Bob Jensen

In some states throughout the Midwest, the ice-fishing season for walleyes and northern pike is coming to a close, or has, in fact, already closed. If you live in one of those areas, now is not the time to hang up the ice-rods and put the shelter and auger in storage. There are still some very good opportunities for ice-fishing action. Some of the best perch, crappie, and bluegill ice action is still to come. Here’s how you can get in on it.

Perch can be in different places in different bodies of water, but most of my perch catching late in the season has been in deep water, sometimes down to thirty feet.

In other lakes they’ll be shallower, but when they’re shallow, that’s usually because there is no deep water in that lake.

Crappies can be kind of strange. In some lakes they’ll hang close to the bottom just like a walleye, in other lakes they’ll suspend. In my past few ice-fishing trips we’ve taken crappies that looked just like walleyes on the sonar because they were hugging the bottom, and we’ve taken crappies that were six feet off the bottom in twelve feet of water.

Not relating to panfish but still kind of on the topic of fish location, on an ice-fishing trip for walleyes two years ago on Lake of the Woods, the walleyes were running twelve feet down over twenty five feet of water. They were biters, but you had to bring the bait up to where they were.

Back on the topic of panfish location under late ice; Expect to find bluegills along weedbeds or around brush piles. They might be over the tops of the weeds or suspended along the deep edge of the weeds, but if you find good cabbage weeds, you’re probably close to some ‘gills.

These panfish can be very active, but you still need to present the bait correctly. For ‘gills, go with two pound test Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon. It’s invisible underwater, and sometimes that’s what it takes to put finicky bluegills on the ice. Go with a 1/64th ounce Fire-Fly jig for gills. Lots of anglers like black, as they feel it best copies the tiny bugs that are in the water.

Crappies and perch both like Forage Minnow spoons tipped with a piece of minnow or a couple of Berkley Gulp! Maggots. A lot of colors will work, but Super-Glo Perch is a real winner day-in and day-out.

For perch, drop the spoon to the bottom, let it rest a second or two, then give it a couple of good snaps. That attracts the perch. Let it sit still for a few seconds, then snap it again. Keep a close eye on your sonar to see how the fish are reacting to the snapping-resting action.

A more subtle action is usually best for crappies. Put the spoon just a bit above the crappies, then quiver it. If they want it, they’ll eat it.

Keep a close eye on the ice conditions, but if it’s safe, get out there for some late season panfish action. I’ve always found that late ice panfish are a great way to start the new open water season.

Now that a February that felt like March is over we are looking at a March that is feeling a lot like February.  Oh well, just hang in there I tell myself as we have a lot to look forward to in the next few months.   After being able to get the boat out on open water in each of the past 3 months I have been feeling quite fortunate. I thought I would be able to avoid that nervous twitchy feeling that always seems to come with the wait for the always to slow to arrive spring. But it becoming more apparent by the day that this is not going to be the case.

 Now as I am savoring the soon to be warm and green days of spring I am struck with a bit of fear and trepidation.  Although not yet here it seems that it will be over all too soon and there is still so much to do.  There are still Panfish and  Mille Lacs  jumbo Perch to be pursued on the ice, all the while  trying to get as many days as possible on the river in search of pre-spawn Walleyes.  This year looks like the Mississippi River will be in great shape early in the season rather than the blowout we dealt with last spring.  Hopefully I will have a couple hundred Walleyes under my belt before the statewide opener arrives  to take the pressure off.  Few things are as satisfying as not have to worry about battling the crowds on the opener becuase your Walleye itch has been scratched real good.  As if that was not enough there are still the April Crappies and Stream Trout to deal with.  Ok, I guess I can handle that I tell my self until that nagging little voice (not in my head mind you) says “what about the boat?”

 The boat does need to be cleaned, waxed, carpet cleaned, trailer bearings greased and have the motor and gear oil changed.  Reels cleaned and fresh line put on.  Tackle sorted and a couple trips to mega tackle world to fill in the blanks in the tackle boxes.  And the Northwest Sport Show starts in a few short weeks.  No problem, I can git er done.  Pssst!, says that damn voice again.  What about the Morels?  You can’t forget about them and they wait for no man.   

 Feeling a bit smug I tell myself and that pesky little voice, no problem, I can make time to find some Morels and still get in a camping trip in May.  As I am about to heartily congratulate myself in advance for getting everything done in such a highly efficient manner over the coming months.  I come to the dreadful realization that my better half has committed us to attend 2 out of town May weddings, on top of her unreasonable expectation that I help her with the spring yard work after I did all of the snow shoveling this past winter.

 Its starting to feel like its over before it has begun!