Ice fishing TIPS and TRICKS

[UTFSHR]

As I have been reading the posts lately, I have noticed that more summer anglers are being converted to ice fishing.

I put together a few tips and tricks that I have learned while ice fishing. Please add to the list. I have found BFT to be a great resource for fishing information.

[font "Calibri"]Ice Fishing Tricks of the Trade:[/font]
[font "Calibri"]1-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Paint 4-5 ping pong balls black. Throw them into your ice hole while you fish. If there is any sun out, they will reflect enough heat to keep your hole from freezing over.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]2-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Spray some oil based “fish attractant” on the guides of your ice rod to keep the water from freezing to your pole. You can also use ‘chapstick’ for the same effect.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]3-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Keep your feet warm by using a piece of foam as a foot rest. Try using the “soft foam” interlocking pieces. They are often used for soft padding in garage floors. A piece of carpet also works, but it usually freezes to the ice-especially because it soaks up water.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]4-[/font] [font "Calibri"]A piece of carpet in the bottom of your ice sled keeps things from banging and breaking during transit. [/font]
[font "Calibri"]5-[/font] [font "Calibri"]LED Christmas lights make a good light source in the ice tent. A simple invertor hooked to a battery pack will keep them bright for hours.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]6-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Waxing the bottom of your sled will help it slide along the snow better. (For the easiest experience take a friend with you and make them pull the sled)[/font]
[font "Calibri"]7-[/font] [font "Calibri"]New (or sharpened) auger blades will make any trip more enjoyable. [/font]
[font "Calibri"]8-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Never underestimate the power of “PowerBait” even on the least likely fish.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]9-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Keep your meal worms active by storing them on the inside of your coat.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]10-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Save some cash and shop for your ice fishing supplies in the spring. Most stores will mark ice fishing gear down 50-80%. [/font]
[font "Calibri"]11-[/font] [font "Calibri"]A camera flash will recharge your glow-jigs quicker than any other light source.[/font]
[font "Calibri"]12-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Water-proof gloves prevent cold hands while ice fishing on a bucket![/font]
[font "Calibri"]13-[/font] [font "Calibri"]Spring bobbers will help you to catch fish that are biting lightly. Holding on to the pole at all times helps you to “feel” many more bites. [/font]
I am interested in hearing what tips have worked for you. With the Burbot Bash coming up, these can become very useful.
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[lurtch]

a god flasher[fish finder]is neccesarry tools for ice fishing..
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[Cowboy_43]

Well done.
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[Bigdogfishing]

Very nice now all we need is all the secret spots where everyone is catching all the fish...ha ha ha j/k
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[5wtrod]

Thanks UTFSHR!!! If more people like you would help out more people like the rest of us then maybe there wouldn't be so many burbot in the Flaming Gorge eating everything in site. A couple of obvious suggestions:
1 Never leave your license at home
2 Take sunglasses/sunscreen
3 NEVER EVER trust that the ice is thick enough without asking the people on this site first!!!!
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[fsh4fun05]

I've got a question about the camera flash dealio and maybe I can think of an ice fishing tip or trick so I don't hijack your post [crazy].
When recharging plastics is it the intensity of the light or the duration of the light that helps them glow?

My tip: A good pair of scissors is easier than using a pocket knife to cut bait.
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[pgenho]

Wow...some great ideas on common problems...the ice on glides/ fish attractant especially.
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[UTFSHR]

Glow Jigs/Camera

The most common way of making an object glow in the dark is to use chemicals called phosphors to produce light. These kind of glow-in-the-dark objects need to be exposed to light, or charged, in order to glow. The light energizes the phosphors and excites their electrons. As the electrons lose this extra energy, they release it as a light of their own.

The bright, quick light provided from the camera flash excite the electrons quickly and cause them to "react" longer.

So to answer your question, it is the intensity of the light that will cause the jig to glow longer. Many anglers are using small flashlights, which take longer to "excite" the glow jig.
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[Old_Coot]

Great info ... thanks for posting.

I would add that it is best to cut your bait at home rather than out on the ice. But if you cut it at home and then put it back in the freezer until you leave, don't let the cut bait ball up in one corner of the baggie. Best to spread out the cut bait so that each piece is seperat from every other piece so that it don't freeze up all in one big ball.
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[fishguru73]

Tip # 14. Booking a trip to Cabo San Lucas for a full week of bikini clad hotties and ocean angling is a viable option for winter. As soon as one of you can afford to pay my way let me know. [] Great tips UTFSHR. Now if I could just convince my roommate that ice fishing isn't boring. Spoiled him last spring when I took him out to prove that it is possible to land 200 fish or more in a day. Now he says that if there is no room for them to run and they don't fight as much because they're almost frozen, then he would rather play on the computer. Spoiled rotten.[frown]
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[bassrods]

Some times when you freeze your bait it will get soft and not hold on the hook...

To make your bait tougher, pre cut your bait (for burbot fishing) add a non Iodized salt and some crawfish oil in with your bait bag and put back in your freezer till time to go fishing...Works for perch as well...[]
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[liv2hunt]

I usually open my hand and foot warmer packets in the truck about a 1/2 hr before I arrive. That gives them time to activate and warm up before I need them. It sure is nice to have that warm toe patch on, first thing in the morning when it is the cooldest, instead of being cold waiting for it to warm up in your boot.
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[bigbabyfish]

these are the best hand warmers i have ever used. i used to use them all the time ice fishing and winter camping. and since they are re-usable they are the best value out there.. plus they last longer and get hotter.

[url "http://www.hotsnapz.com/index2.html?gclid=CLiYz8D8954CFQwTawodsHIEiQ"]http://www.hotsnapz.com/index2.html?gclid=CLiYz8D8954CFQwTawodsHIEiQ[/url]
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[rippnlips]

Here is a tip that i've used for years that everyone should know.

Everyone knows that perch hang right on the bottom, so to make it easier on yourself go get a Clip on Weight and a red permanent marker

When you first drill a hole attach the clip on weight to your bottom ice fly/jig and let it down your hole. Now once its on the bottom pull your line up tight then pinch the line close to the water. This is the true bottom.

Now wipe the excess water off this spot and then take your red/blue/green permanent marker and color your line.

Now everytime you drop back down the hole you know exactly where your jig is at. If you are perch fishing you can keep that line close to the water level in the hole or raise if up a 1' or 2' for trout.

If you move spots you can rub off the mark pretty easy.

**For trout in most lakes you will almost always catch them on the bottom and down 10-15' in every lake i've fished in Utah. What i do is mark each spot a different color, so if the fish finder shows fish at 15' then you can reel your jigs up right to that level without having to guess!

Promise this will help you catch more fish and make things really easy!

Go whack em!
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[Hooter_Patrol]

Most of us already know how Utah weather is
but there are still a few new comers something every buddy should have in the car / truck / ext.
Safety gear, Rope, first aid kit, blanket, shovel, flares,tow strap , ext.
a change of clothing, it can all be placed in a small bag and stored behind the seat.

It is always good to have year round never know???
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[ESV]

One thing that i take when ice fishing is a hand auger along with my gas auger. Nothing sucks like having a frozen gas line or to break a pull string.
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[SportfishinSteve]

[#0000bf] ....It's best to keep your worms warm and happy in your mouth until needed. [cool][/#0000bf]
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[Coldfooter]

A length of rope (say 50') which can be tossed to someone that fallen through the ice is perhaps the most important thing to carry onto the ice.. A dry change of clothing or coat dont take up a lot of room on a sled and can also be a life saver

I use a selfcontained rechargable spotlight to charge my glow as well as use it to maneuver on, and off, the ice in the dark.
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[fsh4fun05]

Hmmm...I don't know what to say about that.
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[lurtch]

another tip for marking bottom.if you use an open face reel..when your on bottom put line in line holder clip on side of spool..then reel up..
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