If you’re after panfish through the ice, Walt Matan says to mix it up by trying both lead and tungsten jigs to see which performs best for the conditions you are fishing.

Chuck Thompson (aka the Legend) once told me that he employed 16 different jigging motions until he found the hot one for the exact time on the lake he was ice fishing; but at any given moment, that could change. So, if you are using jigging motion #4, you’d better be ready to switch to motion #9, or you will miss the bite window. Unfortunately, I couldn’t even remember jigging motion #1.

Nowadays, with the advances in fish finding technology—flashers, underwater cameras, Livescope and 360-degree viewing—every angler with money to blow on technology can be a fish-catcher in short order. Electronics allow you to find the fish and then see how they react to your jig or spoon. That’s when a good selection of lure choices comes into play.

During open water-season last year, I focused on panfish a lot more than I have in the past. I mostly fished rivers, flowages and small lakes. They all had one thing in common: trees were the main form of structure and cover that bluegills and perch used. Sometimes, they would be hiding in the thickest portions; other times, they moved out a ways to feed, but were ready to retreat should a predator arrive.

My most effective jigs were made of tungsten. They got down quickly. I was able to keep a tight line and, baited up with a redworm, fish gobbled them up. The jigs I used were the Custom Jigs & Spins 5mm and 7mm Chekai and the size 8 Glazba.

A tiny tungsten jig will drop quicker than the same-sized lead version, allowing you to work the water column more efficiently. Drop speed is a key attraction factor to feeding fish. Too fast, and you spook them. Too slow, and they swallow it, and you have gut-hooked fish. Size, shape, color and motion needs to be perfected.

Some of the greatest ice jigs of all time are made from spoons hand-soldered with lead to a hook, and then hand painted. They have caught tons of panfish over the years. These jigs have one big advantage over tungsten: a natural fluttering action on the fall. With just a flick of the wrist or a constant bobbing motion, you can attract fish in from a distance and get them to strike.

Tungsten is productive when you are fishing shallow bluegills on a windy day, out in the open; the wind gusts and your line is blown all over the place when using a tiny lead ice jig. Switch to a similar size in tungsten and your line will straighten right out, making it easy to detect strikes.

When difficult conditions arise and panfish are burrowed in the weeds, a 4 mm or 4.5 mm tungsten jig will pound through the weeds and get to the bottom where the big ‘gills and perch are hiding. When panfish are deep, a 5mm, 1/12-ounce tungsten jig will get you down to the 20-, 30- and 40-foot depths very quickly, back to the aggressive school.

The Majmun has a round head and a long-shank hook, making it great for adding plastic like the Wedgee. The new JaJe is a tungsten fly whose hackles are always in motion. And the new Glazba is a diamond jig with a diamond chip on the nose! All of these jigs have high-gloss finishes, paint-free eyes and super-sharp Japanese hooks that ride at a 30-degree angle for instant hooksets.

But don’t give up on lead! These jigs still have a place in your tackle box. In many cases, they will outperform tungsten, especially in shallow water. A big bluegill will try to suck in the bait from 2 to 3 inches away. If there is any resistance at all, it will spook and dash away. If this happens to you, it’s best to drop your rod tip a few inches and then set the hook.

So, this winter, mix things up and try some old-school lead and new-school tungsten jigs to put more fish on the ice. And use your electronics to see the action in real time down below the ice. Watching the movement of the jig and the reaction of the fish, to me, is priceless!

Learn more about the best gear for successful ice fishing in the winter issues of MidWest Outdoors, available by subscribing on our website.