How to Ice Fish With a Spoon Jig

Jigging spoons are an effective ice fishing lure for a variety of fish species. There are a wide variety of jigging spoons, but the basic technique boils down to the simple lift and drop. Predatory game fish can't resist the prospect of an easy meal. When you lift the rod, the spoon shoots up towards the surface, like a frightened baitfish. When you let the spoon drop, it flutters back down through the water like a mortally injured one.

Instructions

    • 1

      Select a jigging spoon that is the appropriate size for the type of fish you expect to catch. Use micro and small spoons for panfish, such as bluegill and yellow perch. Medium-sized spoons are best for trout and walleye. Use large spoons for bigger fish, such as pike or steelhead.

    • 2

      Tip the spoon with the appropriate bait. Waxworms and maggots work well for crappie, bluegill and trout. Minnow heads are good for walleye, and perch eyeballs -- or a strip of perch belly meat -- will catch yellow perch.

    • 3

      Drop the jigging spoon until it hits bottom, then reel up approximately one to two feet. In winter, most fish stay near the bottom. If you have a SONAR system and know the depth of the fish, position the jigging spoon at a level just above where the fish are.

    • 4

      Lift the rod tip approximately two to three feet, then lower the rod tip back to its original position and let the lure drop. Keep the line slack as the spoon drops, but watch the line for a slight twitch or jerk. Fish tend to strike the spoon as it falls, or just after it stops.

    • 5

      Set the hook, if you feel the slightest tick or tug. In cold water, fish don't usually strike aggressively. A fish can inhale the spoon and spit it back out in an instant.

    • 6

      Pause a second or two before lifting the rod tip again. The spoon will continue to wobble on the line for several seconds, and the subtle action can provoke a reluctant fish to strike.