Ice Fishing Season Recap - 3 Lessons Learned

With springtime on the horizon, we’re wrapping up our ice fishing season. The ice is gone at our local lake and our other favorite hot spots are thawing fast too. It’s time to clean up the gear and store it for the summertime. The seasons end is also a good time to review and highlight a few points from the season that we found to be helpful.

The first lesson was never skip over the shallows. Most of the fish that we caught this year were caught between 5-20 feet of water. Even while chasing Lake Trout, which are known to occupy the deeper waters, we had most luck at 15 to 20 feet of water. Finding humps, points and structure at this depth is the ticket. We will work on our deeper water game next year, but this year we found a ton of luck in the shallows. Dont rush out to the deeper waters. Even in the coldest part of winter. Especially in the early morning and later afternoon hours. The fish use these shallow waters to hunt, making for perfect conditions for some agressive fishing.

Rainbow Trout through the ice are a thrilling catch!

Lesson number two…fish finders work and enhance the ice fishing experience. We picked up a Garmin Striker Cast sonar fish finder and it completely changed the way we fish. We learned a ton about fish behavior and refined our fishing techniques with this amazing tool. Using the flasher mode, we were able to target specific fish which was really important when we started venturing out to larger bodies of water going after larger fish. If you’re wondering if a fish finder is really worth it….they totally are!

Afternoons on the ice - a great family time!

Lesson number three... a proper ice fishing shelter will make the whole ice fishing experience more enjoyable. Ofcourse it will keep you warmer. If its not cold, its usually windy in our neck of the woods. If were trying to fish longer than an hour or two, we set up the shelter. The break from the wind and cold makes for a much more enjoyable experience. Not only are you warmer, but your gear isn’t freezing up either. Line management is easier. Changing lures is easier. Snacking is easier. Pretty much everything is easier. The shelter also provides a great environment for early ice conditions. The shade allows you to see right through the ice. Even during later ice season conditions, the ice is much easier to see through in the tent. If you have kids its a no brainer. Getting out of the elements will lengthen your day and keep those fingers and toes warm!

We are still in our learning phase of ice fishing. We are gathering our gear and learning more with each trip out. These were a few of our larger take aways from another great ice fishing season. We had a great year. We fished new waters, went after new and larger fish species, and even competed in a few tournaments. It was a success and we have even larger goals for next season.

Until then, it’s time to break out the long rods. We will have ice fishing on the mind all summer long. We’re going to be on the search for those weed beds and rocky shorelines all summer long. With any luck, we will find the next great ice fishing spot to try out next year. The search continues….

Tight Lines and Happy Trails,

The Trails to Trout Family