Early this winter, before walkable ice, we recieved a bit of snow that throughly covered the ice. The past few days, we have had temps that seems to assist in melting that snow. Until now, there has been no reason to post some suggestions that usually assist with early ice. So, in the case that you may be fishing some bare-ice locations, here are some things to keep in mind.
During early ice, many walleyes are usually still up shallow. These are in many of the same areas that you would find them during late fall. If you have ever been trolling the fall full moon bite, then you know where I am talking about. Shallow portions of the lake see a diminished oxygen supply as well as weed die-off which usually happens after ice has been on the lake a while and covered with snow. Until that happens, the fish still tend to swim those weedlines or shallow rocks in search of food. Ample oxygen supply keeps the bait fish in their fall hideouts (in weeds, up shallow,etc). Although bare ice is GREAT for making ice, it can also hamper fishing during early ice. Fish have natural predators in the sky. They also do not like the noise and shadows that come with an angler walking a few feet above them. A shadow of someone walking across the ice and the sound of their footsteps will scatter the fish out and away. These fish found shallow during early ice will do their best to find structure or “shade” to hide in when this happens. It is instinct. “Running and Gunning” is a great technique for ice fishing… but during these times, it can work against you.
What can you do to catch these monsters? Strange enough to say… Stay put. Do your best to keep quite and keep movements at a minimum. Setting up an ice shelter will actually assist you in that the fish will sometimes see this shade and flock to it. Using tip-ups provides an area coverage without having to walk around from hole to hole scattering the fish. Jigging techniques and lures have come a long way. If you are confident in your position on a lake and you drop your flasher down and don’t see any marks… that does not mean the fish are not there. It can happen that there WERE fish their, but your travels pushed them away. Try using different lures and jigs to bring those fish to you. A spoon with a rattle can do wonders to bring in wandering fish looking for a quick meal. Spend more time in your current location. I know that many anglers will fish a hole for only a few minutes. With heavy snow cover, this is usually the best way to go. But with light and shadows affecting the fish, moving around consistently will sometimes work against you. Give it a half hour. Fish you scared away will sometimes come back. Also, with bare ice, light penetration is allowing those weeds to thrive. With an ample supply of oxygen, this is a natural haven for baitfish and a buffet for the fish you are targeting. After a good snow-pack, the weeds will begin to die and forage will disappear. Knowing this is key to knowing when to start moving out. It is common knowledge that you can slay the pigs in 25-35 FOW (or deeper) during the day. But when the weeds are still thriving, you will find many fish with their feedbags still on plumping up for the long winter.
Good Fishing!