Ice fishing for walleye is a great way to spend a cold winter day. But, in order to be successful, it’s important to know how to rig a pole properly. Fishing for walleye through the ice can be challenging, but with the right setup, you can catch some nice fish.
When you’re ready to start ice fishing for walleye, it’s important to remember that different techniques may require different rigs. For example, if you’re jigging for walleye, you’ll need a different setup than if you were using live bait. Here are some tips on how to rig an ice fishing pole for walleye.
Jigging:
When jigging for walleye through the ice, a good choice of bait is a wax worm or maggot bait. The setup is relatively simple: Attach your line to the reel and tie on a heavy jig head.
You can add additional weight if needed by attaching split shot or other weight above the jig head. Then add your bait of choice and lower your line into the water. Jigging is an effective method of catching walleye and can be very rewarding.
Live Bait:
Fishing with live bait is another popular technique when Targeting walleye through the ice. A good choice of live bait includes minnows or leeches.
To set up your line for this type of fishing, attach it to the reel and tie on a size 4-6 hook with enough weight to hold it in place in the water column—ideally 2-3 ounces (or more depending on current). Then thread your live bait onto the hook and lower it into the water.
Trolling:
Trolling is another popular technique when Targeting walleye through the ice. This technique requires more equipment than jigging or using live bait but can be very effective at catching fish.
To set up your pole for trolling, attach your line to the reel and tie on an appropriate sized weight (1-3 ounces depending on current) followed by a three-way swivel and two leaders, each about 18 inches long with hooks attached at their ends. Then attach your lure of choice and lower it into the water column.
These are just some basic tips on how to rig an ice fishing pole for walleye. Remember that in order to be successful when Targeting these fish through the ice you need the proper tackle and setup as well as patience and perseverance.
Conclusion:
Rigging an ice fishing pole correctly is essential when going after Walleyes during winter months. Depending on what technique you choose–whether it’s jigging, using live bait or trolling–you’ll need different setups that are tailored toward those specific techniques in order to have success while out on the lake or river.
