by Jeff Beckwith There’s no argument, the vertical jigging spoon is ice fishing’s dominant lure. Fish have surrendered to hammered metal and forged lead since, well…since folks decided that ice could no longer separate them from quarry. I’m talking eons. In contemporary times, spoons are linked to the pursuit of walleyes, lake trout, and perch,… Continue Reading
by Tom Dietz The dark, gray clouds moving in from the west covered the setting sun, and heavy snow looked like it was imminent. My close friend and fishing partner Tom Keenan and I were drilling holes on a lake in Vilas county and excited about our first serious ice trip of the year. We… Continue Reading
by Rob Manthei Winter is almost around the corner, and with the lakes starting to harden up, one can’t help but think about ice fishing. I love my open water fishing (mostly muskies), but I do enjoy ice fishing, specifically jigging for walleyes. There are a few different locations I like to target during the… Continue Reading
by John Peterson with Noel Vick There’s a place where the water’s dark and cool even while surface temperatures seethe. Forage abounds and the oxygen’s thicker than a rain forest canopy. Cover’s plentiful too, and it’s surprisingly peaceful below despite the fact that this fantastic place is quite shallow, sometimes, unbelievably shallow. “Shallow?” you say.… Continue Reading
by John Peterson with Noel Vick The popular rock band U2 dared to write and perform a song titled, “Even Better than the Real Thing.” Obviously, Bono – the quartet’s eclectic front-man – intended the ditty for some drop-dead gorgeous maiden; certainly not ice fishing paraphernalia. But unlike rock and roll, in the icy world… Continue Reading
by John Peterson with Noel Vick Boats crisscrossed it all summer long; personal watercraft here, tuber there. Weeds uprooted and shredded, fouling the surface like bees in a beverage. These disorderly but auspicious shoreline flats are playgrounds for people, and consequently vacated by gamefish. Labor Day changes everything, though. Tourists leave. Cabins close like books.… Continue Reading
by Dan Craven Water conditions are directly affected by our weather (short term) and climate (long term). We frequently take water conditions for granted; more so than presentation, boat control or location of the fish. There are certain times of changing or changed water conditions that over-ride all other factors while searching to contact and… Continue Reading
by Scott Bonnema It impacted the water with more of a detonation than a splash. Once the mushroom cloud settled, I began cranking. The lure’s mass constricted the line like a tightrope. The pole bowed. No black bass could consume such a mammoth bait… The lure’s blades flashed brilliantly and pounded like timpani. The retrieve… Continue Reading
by John Peterson with Noel Vick In its simplest form, the hamburger is a slab of ground beef sandwiched between two buns – genuine Americana, but boring. Same can be said for the jig. It’s a formed hunk of lead with a hook sticking out its backside – classic, but boring as well. Surely, despite… Continue Reading
by Steve Herbeck, Andy Myers Lodge I could only hope as we slid up to the island point. I had played cat and mouse with a huge fish for several days but all she would do is chase artificials. It was late September and I had just received my first batch of fresh-trapped suckers, so… Continue Reading