Ice fishing can be pretty darned simple. Drill a hole, drop a baited hook and wait for a fish to bite. It really can be that simple if you’re just starting. But like all fishing, there are more ice fishing skills you can learn to catch more fish, and those skills can come from trial-and-error experience or learning from experts.
If you’re brand new to ice fishing and want to learn more, including ice fishing safety, see our ice fishing webpage.
It should come as no surprise that Idaho Fish and Game fisheries biologists like to fish, and they’re pretty good at it. Fortunately for novice and experienced anglers, they’re also willing to share their knowledge.
We asked biologists and other Fish and Game staff to share some of their best ice fishing tips to make your next trip more productive, and they delivered. So without further rambling, here they are:
Preparing to go and picking a fishing spot
Rig your rods and tip-ups while you are still at home. It’s always easier in the warmth of your house rather than on the ice. A five-gallon bucket works well to keep rods/tip-ups organized, and a sled is a great way to transport your gear onto the ice. Andy Dux, Panhandle Regional Fisheries Manager
Download a boating navigation app with maps of the lake you are fishing. Maps often show bottom contours of the lake (like a topographic map) so you can identify major features like points, humps, ledges or flats where fish might congregate. The map can also give you an estimate of the water depth. Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinatorbites. Joe Kozfkay, State Fisheries Manager
When fishing is on fire, it can be hard to manage multiple rods, but there’s no reason not to do it. But when the bite is slow, you can maximize your coverage by maximizing the number of rods you have out. The limit is five per angler. Kevin Meyer, Principal Fisheries Research Biologist
Use a double-surgeon’s knot to fish multiple hooks. This is a very easy knot to learn and is an easy way to add a second, or third hook without the need for extra tackle. Cut an 18-inch section off your line, and tie in the double surgeon’s knot. Then tie a jig to the “tag” of the surgeon’s knot that faces the end of the line. Add a second jig to the very end of the line below it. Fishing two smaller jigs on the same line can help reach the bottom quicker, and can help detect light bites by keeping the line a bit tighter. Plus, you can fish different colors, depths, or baits at the same time to figure out what’s working more quickly. Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinator
If using multiple rods, actively fish one of them. Fish will often hit the jigged rod more than the stationary sets, but there are also times when a stationary presentation does better. Kevin Meyer, Principal Fisheries Research Biologist
Vary your jigging style from less active to more active, or bigger lifts to smaller lifts, until you find a movement pattern that seems to work best. Sometimes fish like to hit your jig when you are lifting it, so try frequently lifting the jig several feet at a time, then go back to the start and try again. Kevin Meyer, Principal Fisheries Research Biologist
Vary your depth of jigging; most people jig at or near the bottom, but there are times, especially with trout, when mid-column, or even surface fishing (just under the ice) works better. Kevin Meyer, Principal Fisheries Research Biologist
If you are fishing multiple rods and can only jig one of them, periodically switch which rod you are jigging, or at least make the rounds to move them all a little bit with a couple jigs of the rod. If one rod isn’t working well with active jigging, switch to actively jigging another rod. Sometimes you will see a bite on a stationary rod that you just jigged a few times and set back down. Kevin Meyer, Principal Fisheries Research Biologist
When attempting to land a big fish, stick your ice fishing rod into the ice hole to prevent the line from breaking off on the sharp ice at the bottom edge of the hole. Eric Stark, Natural Resource Program Coordinator