With ice conditions failing quickly due to warm weather, rain, and wind. Make a few phone calls before driving too far. Walking at this point is the best way to go ice fishing. Look for the sunfish and crappies in the shallows (3-6ft) in or next to the bulrushes/pencil reeds on larger weedy flats near shore. They are in the shallows feeding quite heavily in most area lakes with good panfish populations. Start by drilling 10-20 holes in an area and start hole hopping with small ice jig/waxie combo. While your hole hopping, set a tip up in one of the holes set as lightly as possible (add some split shot as well) used with a 6 lb test leader, a#6 red hook tipped with a crappie minnow. This “dead stick” method will help locate roaming schools of crappies that you can then attack with your jig. If the panfish have moved out of the shallows, just simply look on the nearest/first drop off next to the flat. Look for them in the 7-20 ft range. Good Luck and be safe, Capt Josh, Minnesota Fishing Guide Service 218-732-9919 www.minnesotaguideservice.com
