How to Dress in Layers
An important part of ice fishing is keeping dry and warm.  Some days it is warm and your only concern is to not get a sunburn on your face and arms, however, some days the clothing we wear can be the difference between a good day, or a very bad and dangerous day.  Whether you are climbing Everest, skiing, or fishing, the same principles apply for how to dress.  It is important to be aware of the forecast and it helps if you are able to read weather using a barometer, however the most seasoned mountain man will tell you that the key to having a good day in the elements is to be prepared.

All layering systems consist of 3 layers.  A base layer to wick moisture away from your skin to keep you dry, an insulation layer to keep you warm, and an outer shell to protect you from the elements.

When your body works it sweats to cool you down by evaporation.  Evaporation requires energy, and this energy comes from your body core, cooling you down.  A good base layer is efficient at transporting water away from your body, thereby allowing the body to retain its heat.  There are different weights of base layers depending on the season;  they range from a very light weight material to very warm thermal base layer.

The next layer is the insulation layer.  This layer may be comprised of more than one piece of clothing.  This way when you start to warm up, you can remove a layer to keep from sweating.  This is a very important point.  The key is to regulate your body temperature to keep you from sweating.  A moisture wicking shirt along with a fleece is a great combination to start your day.  Fleece is excellent  because it retains heating properties when wet (not that we ever sweat pulling the tent out on to the lake), and has an excellent warmth to weight ratio.  Wool is a good insulation layer as well, but can be bulky and heavy, especially when wet.  Cotton is known as the "Death Fabric", don't wear it.  It loses all heating properties when wet, and in the case of Jeans can constrict when wet and cause circulation problems.

The outer layer is the shell.  This protects you from the elements and must allow the passage of water vapor.  This is why that old yellow rain coat doesn't cut it.  It protects from the elements, but causes the water inside to stay inside.  That is why fabrics such as GORE-TEX were created.  The pores in this type of fabric are small enough to keep water droplets from getting in, but large enough to let the much smaller water vapor molecules out.  That way, when you sweat, your base layer will pull the moisture off the skin, passing it through your insulation layer, and out your shell.  A jacket made just for fishing such as the 8x Pro Jacket from Cloudveil is great, as it has tackle box pockets, oversized fleece lined pockets to warm up wet hands, and watertight cuffs to seal out water when landing or releasing a fish.

The same shell technology has been applied to waders, and they are now fully breathable.  I find breathable waders much warmer than Neoprene waders, as the sweat doesn't collect on the inside.  This keeps me much warmer, and, as my wife tells me, smelling much better.  If you ice fish in the spring when there is a lot of flood water, simply put on a pair of heavy fleece pants and a pair of breathable waders and you will be warm and happy all day long.  I like to wear Simms staple G3 Guide Waders.  They have 5-ply GORE-TEX in high abrasion areas and are super tough.

If it's really cold and you are going to be stationary a lot during the day, then a one piece suit such as the famous blue and yellow one from Helly Hansen is the best choice.  It has warm pile on the inside, and the one piece construction prevents heat form leaking out of that part on your lower back that gets exposed when you sit or bend over.

If its really cold, a shelter is a must, and anything from the Clam Corporation is the only way to go.  All their shelters weather it be the comfortable and ultra portable flip models, the new light compact clam cabin, or the original clam; set up very quickly.  The flip models have comfortable warm seats and everything folds down into its own sled.  A well designed tent that can be towed behind a sled or quad!

Head gear is important.  50% of body heat is lost through the head.  Try a WindStopper fleece toque, its stays warm when its howling and you are outside of the tent..

Gloves are nice but reduce the feel of the rod.  I prefer a thin WindStopper fleece glove, it allows me to set up while wearing them, even with those little buttons on the telescopic tents.  If it is really cold, wear the large ski gloves in between battling fish.

Winter boots, are important for warmth, grip, and support.  The rubber can help prevent slipping on the ice, but for real traction, put on some metal cleats.  Pac boots from Cabelas are super warm, they will keep your feet happy all day long.

The final thing that is very important to wear is a pair of quality polarized glasses.  Good quality sunglasses keep your eyes from burning, and becoming fatigued or damaged from a day on the icer.  Upgrading to polarized glasses will greatly reduce the glare from the top of the snow, enabling you to see better.  My favorite polarized glasses are made by Kaenon.  They have great quality lenses, and have great looking frames.  My wife is no longer embarrassed when I wear my fishing glasses around, in fact, they are my everyday sunglasses.

While we are talking about how to dress in layers we thought we would mention our favorite couple of things for on top of those layers - Our Favorite Gear.  We don't like to wear fishing vests, and don't like to drag around big cumbersome tackle boxes, but rather prefer to wear a hip/chest pack.  The Waterdance Guide Pack from Fishpond is awesome - buy it for use anywhere from the salt water flats to ice covered lakes!  It has compartments for all of your small tackle boxes and tippets.
Our favorite fly boxes for our ice flies are C&F designs from 3M Scientific Anglers.  The boxes are well constructed with great replaceable foam and storage compartments.  Great!  You will give all of your old fly boxes away!

Line
It is important to use the right size tippet for whatever lure or fly you are fishing.  The line has to fit through the eye of your hook, and must not spook the fish when they come to inspect their potential meal.  Unlike in moving water, fish in lakes can take their time and look carefully at your offering.  For flies, a simple rule for what X designation of tippet to use is to take the size of the fly and divide by 4.
 

When the fish are not taking your offering and they should be, try going one size smaller with your tippet.  If this doesn't work, try going to a smaller fly, or altering your jigging technique.

Light tackle is becoming more and more popular because people are finally realizing that fish can look at their lure and inspect it for as long as they want before taking it.  The more a lake is fished, the lighter you should go.

When fishing deep water, use a non stretch line such as Fireline.  This enables you to feel even the smallest takes and helps you to set the hook immediately and more effectively without waiting for the line to finally tighten after stretching two feet first.  Tie your Fireline off to a swivel and then attach the appropriate leader.

Fluorocarbon is a great tippet material for your leaders.  It has nearly the same index of refraction as water which makes it nearly invisible in the water, allowing you to use larger diameter line for more strength without scaring fish.  Do not tie it to mono as it tends to cut through the knot.  Tie it to the swivel on the end of your line.

We suggest using RIO or Scientific Anglers tippet.  We always try new stuff, and keep coming back to RIO.  We break off much fewer fish using these lines.

Knots
Improved Clinch Knot - this knot is very strong and is your basic bread and butter fishing knot.  Use it for everything.

Double Uni Knot - this is used to tie to pieces of tippet together.  We tie this often.  It is very easy to tie and is very strong.

Double Surgeon's Knot - another knot to tie when attaching tippet.

Albright Knot - this knot is difficult to tie but is necessary for tying with wire.  Great when making your own pike leaders.

Auguring
Auguring a good hole is a very important link to enjoying a day on the ice.  A good hole should be free from sharp edges and free from debris.  Start by clearing the snow away from the ice with a small portable back country avalanche shovel.  Begin auguring and before you punch through remove the auger from the hole and kick away the build up of shaved ice around the hole.  Continue auguring and punch through the last bit of ice.  The last bit of ice is usually tougher to go through as it has a higher moisture content due to the fact that it is in immediate contact with the water.  Once you punch through, push the auger down about a foot into the water, and then pull it completely out of the hole pulling with it most of the slush in the hole.  This also insures that there is a clear cylindrical hole with no jagged ice pieces in the bottom of the hole.  Next take your scoop and cut it at an angle perpendicular to the water, once submerged and under the slush, rotate it parallel to the water surface, and slowly raise it, allowing the water to flow out of the ice through the holes in the scoup, leaving only the slush.  This will insure a smooth hole with good visibility.  If you carry an ice chisel, you can chip out the bottom of the hole removing the sharp edge and protecting your line.

We prefer the Normark power auger.  Its engine is a Husqvarna and has a catalytic converter so it doesn't blow that annoying blue smoke.  Its not quite as powerful as other augers on the market, and is a little more money than other augers as well - but it is half the weight of any other power auger on the market.  The engine with 10" bit only weighs 25 pounds!

If you are not an ice fisherman that moves every fifteen minutes, but rather prefers to sit in one place and enjoy a relaxing day, we have a great way to relax and still watch your jig.  Use a longer rod and drill your hole around 2 1/2 feet from your seat.  Then drill a hole close to your seat at an angle.  If you do it right, you can fish in shallow water by sitting back in your seat and looking down your angled hole at your jig which is down your vertical hole.

Jigging Techniques
There are many different jigging techniques depending on the species of fish you are pursuing, the time of year, and the amount of angling pressure.  Generally however, all presentations include the attracting phase, which is the jigging portion, and the trigger phase, which is when the lure remains stationary.  The more active the fish, the more often you can jig and the more active lure you can use.  Sometimes a stationary tip up catches more fish than the one that you are actively fishing with!

Rod Choice
A good rod is essential.  No longer is it adequate to simply use your finger or a stick and some line if you want to catch a lot of fish.  Rod choice will depend on the species you are after, and the depth of water your fishing.  The deeper you go and the bigger the fish you are after, the longer the rod you will need.  A longer rod enables you to get a good hook set in deep water, and provides the backbone for battling a strong fish.  Even for small fish a good quality rod is essential to enable you to feel the softest takes.  Remember that in deep water a long rod paired with a no stretch line such as Fireline will enable better feel and the ability to set the hook in deep water.  The best ice rods we have found are made by Thorne Bros.

Tip Ups
Tip ups are a great way to increase your catch when you are angling in places that allow more than one line.  The polar tip up covers the entire hole and insulate it, preventing it from icing up.  In this setup the entire spool is under water keeping it ice free as well.  There are also wind tip ups that impart action to the jig due to the wind.  They work well - when its warmer out.

Quick Strike Rig
A quick strike rig is the perfect set up to use underneath a tip up.  It consists of a wire leader with two treble hooks.  I like to crimp the bottom treble in place, with the upper one simply threaded on the wire.  This way it can be slid up and down the wire depending on the size of bait you are using.  Put the top hook between the dorsal and the tail of your bait, and the lower hook near the head.  This way it sits in the water head down like a dead fish floating just off the bottom.  Attach as much weight as needed.  Put the hooks facing the back of the bait as often the fish will eat by swallowing the head first.

Shelter
Shelter is often the difference between a comfortable and warm day on the ice as opposed to a cold and blowing day battling the elements.  The other important reason for shelter is one of the most fun parts of ice fishing - seeing down your hole and sight fishing for fish!  Permanent shelters are fun and relaxing, but to be an efficient ice fisherman a portable ice fishing tent is a must.  A tent with a dark canvas with the ability to seal out all light is the ideal.  Make sure it is easy to put up and down or you will treat it like a permanent shelter.  Make sure it has vents to let the condensation from your breath escape along with any vapors from your indoor safe heater.  Vents also cool you off on a hot day.  For really cold days an indoor safe heater such as the adjustable one from Mr. Heater, is a nice treat.

Sonar
Sonar is important when you are fishing in deep water, fishing in murky water, and is also a good way to tell you to sit up and get those fishing spider senses tingling when a fish or two is swimming underneath your hole!  Once you have fished with a Vexilar, you will feel blind fishing without one.  It tells you at what depth the fish are holding, and provides real time data.  You can even see the swivel on you line jig up and down!

When the Fish Don't Bite
When the fish don't bite, try the following:
a smaller sized fly
smaller diameter tippet
longer tippet
a different fly or lure
take a nap
eat
watch birds
stand on your head
balance your rod on your nose
flap your arms and quack like a duck
say "here fishy fishy fishy fishy"
phone Ice Fishing Alberta and book a trip (maybe I should have said that first)

Ice Safety
Ice safety is very important.  Do not go on the ice if there is any doubt.  Always check with locals and drill a test hole close to shore to check for ice depth.  There are many factors that contribute to ice thickness.  The guidelines set out by the Alberta Fishing Regulations state that nobody should walk on ice that is less than 10cm (4 in.) thick and that no vehicle should be driven on ice that is less than 30cm (12 in.) thick.  Never drive fast on the ice as it can create a wave action to build up in front of the vehicle, causing the ice to eventually snap, which could spell disaster.  Never go near inlets or outlets to streams.  We don't like to walk on the ice until its safe to drive on it, that means over a foot thick!  We always want to come back for another fishing trip.

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