How To Beat The Finicky Midwinter Bite

The ice fishing season’s midwinter period has a “tough bite” reputation. During this time fish can be less active and more fickle about striking baits compared to the phases of early and late ice. As is so often the case with fishing, to be successful in midwinter anglers must adjust tactics and customize presentations based on the moods of the fish. Here are 7 tips to help you beat the midwinter blues this hard-water season.

Lures tipped with live-bait consistently trigger more bites from reluctant fish than presentations without the added scent and taste of live-bait — and nowhere is this more true than during midwinter. For most fish species, it’s hard to go wrong adding a fresh minnow head to the treble hook of a Jigging Rap, spoon or jig. Also effective is tipping a Tungsten Mongo Jig, a Waxy Jig or another finesse ice jig with maggots for coaxing strikes from hesitant crappie, perch and bluegills.

Tip: Store live-bait properly to keep it fresh and protected from the cold. A Bait Bucket and a Bait Puck are useful items for this job. Also, always be sure to check regional municipal guidelines when using live bait.

Fishing the maximum number of lines allowed per angler is advantageous when planning to stay in an area. Doing so covers more water and will increase the number of fish you catch in midwinter.

Deadsticking a minnow on a jig or a drop-shot rig is a dependable set-line strategy. An example of a walleye combo for this method is a 13 Fishing WidowMaker Deadstick Ice Rod, Kalon spinning reel and 6-pound Sufix Advance Monofilament. For panfish, use a TickleStick rod, Kalon reel and 2- to 3-pound test line for jigs tipped with a small minnow or maggots.

A Thermal Tip-Up is another set-line essential. Their circular, insulated design covers the hole and, thus, prevents snow and ice accumulation. A Thermal Tip-Up is very popular for presenting a dead sucker, cisco, shiner or mackerel on a quick-strike rig for northern pike and other predators. See this blog for more pike tip-up tactics. This device is just as useful for live minnow and jig offerings.

Using a small presentation can tease bites out of reluctant fish. A walleye attracted to, but unwilling to hit, a 05 Jigging Shad Rap may willingly strike a smaller 03 size without hesitation, for instance.

Tungsten baits are also handy for downsizing. The density of tungsten results in these lures having a smaller profile than a lead offering of the same weight. Good picks include the Tungsten Chandelier Jig, Tungsten Wax Tail Jig and Tungsten Mongo Jig.

A Rocker Spoon is a potent offering for fussy yellow perch, crappie, bluegills, walleye and whitefish. Available in 5/16 and 3/16 ounces, these dropper spoons sink quickly into the strike zone and produce plenty of flash and flutter to attract fish — and when a fish gets within striking distance, the snack-sized glow resin Octopus hook dangling on the dropper chain seals the deal.

Since convincing fish to strike can be challenging during midwinter, it’s wise to be strategic about the times you choose to go ice fishing. This can be as simple as focusing efforts for walleye and crappie at dawn and dusk as these are consistent times for each of these species to actively feed. Another practice is planning outings to coincide with the solunar calendar’s peak fishing times.

By midwinter, popular ice fishing spots will have received plenty of angling pressure. This can make catching fish extra difficult from these areas, and why community holes are best avoided whenever possible.

Trekking into a remote lake containing less pressured fish can be worthwhile, but you don’t always need to go far. On popular lakes, it’s not uncommon for fish to relocate just far enough to get away from the zone of heavy fishing pressure. Find rocky fingers, sand bars, reefs, soft-bottom flats and other spots neighbouring ice hut villages and other communal fishing spots, and you’ll likely find fish more willing to bite.

As much as midwinter brings ice fishing challenges, try not to get discouraged during a tough bite.

Fish need to eat in winter, and therefore can be caught. Keeping a positive mindset and staying focused will ensure you’re ready to react when the next feeding window starts, and will help you catch more fish in the long run.