Small Details on the Hook

Ice anglers assume many things. I guess we have to. We have to assume some of the basics, if nothing more than for our confidence. We so often jump to conclusions often based on past experiences. We are often right when we evaluate what is actually taking place below the ice. So often, however we are absolutely dead wrong.

Perhaps nothing has taught us more about ice fishing than actually watching the fish and being able to look into the underwater world. There are many clear lakes where an angler can sight fish, that is look down the hole and see everything going on. What a great situation for learning. Sight fishing teaches you so much and an angler has such a better image of what happens by watching. An angler can watch and learn how different lures react to different jigging motions. An angler can get a better understanding of how fish approach a lure, how they react. Not to mention details in the bottom or weed growth that might make some real estate on the bottom of the lake more attractive to fish. Fishing is so many things to us and learning is a big part of fishing.

We can never learn enough about fishing so it would seem that being able to "watch" what is happening would be a good investment. While there are many situations where an angler can look down the hole and see the story, there are also many situations where this picture is impossible. Impossible that is without the aid of electronics.

Vexilars and Aqu-Views have made so many people much better anglers because these devices have taught and will continue to teach us about the little things that happen under the ice...the little things that we might have wrongly assumed without being able to "see" underwater. There was a time when many anglers wrongly assumed that you could just "catch fish" once you find them. This might be true if the fish you find are actually turned on. What about changing patterns; slow periods of the day or abundant forage bases that make fish turn finicky in a hurry. So really finding fish is just half the battle most days, getting fish to bite and catching the biters isn't always as easy as so many anglers make it sound.

Figuring out the little details to get a bite is fairly simple...most of the time. Most anglers know about downsizing, changing baits, lures, jigging motions until something works. The details however that mean the difference between missing a bunch of bites and putting fish on the ice often get overlooked.

Now back to the visual stuff, whether you are site fishing or using a camera, we can see exactly why we miss fish and believe me when I tell you that the truth hurts. We use a Vexilar to catch fish but we also use an Aqu-View to figure out what we are doing wrong when we can't catch fish.

A few years ago on Devils Lake, we had a problem with missing perch one particular day. Nothing worked that we tried, which included the regular downsizing, color changes, etc. Finally, Jim Legacy from the Perch Patrol dropped a camera down. To our utter amazement, the fish were coming up and hitting the backside of the small jigs we were using. We were able to solve the problem by packing more spikes on the backside of the hook, which seemed to turn the fish around and approach the jig from the hook end. We have also noted that fish will often hit the split shot, swivels or line instead
of the hook.

Other times, the fish would come up to the hook and actually pull the spikes or maggots right off the hook. We solved that problem by hooking the spikes through the middle (T boning), as Brian Legacy from the Perch Patrol is fond of saying. Another trick we figured out for really light biting fish was to add one spike to the hook, than slide a tiny treble hook on the hook, just leaving it hang free. A few more spikes where packed on to keep the treble from sliding off. This little trick caught many light biting fish that were "kissing" than spitting out the hook.

So often when fishing minnows for example, we hear so many ways on how an angler should hook the minnow. How or where a minnow should be hooked however can really vary from day to day. We have watched fish come up and suck in the minnow all the way up to the hook, than spit everything out. There are times, depending on how the fish are hitting the minnow when moving the hook in a different position on the minnow's body can be the difference between fishing and catching.

So often, the little differences that separate a bite versus a bite and a hooked lip are small. Some of the reasons why we miss fish are surprising to say the least and often overlooked by anglers.

Editors Note: The author, Jason Mitchell, is a member of Devils Lake's famous Perch Patrol Guide Staff. More information about fishing Devils Lake or the Perch Patrol can be found by calling (701) 351-3474 or check out their website at www.perchpatrol.com

Top Photo: The author, Jason Mitchell, holds up a jumbo Devils Lake perch that was caught by making some slight adjustments to the bait. Bottom Photo: Customers of the Perch Patrol Guide Service, of Devils Lake, with some trophy perch.