There are numerous ways to catch fish through the ice. Once you find what works best for that exact moment, you are fishing for whatever species you are after. Then bingo, you’ve solved the fish puzzle for one day, because tomorrow, that puzzle might change.

Adapting is key. You must be ready for all types of situations and species to have a successful day. I go ice fishing to catch fish. Here are some fine presentations that I use, and you can, too!

Jiggling one up

Everyone knows how to jig, but do they know how to jiggle? My late father Poppee was a jiggling master. His ice rod was always dancing. He would jiggle on the up…and jiggle on the down. Somewhere in between, he would set the hook.

Not all rods are created equally for jiggling. Too stiff a rod and you’re just jigging; too soft of a rod and you’re floating or fluttering. Sometimes, though, jigging or floating is better than jiggling; it’s not an exact science.

Every ice lure ever made can be jiggled, but some work better than others. A lure like a Custom Jigs & Spins (CJS) Demon creates a symphony when jiggling. You can jiggle it, slowly raise your rod and then jiggle it back, Poppee style. You can tip it with a few spikes, wax worms or a plastic body for added action and attraction. While the Demon comes in five sizes for all species of fish, you just can’t beat jiggling a size 8 Wonderglow Demon tipped with a few waxies for giant crappies.

Drop speed

Drop speed is a technical term used to overcomplicate the process of ice jig selection. Basically, if Sir Issac Newton was an ice fisherman, he would be all over it. Drop speed is the time it takes for your lure to drop a specific distance. According to Sir Issac, the ice fisherman, “The force that pulls your jig to bottom is the same force that keeps the moon in orbit around the earth, or F = G*((m sub 1*m sub 2)/r^2).” In other words, a heavier lure falls faster in water than a lighter lure…even in murky water.

According to master jig designer, Cousin Chekai, fast is good. And when you’re talking dropping speeds, Chekai agrees with Mr. Newton: If you want to get to hungry fish faster, you better be using tungsten.

That being said, Custom Jigs & Spins offers many original, effective designs in both lead and tungsten to cover all the speeds. Case in point, the new Puki is a tungsten version of the Demon, the Wolfinkee is the tungsten Ratfinkee, the Glazba is the tungsten Diamond jig, the Tutso is the tungsten Ratso, and the Chekai is the tungsten ‘Gill Pill.

It’s a good idea to have several rods rigged with both tungsten as well as lead ice jigs to determine whether the fish want a slower or quicker drop speed.

Pounding

Pounding is speed jigging with a heavier lure. Tungsten lures are great for pounding. Also, using a stiffer rod and tight lining to the lure is more effective than using a spring bobber on the end of your rod.

The tungsten Majmun is an excellent choice for pounding. It has a round head, an ultra-sharp hook that rides at a 30-degree angle and an excellent paint scheme. Because the hook shank is a little longer than most other jigs, you can load it up with spikes (I like the red ones).

St. Croix Rods 28-inch Croix Tungsten Tamer is perfect for pounding tungsten. Its extra fast tip is ideal for pounding and bouncing Majmuns and other tungsten ice jigs. The key to effective pounding is a tight line and a constant rapid pounding motion as you raise and lower the rod tip. You don’t want the fish to come in and stare…you want to aggravate them into striking.

Deadsticking

There is a lot more to deadsticking than meets the eye. And if you want to meet a lot of walleyes, crappies and perch, then you’d better add deadsticking to your arsenal, because sometimes, deadsticking is the only way to fill a bucket!

I like a soft rod for deadsticking that will bend all the way down to the ice hole as my rod sits in a holder attached to my bucket. I fish a lot in Wisconsin where you can use three lines, so I jig with one and set two deadsticks in holders on buckets.

A dorsal-hooked minnow will attract crappies, perch, walleyes and more! I use a size 6 or a size 4 Demon and set it 6 to 12 inches off bottom. If it’s windy (putting a bend in your line between the rod tip and the ice), or I’m fishing water deeper than 10 feet, I’ll use one of the new tungsten Puki Spoons set the same way.

A lot of guys use tip-ups, automatic hook setters, etc. I prefer the deadstick. There is something about watching a rod bend, a reel screaming and a fat perch or walleye on the end of the line!

Give jiggling, pounding and deadsticking a try on your next ice fishing trip…and check your drop speed!

Looking for some new fishing techniques to try this season? You’ll find plenty of suggestions in every issue of MidWest Outdoors. Subscribe on our website.