Ice fishing can challenge your will, particularly when it is a blustery day and the fish are not biting. That is why it is important to choose the correct bait before you go, ensuring that your time facing a bitter winter is not wasted. Choosing an appropriate bait for the conditions and type of fish you want to catch is sure to improve your chances.
Types
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that cheese puffs can catch salmon when nothing else will. More common baits used are maggots of various types, minnows, grubs, suckers and small pan fish. The type of bait you choose will be related to the type of fish you are trying to catch.
Function
Fish are attracted to the sight, sound and smell of bait. While live bait does not make sounds while swimming, its wiggling and scent can play a significant role in catching slow-moving winter fish. The live bait you use can be applied to a bare hook or as a complement to your jig of choice. Because fish have a slower metabolism in the winter, the size of the bait you use can generally be smaller than what you would use in the warmer months.
Considerations
The type of fish you want to catch is your main consideration when selecting ice fishing bait. Crappies and sunfish such as perch and bluegills lose some of their striking quality in the winter, so smaller baits such as waxworms, eurolarvae, mousees and small minnows are your best choice for these types of fish. Larger fish like walleyes and pikes prefer large minnows, chubs, redtails, suckers and even small bait fish.
Color
If you are fishing on an overcast day, brightly colored bait may make the difference between catching fish and returning home empty handed. The white of a waxworm is effective on most days, but a red or blue eurolarvae can sometimes stand out best in murky conditions. With larger fish, redtails are a good choice because their swimming action will cause the red on their fin to flicker in the water.
Warning
Some states have lakes that do not allow the use of live bait. In this case, you will have to switch to less standard baits. The Nebraska Game and Parks commission calls these "meat baits," which includes raw beef, strips from the belly of previously caught fish and fish eyes. If you use meat baits taken from fish, some states require that the fish be caught from the same body of water you plan to use its flesh in.
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