Ben Swanson and Kyle Peterson head to their permanent wheelhouse for an afternoon of chasing a mixed bag of fish, including crappies, walleye, and whitefish. With the extreme cold of winter finally breaking, ice and snow conditions are perfect for targeting quality fish schooled up in a basin wintering area. The buddy team breaks down their ice fishing tactics, lure choices, and how different species transition from daylight to dusk feeding patterns.
FEATURED PRODUCT
Ben’s Setup
- JIG – VMC Bull Spoon, 1/16-ounce | color – Glow Hot Perch: Buy at FishUSA
- TREBLE HOOK – VMC Bladed Hybrid Treble, size 10: Buy at FishUSA
- ROD – St. Croix Custom Ice (CI32MLXF), Medium-Lite Xtra Fast: Check out at St. Croix
- REEL – Daiwa QG Ultralight Spinning Reel: Buy at FishUSA
- LINE – Seaguar IceX Fluorocarbon Ice Line: Buy at FishUSA
- FISH FINDER – Garmin Panoptix™ PS22-IF Ice Fishing Bundle, 7”: Buy at FishUSA
Kyle’s Setup
- JIG – VMC Bull Spoon, 1/16-ounce | color – Glow Slimy Lime: Buy at FishUSA
- TREBLE HOOK – VMC Bladed Hybrid Treble, size 10: Buy at FishUSA
- ROD – Trika Ice Medium Lite F 32”: Buy at at Trika
- REEL – Daiwa QZ Ultralight Spinning Reel: Buy at FishUSA
- LINE (braid) – Sufix 832 Advanced Ice Braid, 4-pound: Buy at FishUSA
- LINE (leader) – Sufix Invisiline Fluorocarbon Ice Line: Buy at FishUSA
- FISH FINDER – Garmin LiveScope™ Plus Lithium-ion Ice Fishing Bundle: Buy at FishUSA
- TRUCK – Toyota Tundra Platinum: Check out at Toyota
ICE FISHING FOR MULTI-SPECIES ACTION
Swanson and Peterson have been dialing in the bite over the past few weeks while fishing from a permanent ice house. Interestingly, the fish have shifted from hitting minnows to preferring wax worms during daylight hours. This transition suggests a changing forage preference, with whitefish becoming more active earlier while crappie and walleye move in at dusk.
USING SPOONS TO TRIGGER REACTION BITES
A small spoon with an upgraded bladed treble hook has been the best presentation, allowing the bait to get down quickly and trigger bites with a bigger profile. Additionally, you can immediately adjust your spoon action to the fish’s mood, ranging from a slight shimmy to aggressive rips. Whitefish, in particular, respond well to spoons, often following the bait before committing. Swanson and Peterson trigger bites even when fish are hesitant by adjusting retrieve speed and keeping an eye on sonar.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT ICE FISHING ROD SETUP
In the ice house, the duo prefers rods between 28- to 32 inches with a balance of sensitivity and backbone. Whether using braid or fluorocarbon, the key is having a soft tip that transitions to a solid backbone to detect bites and then drive the hook home when setting on deeper fish.
EVENING BITE: WHEN THE FREAKS SHOW UP
As the sun sets, the action shifts to big crappies. Crappies and walleye typically feed more aggressively in clear water during low light, making the twilight bite the most productive window. With fish becoming more competitive, Swanson and Peterson capitalize on the flurry of activity, doubling up on crappies just as the lake goes dark.
