Picture yourself in your favorite sporting goods store taking a stroll through the fishing department. The options for tackle, rods, reels are expansive to say the least. A seemingly never-ending list of brands, types, and configurations call this area home.

When it comes to rods, the options are plentiful. Most major retailers will have a variety of lengths, powers, and actions to cover a range of techniques and target species. Choosing the right for the right situation is a task in itself; but it doesn’t need to be as hard as one thinks.

There’s no doubt that the COVID era has had an impact on the outdoor industry. With closures, canceled travel plans, or changes in regularly scheduled activities, unprecedented numbers of folks have either found or rekindled a love of the outdoors. During the warmer months, there’s a plethora of activities to get a person out of their home. In the Midwest, we are blessed (or cursed depending on how you look at it) with winter – and it lasts more than just a few months. This can make activities a bit harder to find, or at times convince yourself to participate in outdoor activities.

Enter ice fishing season.

There’s something special about a quality fish picture. Whether you plan to share it with friends, post it on social media, or simply keep it to yourself, it’s the perfect way to preserve those memories of a great day on the water. That being said, taking a decent picture isn’t always the easiest task. Thankfully, a little practice and some attention to detail can make all the difference. If taking better fishing pictures is a priority, the following notions should be valuable.

It’s a magical time of year. The ice on the lakes is pretty much absent. The landscapes that were not so long ago covered in snow now show glimpses of life again. Grass is turning greener, plants are blooming, birds are chirping. Spring has sprung.

To many anglers that means one thing – the Wisconsin Fishing Opener is coming. The Wisconsin Fishing Opener is traditionally on the first Saturday in May. This year it falls on

Walking and wading quietly are vital aspects to success. Think Navy Seal-esque stealthy when you hit the bank. Be cognizant of shadows to go undetected to roaming trout. Task yourself to make long, precise casts to avoid spooking fish.

Minnesota and Wisconsin alone have more than 15,000 miles of trout streams. With so much trout water to cover, mobility is crucial for continued success. Don’t waste too much time in one area. A few casts per spot is all that is necessary. If limited success ensues, then it’s time to keep ‘er moving.

Trout will hold in a variety of areas depending on the stream and the conditions. Common areas that will often congregate fish include deep holes or pools, current seams, and log jams.

The fishing season is approaching fast, whether you’re ready for it or not. Depending on where you live, the ice may already have vanished, or you may still have some time left. Regardless, it’s important to take the time to ensure you are prepared for the upcoming season.

Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to their ice fishing sonar. MarCum has you covered whether you like the proven technology of an ice flasher, or the customization and cutting-edge performance of a digital system.

It’s important to note the differences and strengths between systems, as each category has come a long way in recent history. 

Throughout the summer months, schools of crappies typically concentrate themselves along weed edges, as well as pockets and holes in the weedy cover. In certain situations, fish will push further into the weeds and in others, push out away from the edges, but still remain in close proximity to the weeds. Focus your efforts on these keys areas.

As the season progresses, crappies will also inhabit other areas, often in slightly deeper water. Woody cover – such as man-made cribs or submerged timber – act as crappie magnet regardless of the time of year, but they tend to concentrate fish towards the tail end of the summer.

Whether you’re ready for it or not, the ice season is coming to an end sooner than later. For many of us anglers, it was an odd season riddled with less-than-ideal conditions – including lack of ice and excess amounts of snow and ice. With snow melt in full force and deteriorating ice conditions, we can’t help but think of what’s coming next.

Fishing is full of choices. Walk into any sporting goods store or bait shop and you’ll find hundreds to potentially thousands of options for rods, reels, tackle and electronics. In some instances, making a purchase decision can seem like a no brainer, while other scenarios require a serious amount of deliberation. Regardless of your purchase decision, it’s important to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages for a given product.

Choosing the right fishing line is no different. With countless options on the market, it’s vital to understand the advantages and drawbacks for each major line category, as well as how they can help you or hurt you in specific scenarios.  

As an ice angler, there are several tools that can aid in your fishing success. Very few, however, are as effective as an underwater camera. The information provided to an angler from the use of an underwater fishing camera not only accelerates one’s learning curve but will ultimately, put more fish on the ice.

It’s midwinter. Lakes are locked up with a solid layer of ice. Shanty towns dot the landscape – filled with anglers that are willing to trade long rods for those of a shorter variety. Panfish – crappies in particular – are some of the most targeted species throughout the hard water season.  Knowing how to find them and which tools to use will ultimately make for a more successful day on the ice.

Organization and preparation are critical elements to success on the ice. Without them you may be stuck repairing or replacing rather than actually fishing. Most of us are limited to specific windows for fishing, so make sure you can capitalize on those periods by having your gear ready and in working order. Winter conditions are hard on gear, so doing your due diligence is important.

One of the most common questions heard from new ice anglers relates to electronics – “Which is better – an underwater camera or a flasher/sonar?” The short answer is that it really depends.

The long answer is that there are certain situations that each unit type excels in. Depth, water clarity, habitat, and fishing style greatly impact which unit is right for a specific set of circumstances. In a perfect world, an ice angler should have both. This is particularly apparent for anglers that target panfish during the winter months.

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