Walleye fishing can be very challenging, especially when ice fishing. This is never more true than when you are ice fishing in waters that are heavily fished.
Many of the Walleye under the ice are wise, having been hooked before. This does not mean you can not be successful under these circumstances, just that you must optimize the chances of landing the fish. There are many ways to do this. Increasing the number of holes you drill and fish will increase your chances of finding the spot where the school of Walleye are hiding.
Another tactic is to set up tip ups located at different depths, to determine exactly where the fish are at depth wise. This can help you determine whether to raise or lower the depth, depending on where the fish are suspended in the water.
A jigging spoon or a jigging Rapala can have very successful results in ice fishing. Rapala lures are commonly effective when ice fishing.
Remember that the metabolism of the fish is slower during the cold winter months, and this means being a little more patient.
You can try different types of bait and lures to see what works best in the area. Sometimes brighter colors work better in this situation because of the low light and the thick ice. The bright colors and slower movement are more likely to catch the attention of the Walleye. If you have a fish finder or sonar equipment, you can locate the fish before you start fishing.
This is half the battle, because you can not catch them until you can find them and present the bait. The top layer of fish in the water are generally the most willing to bite, but the big ones are usually located close to the bottom.
Using a tip up that completely covers the ice hole can give you an advantage when ice fishing for Walleye. Some circular tip ups completely cover the hole drilled in the ice. This prevents freezing, and higher amounts of light hitting the water from scaring the Walleye away.
Another method is to use different baits on each tip up, so that you can easily pinpoint what baits and lures will work best on the specific day and situation. Morning and evening are the best times to catch Walleye, and taking advantage of these times will make it more successful. Heavily fished waters may contain fish that are thinned and spread out. All Walleyes eat and migrate around the same time of the day and year, and this is normally at dawn and dusk.
A variety of bait offered will ensure that you find exactly what the fish want. This will greatly increase your chances of catching your limit, regardless of how well fished the waters are.
Ice fishing for Walleye can be challenging, but that is half the fun.
Another tip is to head off away from the crowds and popular fishing spots, and look in some of the most unlikely of spots.
You may just come away with your limit.
Andrew Martinsen loves to fish for walleye. His multimedia Walleye Fishing Secrets Guide shows you effective ways to put yourself on more fish.
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