LURING WALLEYES THROUGH THE ICE
By Bob Jensen

There are a lot of different lures that will catch walleyes from under the ice. Productive ice lures for walleyes come in different colors, sizes, and shapes, and all of these are important considerations. Another consideration is the action the lure has in the water. At times, the action of the lure will have a big impact on how many fish you will catch. Here are some things to consider when it comes to luring walleyes.

There are several different styles of lures that will get a walleye to bite. If the walleyes are hungry and willing to strike a lure, a jigging spoon is a good choice. Jigging spoons are designed to be worked straight up and down. Sometimes they should be worked with quick snaps of the rod tip, other times they should just be jiggled. Usually it’s most productive to give the lure a bit of a pause between jiggles or snaps. The Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon makes noise as it’s moved and has become the jigging spoon of choice by many ice-anglers.

Another style of jigging lure for walleyes under ice is a gliding or swimming bait. These baits have wings and swim in a circle as they fall. Whereas a jigging spoon falls pretty much straight up and down, a glide bait will swim out to the side. Sometimes this is the action that a walleye prefers. The new Mini Airplane Jig is a good example of a lure that glides.

Whether a jigging spoon or a glide bait is being used, you will want to use a snap/swivel or just a snap to prevent line twist. The snap/swivel is tied to your line, then the bait is attached to the snap.

Some anglers prefer to tie a small swivel to the line, then add a length of line to that. The lure is tied directly to the line, or to a small snap. Either method prevents line twist, but the swivel up the line is a little less obtrusive.

10/4 FireLine is a great line for jigging spoons or glide baits. It provides the ultimate in sensitivity and hook-setting ability.

When the walleyes are finicky, try a jig. The same jig that you would use in open water can also be a top-notch walleye catcher through the ice.

Regardless of the type of bait you’re using, try “pounding” the bait on the bottom. Hold the bait just a few inches above the bottom and jiggle it a little bit, then let it fall onto the bottom. Pound the bottom a couple of times, then let it just sit there, either right on the bottom or just a little bit above. Oftentimes a finicky walleye will grab it while it sits motionless.

When the bait pounds the bottom, it kicks up a little sand or whatever the bottom is made up of, and that seems to attract the walleyes.

If the walleyes aren’t responding to the lure you’re using, try something different. That’s good advice for all fish and during any season, but is especially true when it comes to ice-fishing. And now is the perfect time to find that out for yourself.

For more fish-catching information, visit fishingthemidwest.com