“It’s all about the camaraderie” is what 75 percent of ice fishermen will tell you. The other 25 percent are all about the catching. 

Ice fishing is an activity best done with a group of fun people all hanging out on the ice on the weekend. One person brings the grill, another brings the fixin’s. Everyone who has ice fishing gear shows up with jigging poles, tip-ups, augers and bait. 

The more in your party, the more “hardwater” you can cover. Setting up a home base, likely around a grill or campfire, with a nice view of all of the group’s tip-ups is best. When a flag goes up, the kids will shout “Flag up,” and run to it, while Dad, Mom or Grandpa walk slowly behind, knowing speed makes little difference in these circumstances.  

Upon arrival at a flag-up tip-up, the hope is to witness the spool of line spinning quickly as the fish swims away with your bait and hook. Then comes the moment of truth, when you lift the tip-up itself, set the hook with your hands on the line, and pull the fish in and up through the hole. It is a rather exciting process from start to finish when it all goes right.  

In our area, most folks ice fish for panfish or walleye, in search of easy table-fare options. When the first of one of the target species ends up on the ice, it is wise to watch the other holes nearest to that one for more action. As most panfish and walleye are schooling fish, where there is one, there are likely to be more. Sometimes a good plan can be to drill another hole or two near where the first couple of fish are caught, so the focus can be on that specific area.  

That other 25 percent of ice fishermen are likely targeting similar species, but are more about efficiency and gear. They likely have the newest best auger, name-brand jigging poles, a Vexilar or other sonar type device, and likely no tip-ups or live bait. Ice fishing itself can be a gear-heavy sport as it’s done in the winter, so extreme weather gear is a must, as well as the proper fishing equipment that operates in such conditions.  

This group of fishermen is secretive about ice fishing locations and typically has a planned strategy for each outing. They focus on the known structure beneath the ice that is likely to hold fish. They’ll drill a hole, drop their sonar down, fish for a while, and if nothing, move on and try another spot in similar fashion until they find what they’re looking for. The sonar is a newer technology that most serious ice fishermen have. 

With the amount of snow we’ve gotten lately, a shovel is likely an important piece of gear to have when ice fishing. Be sure to know the local regulations for the area you plan to fish. Go with experienced ice fishermen if you’ve never gone, and be sure the ice is a safe thickness. Ask your friends or family for an invite some weekend out on the ice. It’s always a fun experience. Bring a sled, ice skates and hockey sticks for the downtime between fishing action. 

Evan Padua is the owner of Sweetwater Guide Service LLC.