With the exception of Lake Whitefish, all the fish I pursue through the ice are most successfully caught using bait. The bait varies widely, but the saying, “nothing beats the real thing,” applies. My fridge and freezer will demonstrate my belief in this theory. In my fridge right next to the jug of juice you can find dew worms, trout worms and maggots stockpiled for future trips. In the freezer there are at least three different sizes of minnows ranging from wee little ones for perch to full sized extra large herring for pike and lakers.
The Bobber and Nymph Rig - A size 12 bead head prince nymph is my first choice when it comes to some hard core finesse fishing. The great thing about the nymph/bobber rig is that it matches the mood of the fish to a "T". Cold-blooded trout in the cold, early season water demand slow, deliberate presentations, which is where this rig excels.
Anglers that fish with live bait know that using it helps increase their catches of all types of gamefish. But the keen angler understands that using healthy, lively bait will help them out perform everyone else, even when the fishing is tough.
