Learning to Love Ice Fishing

The common thread between the two trips was the absence of tip-ups and the presence of electronics. The pack includes an ice transducer and float, and a weatherproof carrying case with room for batteries and a charger. It was the first time Rob had brought his electronics onto the ice with him, and was clearly enjoying watching the fish react to his lure. I took a few turns as well. I could clearly read my jig bouncing along the bottom when, occasionally, a solid yellow-red bar would slide off the bottom to give it a look. Unlike a flasher, the Elite 5HDI left a short history on the screen, so you could see just how you were working a jig when a fish swam up or decided to bite. That day, an aggressive cadence drew the most attention, but slowing down and deadsticking is what triggered the most bites. He quickly reeled his jig to that level, bounced it twice, and hooked a bruiser largemouth bass that put up a serious fight on the micro-light jigging rod. After some pictures, Rob sent the bass back through the ice and said that without his electronics, he’d have never seen and probably wouldn’t have caught, the big bass. For more on Ice Fishing with Electronics: Ice Fishing Electronics Ice Fishing Strategies for White Perch