spinning reel<\/a>. It is also one of the easiest to use, which is convenient for cold weather use where things can become brittle and stiff, including exposed fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother option if simplicity is the priority is a fly fishing reel<\/strong>. With a fly fishing reel, a fish on the line can be fed enough line to run without having to mess with drag, which even a spinning reel must contend with.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe drawback is that fly<\/strong> fishing reels often have inherent drag<\/strong>, which can impede bait from getting down deep enough. When this happens, the fisher must hand lower the bait, which if the area being fished is very deep, can be tiresome.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBecause ice fishing bait is normally dropped into position, any reel that lets line out at a reasonable pace<\/strong> and is a simple retrieve when bringing the bait in will work. The term \u201creasonable pace,\u201d however, is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Baitcasting Reels<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThat term eliminates baitcasting reels <\/strong>for the most part. If the fisher miscalculates the rate of drop the line can get ahead of the spool of line, which can result in a \u201cbird\u2019s nest\u201d knot. Unraveling a bird\u2019s nest in great weather can be frustrating. Trying to do it with gloves on or with bare hands in the cold can be downright maddening.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe only other consideration<\/strong> for an ice fishing reel is the size. It should be big enough to handle larger fish, but not dwarf the rod. A good way to assess the size is to use the same intuition used when selecting a warm water rod and reel. You may not know when you get the perfect fit, but you sure know when a reel or rod is outsized in comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Line<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nJust as you assess the reel size in comparison to the rod, your line should reflect your reel size<\/strong>. If you are using an ultra-light reel, you do not want to have 30 lb-test line as it is too thick. The fact that fish are lethargic and ultra-cautious in cold water should also be kept in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Use A Lighter Line<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nFish caught in cold water<\/strong> don\u2019t fight nearly as hard as those caught during the height of summer heat. That means the strength of fishing line can be significantly less than what would be normal in warmer water.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf an angler uses 8 or 10 lb-test in warmer water<\/strong>, for example, they can easily get away with line that is 4 or 6 lb-test. In some cases, depending on the target fish, fishers can go lower than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Depth Matters<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nBecause ice allows anglers to get to wherever they want on a lake (while following the highest safety standards,) they can fish areas that they might not normally be able to access<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis often means they can fish in deeper water than they normally would fish. As a result, it is a good idea to use light enough line<\/strong> to provide ample room for the bait to reach the bottom of a body of water and more line to let a fish play it out when hooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis serves as another reason to use lighter pound test line. The lighter the line, the more line that can be spooled<\/strong> onto the line spool of a fishing reel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Use Ice Fishing Line<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nYou want to use line that is made for ice fishing<\/strong>. The reason for this is that ice fishing line is treated to prevent freezing. Regular line will freeze and become very difficult to work with and can even become brittle enough to break. With that said, all ice fishing line can freeze if it is cold enough<\/strong>, so making sure your line can withstand the average temperature where you live is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>3. Jigs, Spoons, Live And Plastic Bait<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIce fishing generally entails three techniques<\/strong> regarding bait presentation. There are iterations of presentation, but just about every common ice fishing bait presentation comes in the form of one of these three techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Suspending<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nSuspending bait is exactly as it sounds. A weighted bait is lowered to the bottom of a body of water, then raised off the bottom anywhere from a few inches to several feet<\/strong>. The bait is left in its position to \u201chang\u201d and the ice fisher will \u201ctwitch\u201d it occasionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTo twitch the bait<\/strong>, the angler will use a very short jerking motion, using only enough force to slightly move the bait. A good rule of thumb when twitching, whether fishing in warm or cold water, is to move the bait less than one inch in any direction<\/strong>. The purpose of this is to give the bait the appearance of<\/strong> being alive<\/strong> and consciously choosing to remain suspended in the water column.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Fluttering<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nWith fluttering, the bait is lowered the same way as when twitching but is left to free fall from about 10 feet above the bottom<\/strong>. Once it has settled on the bottom, it is raised slowly every minute or so and allowed to drop, fluttering on its way down.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis mimics a dying baitfish<\/strong>, which sport fish are used to seeing. Baitfish usually die off in large numbers when the water gets cold. As the bait fish dies, it attempts to swim away, but usually is not strong enough except for very short bursts of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSport fish watch these fish and wait for a chance to eat them. When a spoon or jig is fluttered<\/strong>, it resembles those dying fish and often tricks sport fish into biting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Dead Weighting<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nThis method entails dropping the bait and letting it sit on the bottom or just above it<\/strong>. The bait is not moved, except very occasionally. It is not uncommon when ice fishing to let an artificial bait soak in the water motionless for five or even ten minutes. This works because in cold water all fish try and conserve energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBecause of that, fish tend to be very careful <\/strong>of anything that looks like bait and patiently wait and see if the bait appears to be real. If it appears to be authentic, the fish will bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThese three approaches are those most commonly used by ice fishers<\/strong>. Next, let\u2019s discuss the right kinds of lures to use for ice fishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Jigs<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nA jig can be any type of artificial bait that has a hook and some sort of attractant attached to the hook. Most jigs<\/strong> are weighted<\/strong>. To fish them, the jig should be suspended and jerked up and down using various tempos. For example, one of the most popular jigs for bass is the swim jig<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Swim Jig<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nA swim jig has a molded metal head that serves as a weight and usually a skirt of plastic or rubberized tassels<\/strong> attached to the shank of the hook. It is used in warmer water by \u201chopping\u201d it across a bottom or with a slower retrieve that holds the jig at a certain water level but lets the jig fall when the retrieval stops.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOften, a plastic bait like a swimbait or tube<\/strong> is attached to the swim jig. This gives it the added appearance of something that is moving that resembles a swimming animal. Most bass find them irresistible when presented properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA swim jig works<\/strong> for just about any fish. It also works in cold water. When suspended and twitched, a swim jig can be very effective under the ice. When a swimbait or tube is added, while the presentation must be much slower, it can be just as effective when used ice fishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nApart from the swim jig, there are several other types of jigs<\/strong>. These include jigs that use live bait, feathers, yarn, swimbaits with no skirt, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Choosing Your Jig<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nThe essence of jig selection<\/strong> is to realize that if it is presented in a way fish are attracted to it, a jig can be made of just about any combination of materials. Matching the jig to the fish you are pursuing or, if you are open to catching whatever bites, matching what works locally is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPresenting a jig that is completely foreign to the fish in question is a recipe for failure when ice fishing. During peak open water season, hungry fish might go after just about anything. In colder water<\/strong>, however, they stifle their urges and focus their pursuit of bait to what looks familiar and is easy to catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Spoons<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nSpoons also come in all sorts of sizes<\/strong>, shapes and colors. A spoon is exactly what it sounds like. It\u2019s a metal bait that is shaped like the scoop of a spoon. These are used to suspend and jerk, flutter, and even hop off the bottom. The purpose of a fishing spoon is to resemble a flash of reflected light<\/strong> off the side of a baitfish. Therefore, using the spoon in many ways can be productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOne effective method<\/strong> is to use the \u201cdying baitfish\u201d strategy and lift a spoon about six inches off the bottom and let it fall back. Do this once every 20 seconds or so. Another effective tactic is to jerk the spoon up<\/strong> and let it fall to a suspended depth repeatedly. Jerk it up about every 30 seconds (adapt the timing to meet the activity of the fish) and let it fall back to its suspended height.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Live Bait<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nLive bait for ice fishing is as diverse<\/strong> as live bait for warm water fishing. Just about anything that moves or gives off an odor can work. Using insects, worms and baitfish generally found in the area being fished is a good idea so that fish feel they are striking at something familiar.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you plan on using live bait, the most popular approach is to suspend<\/strong> the bait and let it hold its suspense with little interference. As to what works, larvae seem to work worldwide with smaller fish, like panfish. Minnows are popular<\/strong> for larger fish<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRemember to check with a local bait dealer<\/strong> to get live minnow bait that is legal. Some states have restrictions on what type of fish can be used as live bait. Getting caught violating that rule can result in a hefty fine and possibly a suspended fishing license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Plastic Bait<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\nJust about any plastic bait that works in warm water<\/strong> can be used in cold water too. The difference is the speed at which it is retrieved or moved. Fish in cold water tend to watch a lot and only act when they are sure they have an easy meal in front of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPopular ice fishing plastic baits<\/strong> are shorter worms<\/a>, tubes, underwater creatures, swimbaits and insects, and regular 4 and 5-inch worms. There are two ways most ice fishermen use plastic bait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n