Catching fish through the ice can be a great way to spend a winter day in the outdoors.
The secrets to success in ice fishing are the same secrets to success in fishing in open water: knowledge of where the fish are located and presentation of your bait.
With a little study and observation you should be able to narrow down the "where are they" question. If you are after perch, for example, they tend to feed pretty close to the bottom. Although there are times during the day when they may be suspended a bit higher, when they put on the food bag they will drop down a bit.
If you are trying an area you have never fished before, there are three basic approaches that, when combined, can usually put you near the fish. They approaches consist of local knowledge, charts and observation once on the ice.
First is the bait shop near the lake you want to fish. This is where you might find that local knowledge. Even though you have all of your gear, drop in there and buy some grubs or a fish hook or two. Of course, that may mean having to listen to yarns most unbelievable, but if you are patient and listen more than you talk, you might come away with some places to at least start your search.
Most Fish and Game Departments have charts of the lakes you want to fish. Many of them even have symbols on them that indicate where some species are often located. Look for points and bays and places where there are underwater structures. For example, in the early winter and late winter perch love to be around structures of any sort, but in the cold of midwinter they may move to a little deeper water for temperature comfort.
Lastly, once you arrive at the lake, observe where the other folks are fishing. Often you will see a community of shanties or a gathering of other fishermen. Give these folks a little space, but look at your chart to see what is under the surface where these folks are fishing to see what might be attracting the fish to that location.
So now you have done your location homework before you even have stepped onto the ice. You have all of your equipment on your toboggan. Next head on over to the point where you want to start your exploration. First drill several holes quite a distance apart. You are mining for fish so you need a few test holes. With a power auger this is not too hard. If you are drilling by hand you may be limited by the depth of ice and your physical condition. However, one of the secrets to catching fish is finding them. You may have to drill and move often until you do.
The equipment used for ice fishing is like that of regular fishing. It can range from a simple line on a stick to very expensive options including tip-ups and electronics. Depending on your commitment to the sport, you may want to start out with some pretty basic equipment.
The line you use can be important. As with most fishing you want to use the smallest diameter line appropriate for the size of the fish you intend to catch. For perch, for example, anything heavier than an eight-pound test is probably overkill. The finer the line, the harder it is for the fish to see. The finer lines will also allow the bait or lure to attack in a more natural pattern.
If you are using a rod, buy one with large guides. These will freeze up less on those cold days. Be sure to get one with a sensitive tip. Some of them are like telephone poles and you will never feel that fish that just sidles up to your bait and gives a nibble. A lot of folks just use the tip of a regular rod with a small reel hooked on, but there are some pretty inexpensive rods you can buy at that bait shop where you got the info above for "where to."
By far the most effective bait you can use is minnows. The second is grubs or worms followed by jigs and lures. Tiny minnows are absolute killers in the winter. Using a very small hook attached to a very thin line, minnows can be presented to the fish in a pretty natural way.
Most successful fishermen use a jigging technique that demands constant movement. If you are using live bait you do not want to be excessive in the length of the jigging movement, but you do want to keep it constantly wiggling a bit. Just alter the depth by two or three inches, but keep that bait waving in the water. Some folks will jiggle the tip a bit and then let it rest a couple of seconds before jiggling it a bit again. Using this technique, keep taking in more line until you find the right depth.
Keep drilling new holes until you find the fish. Perch will school up even more in the winter than they do in the summer. There is no sense in fishing over dead water. Plus, digging new holes keeps you warm on those cold days.
Don't let the winter keep you indoors. All you need to have fun on the ice is a bucket to sit on, a short rod, some line and a few minnows. Bring along the kids, start a fire on the ice, cook a few hot dogs, tow them around on the toboggan, feed them hot chocolate and have a great day on the ice.
