Weather the Ice: How Weather affects Ice Fishing

Weather the Ice: How Weather affects Ice Fishing

By Nick Johnson

Most of us only think of weather and how it affects fish behavior in terms of open water. Up until recent years I gave little to no thought about weather patterns and fishing strategies on the ice. Shame on me for neglecting such factors because weather does play a very integral role in the mood, feeding habits, and overall behavior of fish below hard water.

I can recall just last year on Brushy Creek, a time when weather had a huge impact on fishing success. I got to the ramp on the north end just after lunch hoping to chase some bluegills and then switch over to crappie closer to dark. I spoke with a group of guys at the ramp loading up and they said the bite was real slow, the fish were right on the bottom and everything shut off about 9am. Even the gills were scarce. This didn’t sound too promising but I was destined to drill a bunch of holes and give her hell anyways.

I went down the lake south a ways and found some old burr oaks sticking up from about 30 feet that I have caught fish on routinely in the past mid-season. I took note of how cold it was despite the blue skies and zero cloud cover. A high pressure system was definitely to blame for this. Remembering what the guys at the ramp said about the fish being tight to the bottom I dropped down a tungsten jig with a waxie and found zero activity. I moved around to the other side of the tree and right off the bottom a faint mark appeared only to slowly drift back down and fade into the bottom again. This repeated itself on numerous holes and I think I managed three bluegills in an hour’s time.

Off to the south west a looming cloud bank was creeping closer to Webster County. I checked my phone and sure enough, light snow and warmer temps were on the way. A definite drop in pressure from a barometric standpoint as well. It was mid-afternoon and I started to notice more marks further up in the trees and the bite picked up with it. The front was still an hour out but I was starting to catch crappies which went against the rumored logic of a morning and evening bite. The day started off slow and unfolded into one of the better days on the ice I had out there all season long.

This made me a firm believer in weather having an impact on ice fishing success. I honestly put little thought into fishing before a weather front and simply went out to wet a line and relax. Since then I’ve explored various articles on weather and ice fishing and found some interesting facts, most of which support the abundant success I had that day and ones I intend to use going forth with this season and those to come. Lets dive into some different scenarios and help explain fish behaviors in regards to weather.

High Pressure Fronts
When the words “high pressure front” are in the forecast, an ice fisherman needs to keep a very focused and driven approach to how they fish. This weather pattern often occurs mid-season and follows periods of cloudy, warmer weather. These are the days of high blue bird skies and bitter cold temps. Even with a foot of snow on the ice, fish feel the effects and often become somewhat inactive in their daytime feeding, relating to the bottom and structure much tighter than normal.

Low-light periods are key for species like walleyes and crappie and even perch. The bright sun and higher pressure turns their feeding aggression to minimal during the day in many cases. Fish can still be caught during the day but it takes refined approaches. One way to combat this is to fish tight with the bottom and tight to structure. Decreased activity means they will not be willing to move far for a meal.

Downsizing baits is another trick that can help in this type of weather pattern. If you are used to jigging aggressively, slow that down as well. If you find fish that come in for a slow look but won’t take, try dead sticking with a bobber and fight the urge to move the bait. I’ve caught a lot of crappies over the years just letting a jig sit with no motion. Even walleyes in this case will slide in for an easy meal if you are where they want to be. Slow down, fish small and be patient.

Depending on water clarity, colors can also play a factor on fishing success during these times. I have found that more natural colors like gold, minnow, and perch tempt far more bites than bright colors like orange, chartreuse, and blue when the barometer spikes.

For those willing to drill a lot of holes to find fish, this is the perfect chance to do so. This is where warm ice fishing apparel really helps, especially when Jack Frost bares his icy breath on Iowa. It can be physically challenging at times to face the cold, hole hopping along but covering a lot of water helps find pockets of fish rather than waiting out a few measly bites from one location. I will fish one hole for about five minutes and if nothing happens I’m off to the next one. If I mark a fish that is reluctant to bite I will try different strategies such as dead sticking or jigging in tiny slow increments. If that doesn’t work, you guessed it, off to the next hole.

Low Pressure Fronts
When warming, cloudy, or inclement weather are on the approach this can create a perfect storm for ice anglers. A falling barometer increases fish feeding behavior and can often lead to increased fishing success throughout the day. I fished Upper Red Lake in northern Minnesota a few years back during this exact weather change and we absolutely hammered the walleyes in surprisingly shallow water. I was also filming a clip for The Iowa Sportsman this day and you can find the video on YouTube if you search nickjohnson04 and find the ice fishing walleyes video in my lineup.

Cloud cover and falling pressure is a perfect time to ice fish. During daylight periods, reduced light penetration below the ice gives predatory fish an advantage and they truly capitalize on this to forage. You’ll find fish still relating to structure but often higher in the water column and much more inclined to travel up or down for a meal. Fish will pull shallower at times and presentations can be more aggressive.

Lower pressure fronts aren’t always the ace-in-the-hole for fishing success however. It still takes the right locations and presentations to catch fish just like in any circumstance. Fish during these weather patterns though do become more active and once you find them the action can be tremendous.

Many ice anglers disregard weather in their approach on the water and from what I have learned and researched, weather should be a critical element in forming a plan to target fish. Watch the barometer and look at the extended forecast. A simple Google search on many of the weather sites will tell you all you need to know. Don’t be afraid to drill a lot of holes, downsize baits, try different styles and colors, and fish slow. When the meteorologist says it’s going to get nasty, get out beforehand and capitalize on that good bite.