LATE ICE PANFISH
By Bob Jensen

The late ice-fishing season can come anywhere from mid-February in the southern parts of the Midwest to late March in the northern regions. The way this year is going, who knows when ice fishing will start to wind down. The important thing is to realize that some great panfish action can occur late in the ice-fishing season. We need to be ready for that action.

In some areas of the Midwest, panfish are the only game in town this time of year. The fishing season on some gamefish closes in mid-February, so, although fishing pressure overall may be down, the fishing pressure on the panfish, on some bodies of water, is greater. In some lakes and ponds there will be a distinct low-light bite. On other lakes the fish will bite all day, but there will often be noticeable times of increased activity.

Keep a close eye on your sonar. If you see fish, often times they can be caught. If they don't want what you have down there, try something else. 

If you're not seeing fish on the sonar, keep moving. At some times of the year it pays to sit by a hole and wait for the fish to come through. Late in the season however, many experienced ice-anglers like to keep moving until the fish are located.

Many anglers like to start off the day drilling a bunch of holes and moving quickly from hole to hole. These anglers believe that you're better off drilling the holes to start with instead of drilling them as you wear out a hole. This is when the lightweight of the StrikeMaster Lazer Mags really pays off. Some anglers will drill holes over a large area, and you don't want to be dragging a heavy angler when you're doing this.

Keep in mind that some panfish are more susceptible to smaller baits. Bluegills and sunfish have small mouths and seem to prefer small baits. Crappies and perch have larger mouths, so your lure choice can be a little larger. The smallest Micro Minnows, Spider Ants, and Jiggle Bugs, when tipped with a Power Natural Maggot or live waxie, are great for small-mouthed panfish.

If crappies are the quarry, go with a larger Forage Minnow Jig with a small minnow hooked through the back. I like to fish this rig under a bobber.

When chasing perch, start with a spoon of some sort. Tip it with a couple of Power Wigglers or a small minnow. Buck-Shot Rattle Spoons and Forage Minnow Jig'n Spoons are favored wherever perch swim.

Perch will usually hang pretty close to the bottom. When they are active, lure size isn't that critical, so it works well to go with a larger, heavier spoon, as it will get to the bottom and into the fish zone much faster. If the action is slow, go with a smaller spoon.

Three or four pound test Trilene Micro Ice does a very nice job most of the time, but don't hesitate to go with two pound test if the fish are finicky. Bluegills and sunfish are usually more susceptible to light line.

Late ice could be here any time. Be sure you're ready to take advantage of this fast action when it gets here.