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When the Lake Trout & Whitefish appear on your electronics and you just can't get then to bite your jigging presentation-or it just seems to be a tough bite all around-I reach for the "long rod" rigged with a minnow or shiner positioned within 10 feet of my jigging presentation to heat up a really cold day on the ice.

The key to this system is a low key approach consisting of a light action rod of between 30-40 inches that provides a visual indicator of your baits' action and clues you in to the lightest of bites. The system excels as a stationary rod as you continue to draw fish in with your jigging presentation.

The rest of the essential equipment consists of a "1000 series" spinning reel with a smooth drag spooled with 6 or 8 pound fluorocarbon line or leader material, size 16 barrel swivel, ¼ oz egg sinker & # 12 Octopus hook-preferably by Gamakatsu. See the rig.

The limber "noodle rod" provides you the ability to land big fish on light line- a stealthy approach usually prevails in tough conditions.

I usually have about 12 inches of line from the swivel to the hook as a leader to start but may adjust that length based on what my electronics are showing me. An egg sinker rig puts the bait on the bottom and then allows a fish to pick it up without feeling the weight or drag of a sinker-really key for turned off fish.

To fish this system, I hook my live bait of choice for the day gently through the lips so it stays lively and lower it towards bottom. I place the rod horizontally on a specially designed 5-gallon bucket (it has a notch about 3 inches wide for the handle to rest on and a 1 inch notch 180 degrees away for the blank to rest on.) With this, the reel is actually resting in the opening of the bucket. Any quivering of the rod tip usually indicates distressed bait being stared down by 8 pounds of hungry anger. I usually lift the rig slightly upwards to trigger the bite if it's close by. Most bites actually gradually bend the rod tip over but I've had Whitefish bites that cause slack in the line to appear. There are days that they will pull the rod out of the bucket so that’s just a no-brainer to run and set the hook. I prefer a 10-inch hole for this type of fishing-especially if the lake you’re on has a reputation of producing 20-pound Lakers.

Fighting the fish is a lot like steelhead fishing in the rivers where you depend on a smooth drag and shock absorbing properties of your rod to land the fish. DO NOT muscle the fish too hard, just steady pressure and reeling in any line the fish provides you as it slowly makes its way towards the light of day. Be ready for one last run as the fish sees the hole or your mug staring down at it. Getting his head into the hole in the goal here without breaking the line on the ice.

The best example I can give of how deadly this system can be was a warm day (-3 or so) with low pressure 2 years ago in late February on Lake Simcoe. We arrived at a community area Northwest of Georgina Island where the bite was nuts for about 3 straight days on Raps & Williams we had heard. Everyone and their dogs were there. We got ourselves into about 48 FOW and started jigging the Williams half-and –half's like everyone else. I saw a couple of marks on my LCR (in flasher mode) come in on the spoon-but nothing happened. Suddenly the deadstick rod just bent over. I stood up, walked about 5 feet and set the hook. BINGO-BANGO 3 minutes later-10 pound Laker iced. I rebaited and dropped a fresh minnow down again. I couldn’t place the rod into the pail when it buckled again. My buddy Gary, who was about 50 yards away assisted on this one and snooped on what I was using. He grabbed a 7-pound Whitefish as it made its way into the hole. He stole some minnows from me and walked over to set up, not 1 but 2 deadstick rod-how friggen lazy is THAT? 3 minutes into it, I had to run over to help him out as he actually doubled up and was screaming for help. We lost one of the fish but he iced a 5-pound Laker. Anyways-this HOT bite went on for about 2 hours and the tally was a certainly double digit hooked for both of us. We were too busy fighting fish to notice the pack of guys inching closer to "our area". Today-the day was not about a spot-but was about an approach. Even that bite died for us but it never happened for about 50 jiggers-we left for a limit of perch using the same technique scaled down to perch size in 25 FOW closer to shore. What a day!

Drop by FISHONLINE and get yourself setup for this style of fishing. See ya out there.

Mark Tarnawczyk
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