5 Great Ice Flies for More Panfish Under the Ice
Do you ever find a panfish bite under the ice where the fish are stubborn and just won’t eat anything? Or do you get sick of having to rebait a jig after every fish? What’s the solution, you might ask? It’s Ice Flies. Ice Flies have been used by anglers for decades to target finicky, timid, winter fish. They started as a cross-over of classic trout flies but have since been tweaked into niche fly patterns, specifically tied and modified for ice fishing. Extra movement, more flash, color, and extra weight are just some of the features that have been incorporated over the years to trigger bites through subtle hints of bugginess. Additionally, flies have the added benefit of not requiring extra bait, thus simplifying any trip’s gear list. In my opinion, there are five main categories of patterns to mimic winter panfish food: Scuds, Mayflies, Caddis, Midges/bloodworms, and lastly,…
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…
5 Flies for Winter Trout in the Driftless
With the winter trout season opening in early January in the southeastern part of Minnesota, there is plenty of opportunities to chase some winter trout. Chasing trout in the winter can be one of the most rewarding ways to fish for trout. Trying to get that perfect cast and line handling in gloves aren’t the easiest tasks to achieve, however, but once that cast is made and a trout accepts your fly, it’s super satisfying. It makes all the frustration of trying to get the right presentation in the cold worth it. Here are our top five flies for winter trout. #1. Green Caddis I recently added this pattern to my arsenal and it has yet to disappoint. This pattern is quick, easy, and simply catches fish. I have found that even with a small midge trailing behind, trout prefer this fly. Hook: #12 Caddis Hook Bead: 7/64″ Gold Thread: Olive or black…
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…
Tying Ice Flies for Winter Panfish: The ‘Gill Shrimp and Triggers for Hardwater Slabs
Veteran ice fisherman have long known that scuds (or freshwater shrimp) are a favorite food for big panfish and trout under the ice. Over the past few seasons, I’ve been testing and tweaking a few patterns to match the hatch and create a good scud imitation. Crappies and bluegills under the ice have a much slower metabolism than their summer counterparts, so ice anglers need to utilize a few key triggers in their ice flies and lures to entice unaggressive, neutral fish into biting. These triggers hold true for not only ice flies, but all lures for hardwater panfish. The ‘Gill Shrimp The ‘Gill Shrimp (or “Bluegill Shrimp”) came about after refining a few patterns and adding materials and triggers to produce a convincing ice fly. I knew I wanted a bug that imitated the slightly curved position of a lethargic scud and had plenty of movement incorporated into the materials.…