The undisputed king of all ice fishing lures is the jig. Because all ice fishing is done vertically, the jig is the natural choice for this type of fishing. Choosing the right jig can be overwhelming with all of the different sizes, shapes and colors. Rather than wasting a lot of time and money filling up your bucket with a lot of different jigs, you can probably get by with a small handful for each type of fish you plan to catch.
The bread and butter lure for panfish is undoubtedly the teardrop. These inexpensive little jigs have been responsible for more limit catches than all the other lures combined. If you’re fishing for bluegill, crappie or perch you better carry a few teardrops out on the ice with you. Most teardrops are approximately the same size and shape so the only thing you’ll have to decide is which color to choose. In all my years on the ice I’ve found one color that consistently out performs all others - glow in the dark. The iridescent paint on these lures give off a glow that draws fish in to them. Even in broad daylight they have enough glow to be seen from a distance by hungry or curious fish.
Under certain conditions, other colors can work as well or even slightly better depending on the fish’s mood. If you’re into a school of fish that suddenly stop biting, changing to a different color may turn them on again, so you should always have at least two or three other colors besides glow in the dark. A general rule for choosing the right color is - bright for bright days and dark for cloudy days or night fishing. Chartreuse and fluorescent orange are good choices as well as dark reds and any shade of green.
To get maximum action out of your teardrop, you must choose the correct line and use a loop knot for connecting your jigs. Bluegills, especially the large ones, are very line shy. Always use the smallest diameter line you can, no more than 2lb test. For more aggressive fish like crappie and perch you can use a heavier line such as 4lb test.
The best baits for teardrops are small perch minnows, wax worms and spikes. Here's a tip to increase your catch - you should always bury the hook point in your bait. Having the bare hook point sticking out of your bait will turn off wary fish.
The next most popular ice fishing jig is the Swedish Pimple. These fall in the category of jigging spoons and come in a variety of sizes and colors. The smallest Pimples are excellent for perch and are very popular among the perch fishing crowd. The most popular colors are silver, white and gold. The Swedish Pimple also includes a small attractor known as a flapper. This is a small oval piece of plastic in either red or yellow that connects to the split ring above the hook. This gives the jig extra action and can turn on finicky fish when nothing else will. The best bait to use is a small perch minnow hooked through the dorsal fin. Another hot bait is a perch eye. The more ragged the eye gets from repeated strikes the better they work. This can be a boon when you’ve run out of minnows but the bite is still hot.
The small size Pimple is also an outstanding whitefish lure. A white colored Pimple used with a small minnow is a deadly combination. For whitefish cruising water deeper than 30 feet the next size up is a better choice. The improved clinch knot is a good choice to connect to the 4 to 6lb test line used for whitefish.
The largest Swedish Pimple is a great lure for another poplar ice fishing quarry - the lake trout. The large size gives good action in the very deep water where these large fish cruise. White is the traditional color but bronze or silver can be good on certain days too. These lures have such good action it’s not uncommon to catch lake trout on a bare hook. But using a strip of herring or a medium sized smelt are good choices for improving your odds. For deep water fishing you should use a line with low stretch such as braided Dacron or Fireline. To this you’ll want to add a leader of at least 6lb test. While the low visibility of 6lb line will get you more strikes, you’ll also probably loose a few of these toothy fish from biting through the line. Anything above 10lb is not recommended as these fish can, at times, be line shy.
While we’re on the subject of trout we can discuss the next hot ice-fishing jig - the airplane jigs. These are named because of the two small wings that stick out from the sides making it look like an airplane. The hook sits horizontally protruding from the rear making these excellent bottom bouncing jigs. Let out enough line to let it hit the bottom. After pausing a few seconds you should jig the lure briskly. This creates a puff of sand that will draw fish from far and wide. The jig then swims in a tight circle as you let it settle to the bottom again. The best colors for airplane jigs are natural such as green or brown. The action of these jigs combined with the bottom bouncing will usually provoke a hard strike so no bait is necessary. If you’re fishing shallow for splake or rainbows then a small size with light line is in order. For deeper water and larger fish such as brown trout or lake trout, you’ll want a larger jig and the no stretch lines and appropriate leaders mentioned earlier.
The last type of jig is really just a variation on the airplane jig - these are called the Rapala jig. They swim exactly the same as the airplane but they also have a second horizontal hook protruding out of the front as well as a small treble hook hanging from the bottom. For bottom bouncing the treble hook can be removed via a split ring. While natural colors are always a good choice, for some reason the Rapala jig performs surprisingly well with bright colors such as orange and blue. The same rules that apply to the airplane jig work for the Raplala as well.
One last tip, a great jigging technique is to use a still set (such as a tip up or a dead bait rig) in one hole and then do your jigging in a hole close to it. The jigging will attract the fish to your hole which will invariably find the still set and then - wham! Double header! Jigging is a great way to stay warm and gives you an edge over your quarry. Choose the right style and color and you’ll have your limit before you have a chance to get cold.
