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

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Forward-facing sonar can quickly show you where to drill holes

#3  USE YOUR ELECTRONICS

The expression “game changer” gets used too frequently in the world of outdoor gear, but forward-facing sonar really deserves the label. This technology has revolutionized the panfish flats game, altering it forever. Here’s an example of how it helps. I typically drill a hole over a high-percentage transition—where the structure merges into the basin—and lower my Humminbird MEGA Live transducer set on either the 40- or 60-degree forward-facing mode. Then I slowly turn it around in a circle and scan 70 to 90 feet around me. If I see the fish schooled up and feeding in clusters, it usually means they’re not roaming too far, so I’ll drill a hole right beside them and pick them off as they pass under. If fish are spread out and on the move, however, I’ll play the hole-hopping, leapfrogging game, cutting holes to follow them as they graze.

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Last winter, for example, my grandson Liam and I experienced a marvelous slab-crappie slugfest after we drilled a hole over top of a sloped transition, dropped down the Live imaging transducer and spotted scores of fish scattered like peanuts on the bottom. We then strategically drilled a dozen or so more holes, hemming in the scattered crappies and enjoying one of our best days ever on the ice. Even if you don’t have MEGA Live imaging, though, you can still use traditional sonar to locate the fish. Just be certain to turn off the supposedly user-friendly automatic mode—it’s anything but—and go manual.

Typically, you’ll see the fish relating to a narrow range of depths, rather than showing up over a disparately wide band. Let’s say, for example, that you spot a few perch or crappies in 28 feet of water. Switch your unit over to the split-screen chart/sonar mode and judiciously auger several holes—about 50 feet apart—between the 25- and 30-foot contour lines. The new LakeMaster VX maps make this incredibly efficient, effective and effortless because they show one-foot contour intervals and have colour-shading capabilities. Continue hole-hopping this way until you locate, confine and encircle the fish.

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BONUS TIP: GOOD GRASS

While first and last ice are peak periods for panfish, anglers enjoy targeting crappies and perch because they bite all winter long. That’s especially true if you can find flats blanketed with crispy green chara, also known as sand grass. It’s easy to identify chara by rubbing a few leaves between your fingers—if you get a skunky smell, you’ve got chara. You can check the bottom for verdant crispy green patches if you have an underwater camera. If you don’t have a camera, however, simply drop down a spoon to snag some vegetation. Chara is not essential for catching fish, but when you find it, it makes every spot infinitely better.

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