Walleyes Inc. Action packed adventures in walleye fishing on the internet.

When it comes to hard water angling, panfish top the list. If you were to take a survey on the ice, you would find as many as 80% of the fishermen are in pursuit of panfish. Don't get me wrong, some attention is given to walleye and pike, but they seem to be secondary on many fishermen's agendas. Unlike pike or walleye, which can turn off for days, panfish are predictable. The average fisherman is out to have fun, many times making it a family affair.The problem with ice fishing, in many cases, is that people let themselves get bored, or cold, or discouraged. That doesn't have to be the case. It's a matter of being willing to change and try something new. Early ice, or sometimes referred to as "black ice" is some of the best fishing that you can find, it is also the most dangerous ice around. Usually this ice is less than three inches thick. The reason that it is 
referred to as "black ice" is that it hasn't had time to set-up yet and the ice is just a thin layer over the water. When ice has time to set-up it will become pure and clear, and have a frosty coating to it. Much like your ice cube trays in the refrigerator. They are better when they become frosted over and more solidified. When I'm picking a lake for that first early-ice outing, I want to go on to a body of water that I have spent some time on in the summer and know 
where the points, rock piles, sunken islands, and deep weed edges are. Bays on the north side of the lakes will be good starting points. Locations of these types warm up first and see the earliest crappie usage.Structure is as much the key to success for the ice fisherman as it is for the open water angler. Structures take many different shapes, but  they share one thing in common, and that is they differ from the surrounding bottom enough to be noticed by the fish. The most common and most recognizable piece of structure is the point of land that extends from shore out into the water. Points create a raised portion of land 
beneath the water's surface, making it different from the surrounding bottom. These points extending from shore may be classified also as bars or reefs. Sunken islands and rock piles can also be ideal fish holding areas, and areas where you want to concentrate your efforts. Pieces of structure found in a migration route created by current from a nearby river that flows into a lake, can offer a choice hunting ground for crappie and walleye seekers, in winter as well as summer.Although many structures (such as points) can be visually located even in winter, others like sunken islands or underwater rock piles can be difficult to find because of your limited mobility. The need to drill holes to fish through greatly reduces the amount of area that the winter angler can cover in a set amount of time. This is where technology is helping the ice angler out. The use of a depth finder and a GPS unit is essential for fishing on the ice. I know that I spend a great deal of time on the water in the summer time and when I find a piece of structure that has all the elements of good ice fishing,

Lowrance’s new X-15

I will put it in my Lowrance X-15. When late season walleye fishing gets tough I will use a hand held GPS unit and find that specific piece of structure. Some companies even have a hand held depth finder that will shoot  through the ice and eliminate the need for drilling unnecessary holes.