Want to level up your Idaho ice fishing trips? Try these useful tips on gear, techniques

Over the past decade, I’ve fallen in love with ice fishing. Adventures on the hardwater provide an entirely new set of experiences to enjoy and challenges to overcome. Plus, you can fish year-round!

Ice fishing isn’t always easy, though. My first few seasons featured plenty of humbling trips. Working all day for a handful of bites can be a drag (unless the fish of a lifetime shows up at the last minute), but each experience gives you valuable information for your knowledge tackle box — intel that will lead to better results for years to come.

If you’re new to ice fishing or wondering why the heck you aren’t catching more fish, this is the column for you! Here are some useful tips to boost your catch rates:

Five for biting

Idaho allows ice anglers to use up to five rods (at most fisheries). And it’s a good idea to max out your rods. Fish can be finicky eaters under the ice, and having more lines out increases your odds. It also allows you to experiment with different lure styles, colors and baits. Oftentimes, one presentation will outperform the rest — and once you figure that out, you can switch other rods to match.

Feeling flashy

Electronics can help take your ice fishing trips to the next level. There are all kinds of high-end fish finders available these days, but a simple flasher (at least) is a must-have item in my book. Flashers give you an instant depth reading, which is often crucial to finding your target species. They also mark fish in the water column, which tells you where to fish (usually near the bottom, but sometimes much shallower) and reveals how fish are reacting to your lures.

My flasher is a basic Vexilar model, but within weeks of owning it, I echoed a sentiment shared by ice anglers around the world: How did I ever catch fish without one?

To move, or not to move?

Is ice catching simply a matter of moving around the lake until you find fish? Sometimes, yes. With schooling species like perch and bluegill, staying mobile makes a huge difference. In these scenarios, I like to fish one or two “prospecting” holes. If I’m marking fish and getting bites, I’ll stay put and deploy more rods. Otherwise, I’ll keep moving.

During a recent bass/bluegill hunt, my friends and I punched 100 holes in search of our quarry. It was a lot of work, but it paid off (the effort keeps you warm, too). If you’re targeting trout, setting up on a good shoreline and waiting for groups of fish to cruise through is usually an effective strategy. But if the rods go quiet for too long, keep moving.

The right tool for the job

All ice rods and reels are not created equal. You’ll never regret spending a few extra dollars on quality gear, and as you expand your arsenal, be sure your rods fit their intended purposes. I own a dozen ice rods, and they fall into three basic categories: ultralight rods outfitted with wire spring bobber tips and 4-pound line (the perfect tool for hunting panfish and small, light-biting trout); medium-light rods with 6-pound line (great for “dead stick” bait rigs and suited for mid-sized species); and medium-heavy rods paired with upgraded, higher-capacity reels and 10-to-15-pound line for targeting trophy-sized fish (Mackinaw trout are the most common ice monsters in Idaho).

You could theoretically hook a perch on heavier tackle, and you’d have a puncher’s chance of landing a giant on a noodle rod, but matching your gear with your intended quarry gives you a huge advantage on the ice.

These tips should help you put more fish topside this winter, but nothing beats hands-on experience. Dozens of frozen lakes are out there, waiting to sharpen our skills. I’ll see you on the ice. Tight lines!

Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.