“Ice King” Presentation Tactics
Bob McNally 01.09.17
Ice fishing impresario Brian “Bro” Brosdahl is a dedicated light-line jig fisherman.
He believes the lighter the line the better the jig action, and that means more fish. Most often Brian uses 3-pound test fluorocarbon or monofilament. Never braid, which freezes when wet.
Sometimes in ultra-clear, shallow water he’ll use 2-pound test line, but that requires special care, as ice can cut it, and fish must be grabbed, never pulled out of a hole by the line.
When fishing coontail or cabbage weeds he’ll employ 4 or 5 pound test line to avoid cut offs in vegetation.
Brian says that when a lure spins, or turns, it’s less effective at duping fish under the ice. By keeping a lure constantly moving, it is less likely to spin and is more appealing to cold-water fish. Fly reel style mini-ice reels also are effective at reducing lure spin.
“Always keep an ice rod tip moving, just kind of a nervous shake or tiny lift that makes a lure wiggle and hop,” he explains. “A slow flutter often is best, but sometimes when fish are aggressive you have to jig it much more to draw strikes.”
