Bro gives valuable insight on how to make you a better ice fisherman.

November and December are the cloudiest months of the year, with both months averaging around 18 days of cloudy weather. Once January arrives, the clouds largely leave and clear skies and bitter cold are more the norm in the northernmost parts of the ice belt.

The good news is the ice is usually thick enough for vehicle traffic by January in my part of the country, which allows anglers to spread out on the lakes. Deep snow and ice heaves are the two most likely obstacles for anglers to deal with in January.

Well, along with cold and a tough bite for most species of fish. Fish still have to eat, regardless of the weather and the ice conditions. The midwinter blues often include extra finicky and sluggish fish that will barely move the tip of your rod if you get them to bite.

I like to use the super sensitive Quicktip 25-inch Bro Series Rod that I designed for Frabill. I pair it with a 371 Straightline reel spooled with 2-pound test line for panfish. This gives my lures the most natural presentation possible. By using straightline reels, anglers reduce lure spin, which often spooks finicky fish.

Seeing is believing when the bite is tough. Some anglers are hooked on sight fishing, but that only works when the fish are shallow and the water is clear enough for anglers to see the bottom.

Anglers who sight-fish also have be in a house that is completely dark inside and use an extremely short rod, so they can sit over the top of their holes and look down into the water to see their lure and the fish.

This truly can be a recipe for a sore back and tough fishing, but anglers can still see the bites with their own eyes in another way. And they don’t have to fish shallow water from a completely dark fish house, either.

Employing the new generation of underwater cameras is like sight fishing only better. You don’t have to lean over the hole trying to see the bites and you still know when to set the hook. When I first started using an Aqua-Vu camera way back in 1997, the cameras were a super cool innovation and everybody wanted one. The problem was the units were in black and white, heavy, and awkward to use. The cables were also a problem. They would get tangled and catch on the ice when anglers tried to move from hole to hole without first wrapping up the cable.

The old cameras were good for seeing the bottom, but the picture was not very clear and the cameras were not very user friendly.

Fortunately, technology keeps evolving and cameras have come a very long way.  The Aqua-Vu Micro 5 Pro Revolution underwater camera, for example, is compact and delivers a clear color picture. Portable and easy to handle, they can take the ice angler to the next level. The Micro 5 fits in the palm of your hand. With its high-definition camera and a built-in reel to wind up and let out the cord it’s fast and easy to use.

If you like ice fishing for panfish, you’ll love the January issue of MidWest Outdoors magazine, available now on newsstands or by subscribing on our website.