Difference in Jigs and Lures?

Bill Winchell from Cannon Falls, MN  asks:

Is there really that much difference in jigs and lures from different manufacturers? Been partial to VMX and Trigger X, but others on the market are cheaper.  I like Rapala but others seem to have copied lure designs. 

Well, the great debate over lures and lure mfrs. has been going on for quite some time.  While I think especially today, any major lure manufacturer puts out products that catch fish, quality in construction is variable.

I look for strong hooks that hold a point, with correct sized gaps for the lure/species targeted.  Paint jobs should hold up to fishing in rocks and hard substrate.  A good clear-coat or hard finish also prevents hooks on certain jigs from spinning within the lead.   

While there are exceptions, the adage "you get what you pay for" holds true for most tackle these days.  Bargain bin sales or heavily discounted jigs tend to be of inferior quality.

Braided Line in the Winter?

Joel King asks:

Do you ever use braid in the winter and if so use a fluorocarbon leader? trying to prevent line twist is my biggest problem when jigging. do you have a certain way you spool your reels each winter? thanks Joel love the website

Braid is great if you're in a heated environment, but doesn't work that well in frigid temps outside.  I used the Sufix 832 in Ghost White for a trip last winter after Whitefish in out of Sturgeon Bay, WI with Captain JJ Malvitz.  JJ mentioned that in the depths they fish, braid is the key!  As for spooling reels, I tend to just lay the line spool flat, either on its face or on its back to see which way the twist builds least. 

You're always going to get some twist and memory via the small spools we use for ice reels.  For active presentations like flutter spoons or other baits that introduce even more twist, a tiny swivel like these VMC Black Stainless Rolling Swivels in a size 12 are super small and helpful

Getting After Lake Trout for the First Time

Mike Carlsen of St. Paul Park, MN writes:

I would like to target lake trout through the ice this year. It's a species I have never targeted and know very little about. I know the basics of using the mndnr lake finder website to look at lake surveys but I am wondering what types of lakes I should be looking for and what resources are available to learn what I can before I head out and try and tackle them? I know the Ely area is a good place to start.

Photo Credit - Ben Larson - In-Depth Media Productions

Well Mike - you've got your work cut out for you, but the great news is that there are a few shortcuts you can employ to get in the game.  

1. Online Research - You've looked at the Lake Finder, and that's a good start, but it's a dizzying array of information, and too much of it to process for the moment.  Spend some time on In-Depthoutdoors.com, lakelink.com, or any host of online forum fishing groups that likely already have the information out there.  If not, post a few questions and get to know the members.  No one will give you their best lake trout lakes, but you can definitely start figuring out general areas that people like to target.
2. Hire a Guide -  Ely area or Gunflint Trail area will have an array of guides to choose from.  There's no shame in hiring a guide, especially to shorten the learning curve!  They will know the area, their quarry, seasonal movements and which baits work best and when.  You could drive north, pay for gas/food/lodging a few times for the same price, but not get nearly the amount of information you could by hiring a local guide in the area you decide to target.  Make it clear that you're not hiring them specifically just to catch fish, but that you're trying to learn all you can about the sport in general.  Be direct, and only hire them if they respect that request.  It's money well-spent.
3. Fisheries Area Office - Spend some time talking with the fisheries office guys, and ask them what internal resources they can share.  They're a wealth of knowledge and often overlooked.
4. DIY - If you decide to give it a shot on your own, pick a reputable area with a lake known for producing numbers more than size.  Get the knack of what it takes to drill out the depths, look for bait, and fish the lures you've purchased.  Be tenacious, realizing that it's not an easy task to just up and go for a new species in an unfamiliar area, but accept the reward being much sweeter for it.

Good luck!

Joel

What's your choice of ice line for crappies and walleye?

Forest Leitch asks:

What's your line of choice for crappie rods and walleye rods?

Sufix Invisiline Ice Fluoro - I like the Ice Magic too and it's a bit cheaper. If you're fishing primarily stained water, save the cash and go Ice Magic. Both hold a good knot, are better than average on abrasion resistance, and more manageable regarding memory than almost all the other lines in their class. 

Packing Up Your Otter

Photo Credit - Ben Larson - In-Depth Media Productions

Featured - Otter X-Over Lodge

Tedd Johnson writes:

Hey Joel do you know of any good tips and tricks videos for packing up and setting up a flip over by yourself? Also collapsing it down, I just got pro xt cabin but having a hard time collapsing it without hitting my head.

Hey Tedd - It's new now, but after a few times, it'll be old hat.  In terms of setup, I pull off the cover and start by pulling out the section that lays on the ground.  Then I get inside and push out the back wall, roof, and forward poles, making sure I hear the "click" on both sides.  For takedown, I like to tuck in the edges and the trim the lays by your feet whenever possible, and just make sure the cover is on snug before heading out and you'll be good to go.  This step is important to keep the snow out of your tub when pulling long distances behind a machine. Good luck!

Which GPS System?

Photo Credit - Ben Larson - In-Depth Media Productions

Brandon Olson of Brooklyn Park Asks:

Hey Joel, I know it's the beginning of summer now and walleye opener is next week but I'm still missing one more thing for next ice season to really give me that edge on finding fish a little bit more accurately. What's a good gps system I could mount or take with me on the atv that will get me within feet of where I want to be? What are you guys running with when your out there? Thanks

I'm used to running an old Lowrance H2O. That said, this coming ice season, I'll have a Marcum RT-9 to mount on the sled or ATV!  In summer testing, I'm happy with the size of the screen and GPS Mapping features offered.  If you're used to the Navionics phone app, you'll have the ability to put in a Navionics card to get the same information in a bigger screen with sonar attached.

The unit is mounted to the soft-pack via a RAM mount, and I'll have a few RAM balls on both my ice vehicles and my hard house wall.  With that in mind, I think this will be the perfect travel-to and destination GPS/Fishfinder for the wheelhouse crowd.  

On the back of the unit, you can plug in 2 sonar, and 1 camera module, which will be the preferred wheelhouse configuration I'll be running.  Plug it into the big-screen TV via the HDMI out on the top of the RT-9, and you can operate a whole shelter's worth of electronics in one unit.  In that way, I think of it more as a shelter resource or command center for the whole house, rather than just an individual sonar unit for a single angler within that house.

Internet, YouTube, and App distractions via the Android table interface the RT-9 is on may help keep my kids out on the ice a bit longer as well!

Best Low-Memory Panfish Line?

Photo Credit - Ben Larson - In-Depth Media Productions

Trevor Hadden of Brighton Michigan Asks:

Hey Joel, it's about that time I start to look at re-spooling my ice rigs, mainly my gill and crappie rigs. I have always struggled finding a good line with low memory. What do you suggest? Thanks

Well Trevor, I'm in the same boat, er....garage.  I know what you mean about memory issues with ice line.  Ice reel spools are smaller, and with most line, especially old line, you end up peeling off coils that are wound tighter than a spring as you watch your jig corkscrew down the ice hole.

I'm a big fan of the Sufix Ice Magic and the Sufix Invisiline Ice Fluourocarbon, with most of my reels having the Fluoro version on.  I really haven't noticed too much extra memory with that pick, but it's important to remember that all line eventually forms to the spool and will become "gritty" and high memory over time.  For that reason, I replace line religiously each and every season at least.  For big trips to premium destinations, I'll re-spool key reels just before so I KNOW I won't be fighting any other factors.  Just me and the fish!