Early Ice Fishing Season Advantages, Challenges & Strategies

First safe ice is highly anticipated for various reasons, one of which is the simple fact that the fishing can be incredibly good, with opportunities for walleyes, crappies, bluegill, perch and more.

That said, early-ice situations differ from what is the norm through the rest of the ice fishing season and therefore call for different approaches. The early season offers distinct advantage but also its own set of challenges. Understanding both and shaping your strategies accordingly can lead to greater success through the first part of the ice season.

One of the best things about early ice is that the fish’s holding areas tend to be predictable and easy to locate. That is especially true if you do any late-fall fishing by boat or from the shore because early-ice fish tend to be right where you left them before the lake froze. In addition, one season’s good early-season spots tend to be good early the next year.

Even without known spots, it’s easy to locate likely holding areas. Fish will mostly be shallow, often at the edge of a flat near a lake’s first main break. Other good areas include the shallow ends of rocky points, the tops of ridges, shallow reefs and rockpiles and areas with any remnant green vegetation.

Because most early-season spots are near a lake’s perimeter, they are easy to recognize and to find, and even those that are away from the bank tend to be marked on lake maps. Because snow coverage is often minimal early in the year, when there is good, clear ice, you often can see the tops of vegetation from atop the ice.

The use of the broad term “fish” thus far points toward another great thing about early ice. Many gamefish use similar types of areas at this time. That means you ca enjoy fun multi-species action that keep the action steady. As importantly, if you go out with, say, crappies in mind, incidental catches or other observations might prompt you to change baits, presentations or which rod you use – before moving to a new spot – and you might end up enjoying a delightful day catching bluegills, walleyes or something else.

The fish generally being shallow early in the ice season also makes it easier to control your offerings and fish them effectively. It’s simply easier to work a bait well and keep it in the zone when that zone is 12 feet beneath you instead of 40. Additionally, you often can get away with lighter offerings and lighter line, allowing for more natural presentations.

Also, despite challenges we’ll address in the next section, the gamefish tend to be in feeding mode early in the ice season. Instincts tell them that forage will be scarcer, and feeding will be tougher as lower dissolved oxygen levels push them to deeper, darker places, and temperatures slow their metabolism rate.

Finally, while exceptions are common, the weather tends to be more manageable early in the winter, and that leads to longer outings and better focus. In addition, semi-reasonable conditions make a mobile approach a more viable option, which can be good for finding feeding fish.

One undeniable downside of early ice fishing is that it seems to take forever for safe ice to form, and setting plans can be challenging. You might need to change destinations or not go at all, but that’s far better than taking any risk if there’s even the slightest bit of uncertainty about the ice where you want to fish.

Because early ice is highly anticipated and because potentially good areas are easy to access and find, one significant challenge the early season brings is that good areas that are near access points can get crowded. Some of the best specific spots might already be taken, and the fish are apt to be in high-caution mode because of the extra activity atop the ice.

For several reasons, common wariness in the fish is probably the biggest challenge that often comes with early-season ice fishing. Beyond the built-in caution that comes from a sudden surge of activity, the very fact that the fish tend to be shallower means they are closer to you than when they are deep, and you are more likely to give away your presence, whether visually or by sound or vibration.

Magnifying that difference, early ice is far less likely to have significant snow on it. Snow cover, once it gets in place, insulates sound atop the ice, reduces the amount of light for the fish and creates a solid light-blocking layer so fish aren’t spooked by shifting shadows.

A final challenge worth noting is that natural forage tends to be plentiful, and when real food is everywhere, fish tend to be more selective.

• Mobility – Traveling light and being willing to walk provides a major advantage when productive spots near access points get crowded. If the ice isn’t thick enough for vehicles, especially, you often can find less pressured fish by walking even a few hundred yards. If early-season conditions don’t demand fishing inside a shelter, take advantage of the opportunity and drill several holes at different depths that allow you to move about and find the most active fish.
• Stealth – It would be hard to overstate the virtue of walking softly, setting things down gently and generally being fluid and slower with motions when the fish are shallow and there isn’t much snow on the ice. The fish want to feed, but the more they become aware of your presence, the more they will go into lockjaw mode. If you want to work multiple holes in an area, a good strategy is to drill them all upon arrival, so the fish can get resettled, and then move about quietly as you work from one hole to the next.
• Finesse – Closely related, while there will be exceptions, incorporating finesse into presentations to coax strikes more so than triggering strikes often brings reward early in the season. That might mean subtler colors, slower fall rates, smaller sizes, less sound, less movement of the bait, or all the above. There’s no silver bullet bait and presentation but adding a measure of finesse tends to improve your odds of success.
• Patterning – Plentiful food and a general sense of caution make the fish extra selective this time of year. That doesn’t mean they are negative to feeding. If you find the right profile, size, color and movement, the bite can be dynamite. Getting it right is essential, though, so that often means experimenting quite a bit, paying careful attention to the fish’s responses and mentally putting together the pieces. And sometimes it’s as simple as switching the kind of larvae you are using to tip a jig!
• Adaptability – Whether you’re talking about locations, presentations or even the species you’re mostly seeking, being willing to adapt can lead to greater success. As an example, if you’re bluegill fishing near the bottom and keep seeing marks higher in the water column, try working slightly above the level where you’ve been seeing marks. That might lead to catching a crappie. And another. And another…

Lindy Quiver Spoon – The slow, fluttering fall of a Quiver Spoon, combined with a narrow baitfish profile and flash, make this bait ideal for targeting fish that are feeding but are cautious. The Quiver Spoon comes in 1- and 1.5-inch sizes and 13 colors to fit a vast range of situations.

Lindy Tungsten Toad – A compact ice jig that’s engineered to subtly dance, the Tungsten Toad offers a small profile in a great mix of bold and natural colors and is well suited for presenting natural bait or small plastics. It comes in five sizes to meet a broad range of needs.

Bobby Garland Itty Bit Mayfly – The newest member of Garland’s Itty Bit family, all of which match perfectly with 1/48- and 1/64-ounce Itty Bits Jigheads, the 1.25-inch Itty Bit Mayfly offers the subtle action that can be vital early in the season and suggests important forage types for panfish especially.