[bucksandducks]

What colors of ice flies are the best to use? I am pondering getting involved with ice fishing this year and have no idea where to start.

 

[ScottyP]

Small white tube jigs or marabou jigs tipped with a worm or piece of frozen minnow works for trout everywhere I've tried.

 

[Grandpa D]

I like Maniac Ice Cuttrs in white, green, and the sparkle colors. Use them with a 1/16 oz jig head in matching colors. Tip with worm, or bait fish.
For pan fish, I do best with rat finkies and ginz worms in green, orange and pink. Tip them with wax or meal worms or perch meat.

 

[Greenguy88]

I like Maniac Ice Cuttrs in white, green, and the sparkle colors.

I have heard that those are pretty successful little jigs, I picked some up at a convention last year, but failed to use them. Ill have to try them out this year.

 

[JAT83]

What colors of ice flies are the best to use? I am pondering getting involved with ice fishing this year and have no idea where to start.

I'm in the same boat you are, I starting it up this year too! I'm glad you posted this topic!

 

[STEVO]

like Maniac Ice Cuttrs in white, green, and the sparkle colors. Use them with a 1/16 oz jig head in matching colors. Tip with worm, or bait fish

+1

The Ice cutters work great anywhere I have been. I like to keep with the glow in the dark white, or chartruese. I bought a bunch of those Whattacrickets a couple years back & I like using those also, I dont know where to get more of those, but the Ice cutter seems to best look like it. I also like to use the foxy jigs and larger white glow or chartruse tube jigs. For Perch I like to use a Gitzit cricket tipped with a wax worm. For trout I like to use minnow with the crawdad smelly jelly or a good ol waxy or mealy!!!

 

[fishing#1]

The best are the glow in the dark. thay work well for me.

 

[fixed blade XC-3]

I agree with fishglymph I've had alot of success with gitzets.

 

[huntducksordietrying]

What colors of ice flies are the best to use? I am pondering getting involved with ice fishing this year and have no idea where to start.

I'm in the same boat you are, I starting it up this year too! I'm glad you posted this topic!

+1 or 2

 

[scott_rn]

Also, depending on where you are fishing and what species you are targeting it can be helpful to put an attractor (blade) above your jig/fly. They look like elongated spoon blades and come in gold and silver colors. I tried fishing two poles side by side a few times at Hyrum and always did better on the one with the attractor.

 

[FC2Tuber]

There are so many different variables.

Do you know where you are planning on fishing most, and what species you are going to target?

 

[J-bass]

Also, depending on where you are fishing and what species you are targeting it can be helpful to put an attractor (blade) above your jig/fly. They look like elongated spoon blades and come in gold and silver colors. I tried fishing two poles side by side a few times at Hyrum and always did better on the one with the attractor.

Hey how do you attatch those blades to your setup? I've always wanted to use them. Usually, I just pitch a tube jig.
Here's a cool trick I like to do. I tip the jig with powerbait, I like orange, but anything'll work. Sometimes, I tip the jig with both a small piece of crawler AND powerbait. It looks ridiculous, but it works. I caught a six pound Rainbow out of Strawberry last year off of that setup, and missed a fish that was too big to fit through the 8" hole I was fishing through. I bet that sucker topped 10 lbs, but I'll never know. He broke me off as we tried to figure a way to get him through.

 

[bucksandducks]

I went to Sportsmans Warehouse in Provo today and picked some stuff up. The guy I talked to seemed knowledgeable and was very willing to help.

 

[FC2Tuber]

[quote="scott_rn":11bud7xb]Also, depending on where you are fishing and what species you are targeting it can be helpful to put an attractor (blade) above your jig/fly. They look like elongated spoon blades and come in gold and silver colors. I tried fishing two poles side by side a few times at Hyrum and always did better on the one with the attractor.

Hey how do you attatch those blades to your setup? I've always wanted to use them. Usually, I just pitch a tube jig.
Here's a cool trick I like to do. I tip the jig with powerbait, I like orange, but anything'll work. Sometimes, I tip the jig with both a small piece of crawler AND powerbait. It looks ridiculous, but it works. I caught a six pound Rainbow out of Strawberry last year off of that setup, and missed a fish that was too big to fit through the 8" hole I was fishing through. I bet that sucker topped 10 lbs, but I'll never know. He broke me off as we tried to figure a way to get him through. [/quote:11bud7xb]

Sometimes adding an attractor really is the key. Also, it helps act as a weight for the small ice flies and jigs.

I like to use Kastmasters for attractors. Take the hook off, (Some leave it on) attatch a snap swivel to the Kastmaster and tie your main line to that. Tie on a 18" to 24" mono or fluorocarbon leader to the O-ring (or you can put another swivel) that was holding the hook. Then tie on your jig or fly to the end of that.

I normally do best with attractors when fishing for panfish or smaller trout. Also, I ALWAYS use them when fishing for kokanee.

I rarely, if ever, use them at places like Strawberry because I really don't use ice flies.

 

[Grandpa D]

FC2T, I agree with you about not using a flasher at Strawberry.
I used to use one, but missed a lot of light bites, because Trout often tend to take the bait from underneath it.
If you are using a flasher [kastmaster] and the fish lifts your bait as it takes it, you won't notice the bite.
Without a flasher, your line will go limp, curl or just move a little. These actions are all bites.
Once I realised this, and took the flasher off, my hookups increased dramaticly.

 

[FC2Tuber]

FC2T, I agree with you about not using a flasher at Strawberry.
I used to use one, but missed a lot of light bites, because Trout often tend to take the bait from underneath it.
If you are using a flasher [kastmaster] and the fish lifts your bait as it takes it, you won't notice the bite.
Without a flasher, your line will go limp, curl or just move a little. These actions are all bites.
Once I realised this, and took the flasher off, my hookups increased dramaticly.

Yep... I noticed the same thing. I saw it happening to me on an AquaView. Makes you wonder how many fish you missed over the years. :twisted: