Ice fishing for sunfish, bluegills, pumpkinseeds and related members of the panfish clan is fun, packed with action, and can produce some of the best fish meals of the year. Hitting the ice with an organized plan, and taking care of details, makes the difference between going home empty handed or hauling in a mess of good fish to filet.
Fish Shallow Early – During the first month of early ice, sunfish will be shallow. Look in as few as three or four feet of water, down to as many as eight to 10. Look for weed tops poking above the clear ice, then drill your holes along the outside edges of the weed beds.
Find Green Weeds – In winter, as in summer, weeds and bluegills go together. After drilling and clearing a hole, get down on the ice, drape a coat over your head and peer into the hole. Spy any green weeds? If so, try your luck. If not, or if the weeds are brown and dead, move on.
Use Tiny Lures – Size 10, 12 and even 14 hooks are the norm. Lures with some flash (usually bright silver) on one side seem to attract more fish.
Make an Eye – Lures with a single dot or “eye” on them catch the most bluegills, probably because most bluegill prey has an eye. If a lure doesn’t have an eye, paint one on.
Try Different Colored Jigs and Lures – Bluegill preferences change by the day and even the hour. In dark or stained water, start with bright colors like blaze orange, bright yellow and neon chartreuse. In clear water, opt for darker colors such as green, blue or black.
Use Goldenrod Grubs – For sunnies, goldenrod grubs may be the best live bait of all. Goldenrods are small, juicy and seem to glow in the water. Collect goldenrod galls while hunting all fall.
Jig ‘Em In – Sunfish respond to different jigging patterns every day. Rapidly twitch your bait for several seconds as you raise it up about a foot, then drop your rod tip back down so the bait flutters freely back to where it started.
Move Out Deeper – In midwinter, look for fish suspended off the fringes of the deeper weeds, often 15 to 20 feet down over deeper water.
Thread Your Bait – If you’re getting bites but can’t hook fish, thread a waxworm or other grub lengthwise onto your hook, instead of leaving it dangle.
