Ice Fishing Tips For Catching More Panfish With Spoons
Spoons are one of the best ice fishing lures for catching panfish. These attention-grabbing baits are easy to use and extremely effective throughout winter. Here are nine tips for fooling yellow perch, crappie, bluegills and other panfish on ice fishing spoons.
1. JIG HIGHER
When first fishing a new ice hole, it’s a good idea to jig a spoon down incrementally towards bottom. This prevents bypassing suspending panfish. Working the spoon up high also makes it visible to a greater number of fish.
Another reason for this strategy is active panfish will swim up to strike the spoon. This an ideal scenario because it lets you hook fish without spooking the school, which helps keep more catchable panfish under your hole for longer. If the bite wanes, drop the spoon into the school and you’ll start catching fish again in no time.
2. POUND BOTTOM
Stirring up bottom with a spoon is another reliable panfish tactic. Bottom commotions make perch, crappie and bluegills curious. To them, silt clouds are often associated with potential meals as these disturbances can be caused by other fish feeding or a vulnerable minnow or crayfish trying to escape a predator.
A couple of smacks with the spoon is all it takes to mud-up the bottom. Then, raise the spoon a foot from bottom to get it out of the turmoil and start jigging.
3. TRIGGER AGGRESSIVE STRIKES WITH FLASH AND FLUTTER
The Tingler, Origami Blade and other spoons capable of producing high flash and lots of fluttering action appeal to aggressive fish. A fluttering spoon’s slower drop also keeps it in the strike zone longer and, as a result, can elicit reaction strikes from neutral and inactive panfish.
Don’t default to downsized tactics involving ice jigs and finesse movements without first trying faster presentations with more sizeable spoons. The results may surprise you!
4. SPOONS FOR LESS AGGRESSIVE PANFISH
Neutral panfish have a hard time resisting the Tumbler, Flash Champ, Bull and Rattle spoons. Use big jigging strokes to attract panfish. Then, switch to hopping, shaking and pausing the spoon to draw strikes.
Be sure to have the Rocker Spoon in your collection for especially tough bites and inactive fish. A lift-fall jigging sequence makes this spoon produce ample flash and action. When panfish get within striking distance, switch to triggering moves. Keep things subtle to ensure the glow resin Octopus hook swings tantalizingly on the dropper chain to convince lock-jawed panfish to open up and bite.
5. THE RIGHT SPOON FINISH CAN TRIGGER MORE BITES
Panfish can be picky when it comes to colour. You’ll find certain spoon finishes can be better than others at different times.
Metallic finishes and reflective fleck patterns, like glow chartreuse shiner, are must-haves. These can be especially effective in clear water.
If you’re a fan of crappie, be sure to have some glow spoons in your collection for the night bite. Jigging spoons with bright UV finishes are also panfish ice fishing essentials.
6. TIPPING AND TRICKING ‘EM OUT
Spoons become more deadly when tipped with live-bait or scented soft-bait. Replacing the spoon’s factory treble hook with a Bladed Hybrid Treble or a Glow Resin Treble is another reliable modification for improving a lure’s strike-triggering potential.
7. USE THE RIGHT ROD
Jigging with a quality ice fishing rod made for the weight of lure you’re fishing is key to consistently catching panfish. Too soft of a rod tip can mute jigging maneuvers and make the lure less effective. A rod too heavy and stiff can also cause trouble, dampening feel and bite detection.
Ultra-light and light rods from the Snitch, WidowMaker and TickleStick ice fishing rod collections are well suited for spoon presentations for panfish. These rods are sensitive, responsive, balanced and comfortable to fish.
8. GET BETTER RESULTS WITH QUALITY ICE FISHING LINE
Advance Ice Monofilament and Advance Ice Fluorocarbon in 3- or 4-pound test will perform flawlessly when fishing spoons for panfish. Your angling style and ice fishing line preferences will influence whether you use fluorocarbon or monofilament, but you won’t go wrong picking either of these two dependable ice fishing lines.
9. STOP SPOON SPIN
Spoons sometimes spin on the fall and when reeled up quickly. To prevent line twist issues, attach the spoon to a snap-swivel. Another option is tying a swivel 18 inches or so above the lure.
If you’re looking for a reliable way to increase the number and size of panfish you catch when ice fishing, using spoons more frequently is a step in the right direction. You’ll find all the spoons mentioned in this blog at rapala.ca. Lures are available individually as well as in convenient 3-spoon kits, along with plenty of other essential ice fishing gear.