Joe Henry uses a combination of jigging rods and dead sticks to either trigger or tease walleye response.

It’s called the “one-two punch” when ice fishing: Jigging one line and dead sticking— basically suspending a live minnow under a bobber—on the other. The jigging line attracts active walleyes. When walleyes turn to a more neutral mood, the dead stick can be the hottest stick in the fish house. Success with a dead stick isn’t just about hanging a live minnow under a bobber. By really paying attention and dialing in some nuances, a dead stick can be your liveliest stick.

Traditional dead stick

The most common setup is a plain hook or an ice jig with a minnow hooked just under the dorsal fin, suspended under a bobber set at about a foot off the bottom. This setup catches a lot of walleyes, but when the fish are not reacting very well to this presentation, mix it up.

Raise it up

After dozens of hours watching fish react to my presentations on my Vexilar, there have been numerous times I would set my rod down to grab something, oftentimes with my lure hanging three feet off the bottom. I would watch a red line rise slowly off the bottom to eat my suspended offering. Walleyes are used to feeding up or even sliding up in the water column to catch minnows. Sometimes, it can be very effective, and almost triggering, to have your live minnow on your dead stick set higher up in the water column, vs. the 6 inches to a foot off bottom, which is a normal starting spot for many anglers.

Color

Color absolutely makes a difference and can change from hour to hour based on snow cover, cloud cover and the angle of the sun. When you are fishing with another angler, try different colors until you figure out what the walleyes want that day. The slightest details, such as the color of your hook, will make a difference.

In stained water, gold, glow and bright colors are good bets. In clear water, silvers and more natural colors are good starting points.

Dead stick lures

A plain jig head with a minnow will work well some of the time, but there are other options.

The Jig-O-Bit uses a Kahle hook attached to a lead head in a variety of colors. With a live minnow, it hangs nicely. The Demon is a well-known crappie bait that, in larger sizes, does well for walleyes and saugers. Something about that lure just works. The Danlure jig is a unique jig that has a swivel between the lead head and the hook, allowing the minnow more freedom to swim at a different angle. Sometimes, this nuance has been the ticket.

There are lots of options. Some dead stick baits have propellers, small spinners, UV glow paint, glitter, rattles, a single hook, treble hooks, beaded trebles, etc. Again, experiment until you find out the preference on that day or for that particular body of water.

Good electronics really help the process of deciding to change lures or to keep on what you have. If fish are coming through and not reacting positively to your offering, it is time to change things up.

Change the flavor

Walleyes can be particular. One day they prefer fatheads, the next day, it has to be emerald shiners; on other days, a good rainbow will do the trick. Bring at least a couple of different options of minnows and try to have both options down in the same fish house if you are fishing with a partner or two. The walleyes will tell you what they prefer.

Size does matter

Size can relate to the ice jig you are using. At times, walleyes will prefer something larger, as it is a bigger target, acts differently and makes more noise. A larger jig can also have a different action, as the minnow cannot roam as freely. In other cases, when you jig it, you can bang it on the bottom, which can cause the fish to become active.

Size also matters when considering bait. Some days, the fish prefer a larger minnow. On other days, especially when in a neutral mood, they prefer a very small minnow. Experiment and figure out what the fish want that given day—or even hour.

Hook that minnow

The most common way to hook a minnow is just under the dorsal fin. Another nuance is to clip off half of the tail of the minnow, which changes the vibration of the swimming minnow.

Some anglers will hook the minnow through upper lip of the mouth, giving it a different look. Others will hook the minnow back by the tail, but on the bottom or underbelly of the minnow. This causes the minnow to sit upside down and work hard to upright themselves, which can trigger a bite.

Remove the bobber

Many years ago on Lake of the Woods, one of the anglers fishing with me was a long-time guide and resident of the area. Instead of using a bobber on his dead stick line, he had a fairly flexible tip on the end of his rod and would lay his rod over a bucket with the minnow set at the desired depth. Instead of watching the bobber, which can be difficult to detect the light bites, biting walleyes would lower his rod tip just the slightest bit. He would pick the rod up slowly, feel just a bit of weight and nail them.

The thought process is that when the fish are just breathing on the minnow, the bobber isn’t as sensitive as a flexible rod tip. He out-fished the other two of us in the house that day with his dead stick alone. It made me wonder how many times a walleye hit my bobber line and I didn’t notice. I now lay my dead stick line over a 5-gallon pail or on a bench next to me, where I can see the tip move when a walleye or sauger breathes on my bait.

Dead sticks do not receive the attention the jigging line does, but there are many days when a dead stick can be the most productive rod in the fish house.

You’ll find more great ice fishing insight in the winter issues of MidWest Outdoors, available by subscribing on our website.