When old man winter finally settles comfortably in, dropping the temperatures to disturbing levels, piling up the snow and generally making you wish you had a condo in Florida or the Bahamas where sunshine and dusky maidens line the shimmering beach, you might as well go ice fishing.

I have always noticed that as bad as the weather looks, short of a storm or bitterly cold temperatures of course, it’s never as bad as it appears outside once you leave the house. Once properly dressed and engaged in an activity of some type, things aren’t as uncomfortable as they appeared through the window.
Ice fishing can be as simple or as involved as you wish to make it. An ice spud, chain saw or ice auger can make one hole in the ice or 20. You may put out the maximum number of tip-ups allowed or use a short rod, jigging in a single hole. The choice is up to you and the type of fish you’re after.
Lakes, ponds and dams see most of the ice fishing action, but rivers can be productive too.  The secret of fishing a river or stream is to find a bay, inlet or other deep cut in the bank with little current or fish a large, slow eddy. The weaker the current, the better the chances of success since fish metabolisms slow way down in the icy waters and fish seek out the quietest spots to lie.    
Where to fish is very similar to summer fishing: find structure. Points, drop offs, rocky humps, deeper bowls, river edges, old roads, weed edges and other fish habitat hold fish in the winter just as they did in the summer. Many fish will be deep, but immediately after ice over there will be numbers of fish in shallow waters, mainly in areas with rock, wood and green weeds. However, once the weeds are dead they begin to decay absorbing oxygen from the surrounding water. Areas outside stream mouths are also affected as leaves and other organic material washed into the lake breaks down robbing oxygen from the waters and driving the fish away.
Tip-Ups are the most widely used method of ice fishing. Tip-Ups consist of a base, strike indicator flag and line spool held underwater preventing it freezing. The base is set on the ice, the hook baited and lowered to a foot or 2 of the bottom and the flag bent over and lightly placed in a notch. When a fish takes and pulls out line the spools rotates and releases the wire flag which springs upright; pretty exciting when it happens.
Tiny 2-3 foot rods are used with tiny jigs, bait and spoons also. The fisherman twitches his offering up and down catching the fish’s attention and hopefully a strike.
Sunfish, bluegills, crappies, perch, trout, bass, walleyes, pike and an occasional muskellunge are caught every winter ice fishing and sometimes your best opportunity to catch a record fish is through the ice. Quite a few giant pike have been caught in the Kinzua Dam during the winter and some very impressive three-foot walleyes as well.
Minnows are favorite bait this time of year. They stay alive very well in the colder waters and every game fish loves minnows. Smaller 2-3 inch minnows for crappies and perch, meal worms, earthworms and tiny jigs baited and non-baited for sunfish, larger minnows for walleyes and pike and very large minnows or suckers for big pike, walleyes and hefty muskies.
Out on the open ice the wind is usually blowing. Dress warmly in layers with a well-insulated pair of boots on your feet. Many use tents and other pop up shelters to get out of the cold which are often equipped with small propane heaters, stoves for chili and drinks plus fold up chairs. A quick glance out the window or door shows if a flag’s up and it’s necessary to dash out and battle a fish. Some drill a hole or two inside the shelter.
Warm gloves, hats and other clothing are a must and don’t forget your sunglasses; the glare from snow and ice is literally blinding. I love the little hand and feet warmers you can slip into your gloves and boots; they make a world of difference in your comfort level.
If big fish are possible, be sure and have a gaff handy. They can’t be beat when it comes to pulling a heavy, angry pike or muskie through the ice and a few have had to gaff and hold their fish while the hole was made larger to in order to haul the monster out onto the ice. That’s a problem we all wish to have.
If hauling your equipment by hand, one of the orange six-foot long sleds is great. The sleds have holes on the edges you can fasten bolt eyes to. These allow you to lash down the tent, chairs, auger, or whatever else you are dragging out on the ice. If your sled tips, your equipment doesn’t spill out of the sled, a definite bummer.
When hunting season is finished and the lakes and rivers are frozen over you may feel like hibernating. Don’t. Grab a friend or family member and head out on the ice. It will not only get you out of the house and into the fresh air, you’ll have a great time and might end up with a fresh fish dinner or state record.
Good fishing.