7 expert tactics for catching more—and bigger—perch and crappies through the ice

Yellow perch and black crappies are called panfish for good reason—not only do they fit perfectly in a frying pan, they also make for downright delicious and nutritious table fare. That’s true whether you fry them to crispy golden perfection over a crackling wood fire, or dress them up as the fancy main dish at a posh dinner party. And lucky for us, you can catch these tasty fish all winter long in countless frozen waterbodies across much of the country. Pugnacious and prolific, perch and crappies are social fish that travel in groups, biting aggressively throughout the winter. But what’s the best way to find and catch numbers through the ice? Here’s what you need to know before you fire up your auger…