Much of Illinois is experiencing its first “real” winter in years, which means ice anglers are warming up to the idea of drilling holes and trying to pull panfish, walleyes and pike through the ice. It’s also a dangerous time for the inexperienced anglers.
Every day on the lake will be different, but following a simple strategy can boost your ice fishing odds for success.
Simple tips to avoid a cold dunking and to enjoy the hard water
The ice formula guru, “Tackle” Terry Tuma answers the toughest angling questions from rank-and-file outdoorsmen for this winter’s hottest sport on hard water.
Safety! Safety! Safety! Ensure that you’ll enjoy the great outdoors for years to come by taking proper hard-water precautions with this essential gear.
When winterizing your fishing reels be sure to loosen the drag to preserve the washers.
Take advantage of the warm autumn and potentially late ice-up by pursuing hungry black and white crappies
A versatile tool many fishermen grew up using because of the ease and convenience, the snap swivel, as it turns out, can be a handy fishing tool
Learn to run spinner rigs and you’ll catch more fishing throughout the open-water angling season.
Use your electronics to identify fruitless water and then locate active fish.
Anglers everywhere are fishing from new-fangled kayaks. A few simple equipment choices can determine whether you bring fillets home.
From bass to pike to walleyes to panfish, altering your methods from day to day, even minute to minute delivers better angling results.
During the open water angling season, you can achieve longer casts with these tips from “Tackle” Terry Tuma.
Preventative maintenance on ice fishing gear makes for faster preparation, and it could save you a ton of money!
Too many anglers associate perch fishing with hard water when summer can produce jumbo action for kids and adults alike.
Larger panfish will seek deeper depths during the long, warm-water days of summer.
Stop visiting the same old community ice angling holes, and venture out to locate new honey holes away from the noise and crowds.
The idea of consistently putting panfish on the ice with soft plastics has become more than just an experiment.
Shelters, clothing, rods, reels, tackle, and more. Time to prepare for the hard-water fishing season.
The rate at which your lure descends through the water column plays a major role in the efficiency of your fishing – over hard water or soft.
The turnover is a big change that especially affects deeper lakes, but remember that fish still need to eat!
Docks draw baitfish on sunny days; baitfish draw bass
Hit the water now to enjoy comfortable autumn fishing conditions and catch active walleyes.
Research lake and river maps, review your GPS, prepare your tackle, and explore the DNR and other pertinent websites, so you can hit the water ready to fish.
Learn how to set up your fishing electronics to become a more successful angler
From livewell to fillet table, properly handling freshwater gamefish can make or break your fish dinner.
