Minnesota Fishing Articles Section: Ice Trolling For Northern Pike In Minnesota Jeff Sundin

Choosing the right lake is just as important as choosing the best fishing locations on the lake. The first key to finding larger Pike during early ice will be the presence of large baitfish that inhabit the shallow water during late fall and briefly during early ice. Late season spawners like Whitefish and Tulibee (Northern Cisco) linger in their spawning areas for a brief time after ice up and you can bet that large Pike won’t be too far from the kitchen. Find the food and you’ll find the fish. So planning your trip begins in the fall, before the ice forms. A little research will help you narrow down your choices. The fastest way to locate lakes with good populations of Tulibee or Whitefish is a phone call to the DNR Regional Fisheries Office or a session on the Lakefinder Section of the Minnesota DNR web site. This will help get you pointed toward the better lakes. Many of the local resort and bait shop operators know where to find Tulibee in the area and these folks can be really helpful too.

Now that you’ve laid some groundwork, getting ready to fish is a snap! A few tip ups, a jigging rod or two and for early ice, I’d recommend a hand auger, remember those? Stikemaster has a very handy Lazer hand unit that cuts through the ice like butter. These are perfect because it’s important to keep the weight of your equipment down so you’ll be ready to move often and get set up quickly. Another handy item for early ice is a pair of cleats that can be strapped onto your boots. You can cover ground much more quickly with a good grip.

The system is what I’d call "Ice Trolling" and it’s an aggressive action oriented game plan that keeps two or three anglers busy all day long. Using the main drop off (the edge area where the shallow flats meet deeper main lake water) as your starting point, drill your first hole and set up tip up number one. For tip up fishing, I like to use an egg sinker as the weight. Slip it on to the line and tie on a medium size barrel swivel. From the barrel swivel, attach a two to three foot piece of heavy, clear monofilament or fluorocarbon line to act as a leader. The clear 17 to 25 pound test line helps make your presentation more natural while protecting against most bite off problems. A number 4/0 hook attached to the leader will be plenty for large fish and it’s the perfect size for a large size Golden Shiner, Redtail or Sucker Minnow.

After ten minutes or so in this location, put away the jigging rod and use this hole to set up tip up number two. Once you’ve got number two in place, go back and retrieve the first tip up and locate another spot along the drop off, drill a hole, try the jigging rod first, then after another ten minutes or so, replace it with the first tip up. As you work your way along the drop off, you’ll constantly be locating new structure and new fish. Repeat this leapfrog approach as often as necessary to stay in the action. Obviously, the more folks you have fishing, the more tips ups you’ll set and the more action you’ll find. On small lakes with good structure, it’s even possible to fish all the way around to where you started. Remember to keep moving, most of the time the best action comes right away. Occasionally you’ll get repeated strikes from the same hole, but more often you’ll find that moving often is your best bet.

This is a perfect approach for folks who like the idea of a face-paced winter fishing trip; bring along the kids and go out of your way to keep the set up simple. Folks who try this system on just one good day become life long "Ice Trollers" for Pike. Try it and you’ll become a believer too.