by Gord Pyzer photos by Gord Pyzer and Brad Fenson The Coolest Game On Ice From crappies to lakers, a guide to the latest tackle and techniques for hardwater anglers No aspect of fishing in the last few years has changed faster or more dramatically for the better than ice fishing. Hardwater-angling strategies, equipment and techniques are finally catching up with the times. And it’s a good thing, too, because if you’re not ice fishing, you’re not fishing for almost half the year. Here, then, is a species-by-species guide to what’s new when it comes to tackling Canada’s favourite fish through the ice this winter, along with tips on where to aim your auger. WALLEYE AND SAUGER The tackle lowdown For walleye and sauger, there are two set-ups incorporating the latest gear. One features a sensitive-tipped rod, such as the model 6606 Frabill Ultra-Ice Rod, spooled with six- to eight-pound-test monofilament line. Use this to deadstick a jig and minnow. Glow-in-the-dark jigs, such as Lindy Little Joe’s Flyer, Genz Worm or Fat Boys (all of which should be recharged continually with Lindy’s Tazer), have recently ruled for this technique. Where’s walleye: In winter, search points, bars, shoals and reefs for active fish      To deadstick, lightly hook a lively minnow through its lips, lower it to the bottom and then set your rod across a pail so at least three-quarters of the tip is hanging over the hole. Leave it alone, save for a slow jig every two to three minutes. If you don’t get a bite within 10 minutes, move on to the next hole.      The second outfit is a 32- to 34-inch jigging rod with a firmer tip, such as a model 6608 or 6610 Frabill Ultra-Ice Rod or Berkley Lightning Rod Ice. Spool a 2,000 series reel, such as a Shimano Symetre or Stradic, with 10- to 12-pound-test Maxima Perfexion, Rapala Tough or Berkley Trilene XT line, or use no-stretch 12- to 14-pound Berkley FireLine with a two-foot-long, 10-pound-test monofilament leader. You need this second rod to fish swim baits, such as the Nils Master Junior Shad or #7 Rapala Balanced Jigging, as well as flash lures such as the Lindy Little Joe Rattl’r, the Blue Fox Tingler and the Williams Ice Jig and Wabler (draped with a minnow head). Where to find ’em Walleye and sauger move less in winter than at any other time of year. That doesn’t mean you should sit on one spot, though. Instead, you should search points, bars, shoals and reefs for active fish.      At first ice, check out the lake’s classic structures, the places you’d expect to find walleye—especially the spots where you caught them in the fall. Points are the best option in wintertime because slow-moving schools concentrate around them. In large rivers, meanwhile, you can find walleye around similar areas adjacent to deep water. But the best winter river spots are in back bays, coves and arms, where the fish congregate away from the frigid current. COOL TIPS Winter walleye usually hang near the bottom, but keep your eyes glued to your sonar for high fliers. If you spot one, reel up quickly and stick your lure in front of its nose. Most provinces allow anglers to use two lines when ice fishing for most species, so take advantage of this opportunity.        Regardless of where you’re fishing, remember that walleye and sauger eat other fish, especially perch, tullibees and smelts—and that means they lie in ambush along the edges of moderately to sharply breaking structure. Walleye and sauger are also highly sensitive to light, so the best ice-fishing times are when light levels change the most dramatically, typically at dawn and dusk or throughout cloudy days.      In the evening, the first of several short bursts of winter feeding activity usually take place in deeper water, with the fish moving up and over the structure as the evening progresses. In order to follow these waves of feeding activity, pre-drill plenty of holes to cover multiple water depths.      At last ice, set up on points, bars, reefs and flats adjacent to spawning shoals and rivermouths. And don’t overlook shallow, featureless walleye lakes; the deep basins are often small and well defined and they contain the bulk of the fish. Finally, remember that fishing pressure and excessive noise spook walleye and sauger, but there’s almost always a specific spot that concentrates the fish. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4