New Ice Fly Patterns for Winter Panfish and Trout
“Good” ice is just about widespread in Minnesota now, which just gets me excited to get out after some early-ice fish. With the new season, I have a few new patterns that are fast becoming staples in my box. These couple patterns give me more options and fill some of the gaps. So here they are! #1. The Tungsten Hybrid What happens when you cross a heavy tungsten jig and an ice fly? Can the best parts of each be combined to complement the other’s fish catching ability? These were the questions that led to the creation of this pattern. And before I knew it, this fly-jig hybrid was born. This pattern utilizes both the fast-sinking, heavy nature of tungsten and the subtle, trigger-rich nature of ice flies. The ultra-heavy tungsten allows it to sink fast and “bounce bottom” to stir up the mud, while the subtlety entices even the wariest…
The Basics of Using Ice Flies for Panfish
Ever come across a tricky panfish bite under the ice? When fish get picky, ice flies are often the best solution for those nasty bites below the ice. This article gives a basic introduction to picking ice flies. When picking an ice fly, there are three things that I consider. First, I think about what the fish is primarily feeding on, and how big that food source is. Panfish are opportunistic feeders, especially in the winter. They will feed on many things during the cold season. However, many of those food sources can be generalized into three categories: Nymphs and Larvae, Freshwater Shrimp, and Worms. As long as I have a couple from each category, I can match almost every bite. Size is another key factor. Colder weather makes the fish have much smaller appetites. On those nasty days when your holes freeze over before you finish drilling them, a smaller fly is often the only…
Ice Flies and Hardwater Trout – 3 Brothers Flies ice fly review by Kevin Jones from Idaho Pursuit
Kevin Jones from the Idaho Pursuit blog recently did a review of our ‘Gill Shrimp and TUNGSTEN Slab Spike ice flies and caught some great trout in the process. Kevin also has some awesome ice fishing and hunting stuff on his blog, so head over there and check it out….3 Brothers Flies Ice Flies