially when we’re on our knees landing fish, is very important to a comfortable evening on the ice. I layer my clothing with my Cabela’s Guidewear rain gear as my outer layer. The bibs have reinforced knees to keep them dry and the bibs and parka do a great job of cutting the biting winds of early winter!

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The biting winds of early winter often mean that aggressive walleyes are biting as well. Anglers who arm themselves with the aforementioned "gotta haves" will increase their odds for early ice walleye success this winter! As always, good luck on the ice.