When ice fishing panfish, use the lightest line possible, I use 2 lb test… tried many different types haven’t found a go to line yet. But what helps is using an inline reel, this will make your line last forever! Thin line on a spinning reel is a headache after a bit, I fish a lot and found that out in a hurry. Since I switched to inline reels last year, the headache vanished 
A double me and my son caught and a cool sunfish pic I took. Get out and enjoy some fishing folks!
Check out Portavilla on Upper Red Lake… Customizable trips, and the fishing can be phenomenall!!
The new line of Marcums are definitely peaking my interest, I’ve been a vex guy for a while now, but I’ve been pondering making a switch to see what Marcum can do to my hookset ratio!!
Just over 14″s from a lake we started fishing this year…
Nice!!!
I’ve gained a lot of confidence in the Lindy Darter this year by simply using it. I catch fish every time I am out now on it. It obviously will catch those aggressive fish, but more importantly it will turn those negative fish into biters sometimes. My favorite is the 1 3/8″ Chartreuse Glow, what a slab magnet that thing turned into.
I’ve been wearing mine for over a year now, and haven’t had a problem yet. I bought the lite version, and it has been plenty warm for me. All of the pockets, and the zippered ventilation are awesome. Padded knees, and padded behind, waterproof, windproof… Plus it floats!!
Take a look at the 24″ UL from 13 fishing, I’m thinking the “Wicked” and the “White Noise” use the same blank, but darn it that an awesome rod for the money. I think I picked mine up for $20…
Holy Shnikies!! If I weren’t tied up I’d consider it. I’ve got to make it up to your neck of the woods this season Chris…
Go through a few holes and if you have lookers and no takers, switch it up! Plastics are just plain awesome! I love this video, it gets my heart pumping!
Wow!! That’s what I’m talkin about
Definitely use a swivel and a mono or flouro leader! The size of the hook depends on what you are using as bait. You want enough hook gap to be effective at hooking your catch, but not an overkill obviously. I typically use #2-#6 hooks on my walleye rigs.
Chris, but if I had the options that you did… Id be chasing those big northerns too! Gosh that lake produces some monsters. I lived up there for a couple of years while going to RRCC, about 10 years ago.
Tough to move away from such a fishery, but now I’m back home and fell in love with chasing panfish.
I’ve had good luck last winter on Impulse tapeworms… in the blood worm color. And all summer long Impulse has been a favorite of mine. minismelt, tadpole, tapeworm will all kill ’em this winter!!
We know who will win this contest, and please tell me you didnt make Eagle Claw “the goliath” in your metaphor??? Lol
Panfish are where its at for me, my goal is to pull a couple pie plates up from the depths on some tungsten and plastic.
Catch n release works wonders
Sweet!!! I wish I would have got my hands on one of those darn things!
Cool, thanks for sharing!! I think this is the beginning of a big change in ice reels. Switching from spinning reels to these type of reels will be commonplace in the future
I’ve fished out of two pop ups, both were Clam products, one was a Summit, and the other was a Command Post, both were in the wind, one was on the Red River right before it dumped into lake winnipeg. The other time was on a lake near my area, again, a windy day. I didn’t see either person struggle setting it up in the wind and have any troubles with it. I haven’t fished out of an Eskimo but there were a lot of problems with the pole systems ripping the fabric where it attaches to the shell.
I think that these pop up shelters have their benefits over a flip over style house in certain instances. But they wouldn’t be the only type of shelter I owned. The versatility of a flip over type house is unmatched.
As long as it holds 4 or 5 rod reel combos and keeps them in place, safe, and the hooks don’t bury themselves into it, it should be good to go.
If maps are available, study it and compare it to lakes you have fished with a similar size/depth… If no maps are available study the shoreline and look for steep banks(they usually continue into the depths) or find points and drill them out and do some old fashion searching.
I love to pick out a new lake or two every year and work it over, the more lakes you know the more you can pinpoint the similarities on each body of water. Best advice though is to drill and search.
On this particular lake, I’ve got them pinned down for early ice. Classic spot, but when it comes to classic spots, there is more than one on a lake, and not all of them will produce! I know this one will, I have a trip planned for the weekend to lock in a couple more, I love this time of year
They are a touch on the sensitive side, but if you are posted up in your shack fishing a late night crappie bite, or whatever you may fish… It’s a safe steady source of heat and they won’t burn your darn shack down like a sunflower heater lol.
But I’m with Joel on this one, you can’t beat a sunflower.. Mr. Heater for staying mobile in frigid cold weather. They light up quick and heat up quick. Just don’t look at them funny or else they will melt your line, your new bibs, and put a big hole in your shelter.
How can you sight fish with such a long rod?
He sure got a kick out of it! We were concentrating so hard on the flasher, and our jigging, we didn’t even notice how much it was snowing. Jimmy says, “Dad, look, you can’t even see shore!” hahahhaa! He was right, it was coming down pretty good.
We got about two inches of heavy snow, but it’s gone now, it lasted until about 2:00 this afternoon and 99% of it is gone.
I thought the Black Betty performed flawlessly, it was as smooth as butter and I foresee it being my favorite reel this winter!
I tried Northlands ice line… its ok. good enough to get the job done. I havent seen Lindys line used yet or had the opportunity to spool it on, but if I were a betting man I’d bet it would perform similar to the bionic ice.
