Ice Fishing activities for Lake Michigan and most of the other the Great Lakes are limited to the many bays, harbors, and marinas located along the shoreline. The northernmost harbors and marinas are the first each year to freeze with safe ice. The Bays along the northern rim of the lakes are the next areas to freeze each year. As winter progresses marinas and harbors further south begin to freeze. The main lake basins generally do not freeze solid enough to permit Ice fishing or safe travel. Shelf ice does form along the shoreline on most years. The shelf ice is extremely dangerous and should be avoided.
Ice Fishing the Great Lakes in the early hours before dawn on a cold winter's morning is a true adventure. Setting lines before dawn in the brisk cold can be a daunting task. As dawn first breaks, you welcome the day Boulders in 20 feet of water with a spectacular sunrise. That early morning bite can be legendary. The hour before and after sunrise, many days provides the majority of the fishing activity for the day. As the sun rises, light penetration thru the ice and holes in the ice can make the fish more wary. Mid day ice fishing requires the use of a variety of more stealthy tactics. The water clarity of the Great Lakes has changed dramatically in the past decade. Twenty years ago you could stand in the water on the beach ankle deep and barely see your toes. Now water visibility is up to 20-30 feet deep. This increase in water clarity has increased weed beds and created more available structure and cover for many species of fish.
The different types of fishing tips, articles and techniques related to Ice fishing are logically separated into several major topic categories:
- General information, safety and equipment.
- Species tactics, tips and techniques
Specific techniques and tips related to each type of fishing can be found in the different categories. Salmon, trout, steelhead, northern pike, bass, perch, walleye and other species of fish fishing articles are also included.
General information, safety and equipment:
- Ice Fishing Safety Ice fishing can be an extremely dangerous activity if you ignore warning signs and do not use good judgment.
- Ice thickness safety information Ice thickness safety information from the Minnesota Department of Natural Recources.
- Thin Ice Warnings about thin ice from the Minnesota Department of Natural Recources.
- Breaking thru the ice, survival using ice picks What to do in the advent of breaking thru the ice. A survival video from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
- Drilling holes thru the Ice Several different types of augers are available for drilling holes thru the ice for ice fishing.
- Ice fishing hole size recommendations. Fishing for different species of fish will require varying hole sizes.
- Clearing holes of ice Using an ice scoop to clear ice shavings and chips from ice fishing holes.
- Ice Fishing Gaffs Ice fishing gaffs are used to land large fish when ice fishing.
- Ice Fishing Tip-Ups Ice fishing tip ups are used to set multiple fishing lines.
- Electronic Flasher and Depth Finders Using electronic flashers and depth finders when ice fishing gives the angler an advantage of knowing exactly where his lure and the fish are located.
- Fishing First Ice Ice starts early with fishing first ice. Most first ice fishing on the Great Lakes is limmited to fishing from the piers located in harbors and marinas.
- Luhr Jensen Technical Reports: (requires Adobe reader)
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- Ice Fishing A technical article with information on safety, equipment, fishing techniques and lures for Ice fishing.
Species Tactics, Tips and Techniques:
Trout: Rainbow, Lake, Brown, and Steelhead
- Landing large trout Fishing technique for landing large trout when ice fishing.
- Light line Trout ice fishing Fishing technique for fighting and landing trout with light line.
- Using Darter head jigs for Trout ice fishing Fishing technique for using darter head jigs tipped with Berkley Power Bait, Gulp, or Gulp Alive minnows.
- Ice Fishing with Tube Jigs for Brown Trout Ice Fishing technique for using tube jigs to catch Brown Trout.
- Ice Fishing with Trout Skein or Roe Trout roe or skein is an effective bait used ice fishing. The trout roe can be used with rods setup with bobbers, tip-ups, or and other with ice fishing method.
Northern Pike:
- Northern Pike ice fishing with tip-ups and live bait. Ice Fishing for Northern Pike with tip-ups and live bait.
- Jigging for Northern Pike with Darter Head jigs. Ice Fishing for Northern Pike using darter head jigs. Owner darter head jigs tipped with Berkley Power Bait, Gulp, or Gulp Alive minnows have an incredible jigging action.
Panfish: Perch, Crappie, Bluegills
- Ice fishing for Panfish Ice Fishing for Panfish in Lake Michigan harbors, marinas, and bays.
