| Early Morning: Most-Missed Ice Fishing Opportunity
Cashing in at daybreak is all about being ready the night
before
The most universally-missed ice fishing opportunity is
the early morning period, a peak feeding time for many species
that goes un-drilled on most lakes.
Much more commonly, anglers hit the ice sometime in the
afternoon, find a few fish, then do much of their catching
as the sun goes down and the fish move around, looking to
eat. Often, in those same hot holes from the evening before,
good action can be had as the sun is coming back up the
next morning.
“The morning bite doesn’t last as long (as the
evening bite),” says Dave Genz, who usually fishes
both peak periods as well as the midday hours. “You
have to be in position before it starts getting light, because
it’s not a time to be out there fumbling around looking
for fish.”
Indeed, the last dark minutes right before daybreak is a
time to punch strategic holes in known fish-producing areas,
then work them intently as the underwater ‘rush hour’
commences.
In the grainy light of early morning, Dave Genz holds
up a dandy jumbo perch taken on a Lindy Rattlin’
Flyer Spoon. The period around daybreak is the most-missed
ice fishing opportunity, and it occurs once every
fishing day! (photo: davegenz.com) |
Genz says that, for best results in early
morning, we should think of it as a three-step process
that begins the day before.
It goes like this: find some fish the evening before,
prepare your gear and make a plan that night, then get
out there and execute the plan before the sun rises.
“If we’re going to a lake for the first
time early in the morning,” he says, “we
just do the best we can. We’ll drill holes in
places that should have fish and hope they’re
there. Or, we’ll go where the best rumors are.
But if we’re going to be in the area for more
than one day, we’ll see how the rest of that first
day goes. We might hit several lakes, and eventually
we should find some fish. Wherever we have the best
bite the first evening, we’ll be back there early
the next morning.”
That’s how the early morning bite is best played.
As best you can, minimize commotion, drill key holes,
and let the fish come to you. During the peak periods
of dawn and dusk, as Genz has taught us, the whole web
of life swings into action. |
It’s all triggered by ‘vertical migration’
of zooplankton (a fancy term that means tiny animals tend
to swim up toward the surface in evening, then back down
to the bottom at daybreak). It’s usually best to stay
on the move and drill lots of holes at midday, but the peak
periods are a time to drill fewer holes and allow fish to
seek out your bait.
“Sometimes,” continues Genz, “your biggest
fish come in the (early) morning, rather than the evening.
The sunset bite usually lasts longer, but by the end of
the trip, you count ‘em up and the biggest fish were
caught right away in the morning.”
Daybreak at a Civilized Hour
Given that you have to warm up the vehicles, scrape the
windows, and load up the gear, that can make early morning
ice fishing a challenge. It’s cold and dark out there
in the parking lot, so the anticipation of a good catch
is what it takes to get many of us fired up.
When it comes to answering the bell, though, here’s
some good news: early morning doesn’t come as early
in the winter as it does in summer. So you can be out there
at the crack of dawn after getting a decent night’s
sleep.
“We usually have time for a good breakfast, and to
go over the plan,” says Genz, “before it’s
time to be out on the ice.”
The Night Before: Get Ready
Whether you’re driving from home to a local lake or
on the road fishing distant waters, the key to cashing in
at daybreak is preparation the night before. It starts with
going over every piece of gear and making sure it’s
ready.
“You can’t get out there in the dark and suddenly
remember you have to gas up the auger,” says Genz,
“or discover that all your rods are tangled up.”
Dave constantly talks about the importance of having a plan.
He means everything from gear being ready to knowing where
you’re going to drill the first set of holes, to what
bait you’re going to put down there first, second,
and third.
When he’s on the road, he is a study in organization.
His van is set up with storage areas for Fish Traps, Vexilars,
Lazer augers, clothing, GPS, rods, lures, and more. At the
hotel, gear is brought in and gone over before going out
to dinner. Rods are sorted out. Fat Boys, Frostee Jigging
Spoons, Darters and Flyers are tied on. Battery chargers
are plugged in. Live bait is culled and kept cold, but protected
against freezing.
In the morning, it looks like a military operation, as it
all goes back into the van as it’s warming up, ready
to deploy at the first spot.
At breakfast, lake maps are spread out and the plan is discussed
one more time. By the time the group hits the ice, everybody
knows what the plan is, and everybody is quickly jigging
in what should be a productive hole.
That’s the kind of overall preparation it takes to
catch nice fish as day is breaking.
“And it all feels worth it when you set the hook,”
laughs Genz, “and the battle begins.”
Nothing is ever assured when it comes to fishing, and this
is certainly true when it comes to ice fishing. It’s
hard to say whether your biggest fish will come in the morning
or evening–or even in the middle of the day.
But this much is certain: there’s only one way to
find out for sure.
And the early morning is the most-missed ice fishing opportunity
of all.
Note: Dave Genz, known as Mr. Ice Fishing, was the primary
driver of the modern ice fishing revolution. For more fishing
tips, go to www.davegenz.com.
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