Category: ice fishing general

Hi Italo long time no fish I was wondering if you were planning any ice fishing trips this winter and if you needed any company

Posted on January 23rd, 2022

Hi Kam, long time-no hear. Hope you and your family are doing well. No scheduled ice-trips this year. Thank you for the offer to keep me company…God bless you.

Make sure to check the fishing videos on our Italo Labignan YouTube channel and if you have any questions just email them to me at Ask Italo throughout our www.canadian-sportfishing.com website.

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During the winter months I can only get out to fish mainly when it’s dark out so I’d still like to go ice fishing when it’s pitch black outside but I don’t know what lures I should be using to attract panfish and Pike? Do glow lures work better do scented lures work better I’m not too sure and I’m just worried that I’ll be wasting my time with a lure down there with no light or glow light and the fish won’t be able to see it or find it I’d love to hear your thoughts the only light I ever have with me is my headlight that aims at the hole sometimes but that’s all the light. Would it help the fish find The lure if I were to aim my headlight at the hole while I’m fishing?

Posted on January 14th, 2022

Hi Spencer, if you’re planning to target fish at night any time of the year, including through the ice, Panfish and Pike are not good species to go after in the dark since they do most of their feeding during daylight hours and at dusk/dawn (before nightfall).

Any anglers I know that ice fish at night are targeting Burbot (Ling). Some catch Whitefish at night, but most of the whitefish they catch is during the day.

Having said the above, the lures you use or colors won’t make a difference if the fish are not feeding at night.

Make sure to check the fishing videos on our Italo Labignan YouTube channel and if you have any questions just email them to me at Ask Italo throughout our www.canadian-sportfishing.com website.

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Looking for the name of the tipup used in your one episode for ice fishing. Also where to purchase one. Hubby, Calvin saw the episode last weekend or the weekend prior. Thank You

Posted on January 10th, 2022

Hi Lynn, that is the https://www.tipnjig.com/ ice fishing system and you can order it directly from their website…God bless you.

Make sure to check the fishing videos on our Italo Labignan YouTube channel and if you have any questions just email them to me at Ask Italo throughout our www.canadian-sportfishing.com website.

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Hi Italo, love both your shows ,the area on the lower Grand in Dunnvile, bellow the dam has gone gone private, I was wandering if you know anywhere in that area that has public access to the river for ice fishing.Thanks for your help and God Bless.

Posted on February 1st, 2021

Hi Rus, glad you are enjoying both the Canadian Sportfishing & Here’s the Catch! TV series. For Walleye fishing below the Dunville, ON dam in the Grand River is your best bet. You could try to find a location where you can cut across to the river further south, but I have a feeling it would be a long walk through wild land.  I would encourage you to pay the parking fee at Fishmasters and head out from there. There are some very good flats to fish within 1/2 km of the marine…God bless you.

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Hi Italo. I live on Sturgeon Lake near Emily Creek. Every my buddies and I put out our ice huts in search of perch. We have had our 4 huts out for almost 2 weeks now and can’t find a single perch? We are in about 10-12 feet and some of us are right in the weedbed and others are a bit deeper near the edge of the weedbed. It’s good coontail weed mixed with rocks. Same places we find them every year. We’re using live minnows and also jigging to attract them but haven’t even seen any down the hole? Any suggestions on where to try? Thanks in advance.

Posted on January 15th, 2021

Hi Randy, perch can be as tricky as Walleye to locate since they can migrate from different areas from year to year and even month to month. If you are not catching them where you have in the past I would suggest you try fishing deeper off the weeds or trying some humps that are in open water not too far from shore. You may also want to check-out open-water weed beds that are off structure like off of Muskrat Island especially at the north-east end off the rock point that goes out and also off the weedline. The other area is the south-end of the island on the shoal off the 10-20′ break.

If you have not used a “thumper” before I would also encourage you to have a rod rigged with heavier braid and a 1 oz. weight with a swivel and large willow-leaf blade. Use it to “pound” the bottom a few times before starting to fish. Perch from a distance will be curious from the puff of sediments and noise and will be drawn in.

I would also encourage you to try jigging with either a Jigging Rapala in the W3 or W4 size oversizing the bottom treble and adding a chartreuse plastic trout egg to one of the hooks on the treble. Jig it on the bottom and lift & jig slowly. That can also work to bring perch in.

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On your show on January 10th, 2021, ice fishing, you mentioned how the porous mats were useful. Where can one get this mats?

Posted on January 10th, 2021

Hi Cyril, that mat is made by, https://vigurus.com/ and works great to keep you comfortable and dry when you have to kneel-down or sit on the ice…God bless you.

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Hi Italo and happy new year and hope you and your family are keeping safe. I was wondering if you have advice on ice fishing for crappie. I live in York region and I know there are crappie in Simcoe but in the winter can’t find them Any help would be appreciated. Sincerely Michael

Posted on January 4th, 2021

Hi Michael, Happy New Year! I am well thank you. There are Crappie in Simcoe but I don’t know if anyone that has targeted through the ice. The open water fishing for them is good at Lagoon City, Beaverton, at the moth of the Black River, Sutton, in the Holland River and in Keswick but I have never heard of anyone catching them through the ice.

My suggestion would be that you target them in Lake Scugog where they do well for them through the ice. Fish with a Passion. God bless you, Italo

 

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What is the name of the hook used for white fish on the ice fishing show?

Posted on December 20th, 2020

Hi Gene, we were using a few different lures. I had good luck using a 4 1/2″ soft-plastic minnow that is similar to the Italo’s Minnow available from Fishing Complete and the Rapala Slab Rap. Both worked well…God bless you.

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Hi ItaloCan you recomend a spot i can take my family ice fishing for panfish on family day that has very thick and safe ice. If there is any this early? A reasonable-ish drive from the gta would be ideal. Thank you.

Posted on February 15th, 2020

Hi Alex, walking out from Virginia Beach, Lake Simcoe is always productive for catching perch and often jumbo perch. You will be able to see the cluster of fishermen from shore and know which area to walk to…God bless you.

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Hi Italo, hope you enjoyed your holidays. I am wondering if you can suggest a spot where i can try ice fishing that i am most likley to catch fish. I am fine with just panfish as this will be my first time. What technique do you suggest and lures/ bait? Only fished open water prior to this. I live in ajax but can drive away if needed. Thanks

Posted on January 4th, 2020

Hi Alex, God is good and we have had excellent holidays. Happy New Year. Once there is safe ice I would suffers you travel north of Ajax to Virginia Beach, Lake Simcoe. I freezes early and the entire area from Virginia Beach to Georgina Island is excellent for jumbo perch and the odd whitefish and lake trout in 12-15’ water. You will see where anglers are clustered together. Use a 1/8oz jig head with a 1” plastic grub up to a 2 1/2” Lunker City Fin-S Fish and gently jig and lift slowly off the bottom. Perch will be within 2’ if bottom. It will really help you if you have a fishfinder that shows your lure and fish reacting to it. Hope you do well.

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