Fishing in open ice

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN OPEN ICE FISHING #1 DRESS WARM Dress in layers, and lots of them; for both your upper and lower body. Snowsuits with new fabrics, such as Gore-tex and/or Thinsulate are great at keeping the wind and snow away from the body while allowing the body to breath. Good quality, waterproof winter boots are a must. Boot liners, or a thick sole, separate you from the ice. Thin nylon socks, with thicker wool ones over, will keep your feet warm while allowing sweat to wick away from the skin. #2 DRILLING YOUR HOLE When drilling your holes with an auger, do not kick the mound or volcano lip of snow from around the hole, as the wind blows snow across the ice, this ring will help slow down slush buildup and keep your hole from freezing over. #3 CHOOSING YOUR LINE When fishing in a heated hut, braided lines are great. However, they do bring up a lot of water. When open ice fishing, the least water clinging to your line, the better. Not only does lighter line have less ice buildup, it will allow you to present your lure more appealingly and feel those subtle hits. You want to make sure that your lines are dropping straight with your selected lure and there is no curl to the line coming off the reel. #4 ROD AND REEL SELECTION A quick and responsive tip is important for hook setting. If you like to use tip ups, insulated circular tip ups are great. Kick the snow and slush away from the hole so that the tip up lies flat on the ice. This will keep your hole from freezing under the tip up. On really windy days, build a wind barrier with slush, up-wind from your tip up, this will reduce the amount of false flags rising from the wind setting off the tip up. Reels with steel casings are great. Invest in a reel holder. This will help in preventing your reel from freezing. #5 ROD, REEL AND LINE COMBO SET-UPS PAN FISH WALLEYE PERCH CRAPPIE 28" Medium or Medium Light Rod (Extra Fast), Spinning Reel, 5 lb. Fluorocarbon line SUNFISH BLUE GILL 24" Ultra Light Rod (Extra Fast), Spinning Reel, 3 lb. Fluorocarbon line LAKE TROUT MUSKY 36" Medium or Medium Heavy Rod (Extra Fast), Spinning Reel, 8-10 lb. Fluorocarbon line 26" Medium Heavy Rod (Extra Fast), Spinning Reel, 15 lb. Braided line with a steel leader. The next time you decide to hit the ice, consider packing light and making your trip an open ice adventure. A day pack with a thermos bottle of hot soup or chilli will taste like heaven while watching your line. Bring extra mittens and socks. Nothing ruins an otherwise decent day than cold and wet hands or feet that send you home before the 'big one' bites. For more fishing and boating resources, visit legendboats.com LEGE ND. B O A TS