Keep After Them!

I was recently asked a very interesting question.  Mike emailed and asked what is the key to being successful on the ice?  At first when I got the question there were a lot of different things that came to mind but no matter what, I kept coming back to one thing.  Keep after them! 

So now your asking what does keep after them have to do with being successful on the ice?  Well, it is actually pretty simple, I keep after the fish.  I go after them versus letting them come to me.  Long gone are the days of drilling a hole and setting up shop for the day waiting for that evening bite to kick in as the fish start to roam the lake and feed.

It all starts by drilling a lot of holes.  Often times that means several hundred holes when the fish are not cooperating.  Yes, drilling holes can be a lot of work, but unlike open water where you can cover a large area by casting around the boat, the only way to find them on the ice is drill holes and look for them.

There are many times I set up my ice house simply for a warming shack and often times I don't set it up at all.  From there I travel light, basically my Humminbird, bait and ice rod.  I bounce from hole to hole looking for fish.  If I find some active fish I will stay as long as they are willing to bite.  If the fish in the hole won't bite or leave I am on my way, looking again.  Often times as you move hole to hole you can figure out a pattern as to which way the fish are going.  If you pay attention to where fish are at and where they go when they leave you can pattern them fairly well and move to the hole they are heading to next.

I am sure to some this is starting to sound like work but it is well worth the effort.   There is no doubt that by keeping after them, you will put more fish on the ice and find that ice fishing will is more enjoyable.  In addition, I can promise you will get a really good work out!   So, next time you are sitting in your ice house wondering when or if the bite is going to start, remember they are always biting somewhere, so keep after them.