Ice Games

Having just returned from my third ice-fishing outing of 2011, I'm more intrigued than ever by the game of pulling fish through holes in the ice. It's partly a novelty thing, I suppose. Living in Georgia, where hard freezes and snowfalls are major events, I'm amazed by the fixed white landscapes and by the idea of driving out onto the lake on a snowmobile, a pick-up truck or one of the WWII-looking track vehicles used on Lake of the Woods. My interest goes far beyond novelty, though. I enjoy the many games of ice-fishing.

First there's the cat-and-mouse game. Say I'm jigging a Northland Macho Minnow and watching my bait's every movement on a MarCum Showdown. When another mark suddenly appears beneath my bait and starts moving up, that is a fish that is showing interest. At that point I have to figure out how to prompt that fish to strike. Some ice veterans choose to keep the bait moving slowly away from the fish to cause the fish to chase. Others opt to jiggle the bait more in hopes of prompting a reaction strike. Still others resist any movement at that point in the game. All continue to watch the fish and adjust their presentations based on what they fish show them.

Of course, the way fish's response is an aspect of another game. If it shows interest but never quite commits, I'm forced to consider whether my presentation spooked the fish or whether I'm using the wrong size, color or style of lure. Often it takes a few players to begin to figure out what the fish are wanting that day.

Then there's the "stay or go" question. Some anglers believe in holding tight if they think an area is good - remaining patient trusting fish to move through. Others prefer to do more searching, moving from hole to hole, watching with the electronics and paying close attention to which holes produce the most action.

Of course the most important game is that of choosing the location. Being an ice-fishing novice and having done all my trips with tournament pros and guides who have years of experience, I've stayed out of those decisions. I've asked plenty of questions, though, and it's interesting to hear the thought processes. The fact is that fish relate to the same types of rockpiles, points, weedbeds and such under the ice as they do in the open water, and most holes in the ice that look like they are in the middle of nowhere are where they are for a specific reason.

The list of games could continue, but for me more ice play will have to wait until next winter. For now, the bass and bream are moving up in the ponds near home, and the trout are waiting to be caught.