Successful Walleye or Salmon fisherman everywhere from the Great Lakes to small rivers all understand current. This “ghost factor” is often misunderstood. During the warm weather months we use Fish Hawks, watch rigger cables, stare at changes in the bend of diver rods and sometimes just miss it all together. This “ghost factor” is slightly easier to understand and adapt to when ice fishing. Learning how to deal with it during the hardwater periods can help you catch more fish and possibly save your life.
I have personally been ice fishing for walleyes on 18’’ of ice, only to be sitting on no more than a foot by days end. No, it wasn’t above freezing, quite the contrary. Current can eat ice faster than a heat wave. Paying attention to this can help save your butt.
From a fishing standpoint it also can save your bacon. Current helps move fish, this can be a key unless you happen to be lucky enough to just drop a needle in a haystack and drill right on top of a small school. Inactive or lethargic walleyes don’t tend to move as much as when the current is moving on large bodies of water. Simply put, it helps put more fish, and active fish, under your hole in a day.
When fishing in heavy current you will need to slightly adapt your equipment. On Erie a ¼ or 3/8oz lure has been known to not hit bottom or at least be seen on your electronics or felt. The heavier lures (often to 1oz) will need a beefier rod to work them without feeling like your holding a Jell-O rod. A simple fix is to cut your rod down to the first guide or a couple inches and replace it with a fly tip. A medium rod becomes a medium heavy in a few minutes for a few dollars. This is also the reason I use hi-vis Blood Run Ice lines.
One simple tip when dealing with strong current is to drill three holes in a triangle. This will allow you to play musical chairs and keep moving around them as the current changes. Put your electronics transducer in the hole towards the direction the current is flowing. The stronger the current the larger you pre drill the triangle when you set up. The triangle keeps you from having to re-drill a hole when the current changes when you are in the middle of fishing. A simple concept for a less than simple topic.
Current is something that changes constantly and will keep you on your toes.
Capt. Ross Robertson
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