What makes an exceptional ice fisherman?

[Todd34]

In my opinion.

I was lucky enough to be taken to the lakes at an early age and was shown techniques and given a mindset on how to be successful fishing. My family was far from well off, but what little money was left we stuck it into extra rods and reels, a new auger, an extra minnow bucket, ect. Anything that makes changing techniques in a moments notice was key. I now fish with an ice castle, truck, a trap and a 4 wheeler. And I apply everyone of these pieces of equipment to its full extent, as I did when I was 12 with a sled, a bucket, and some minnows. Now, I always have 10 rods and reels ready to go, which all have different jigs, sizes and colors, all of which I have been sucessful with on the particular lake or one that has the same characteristics (which some people think is obnoxious, but when you are marking fish and they are not biting, I want to throw everything I have at them without having to mess around with changing lines. Because, by the time you have tied on 2 different jigs, the fish have moved on.) I also have a core group of 10-15 people I know that fish as hard as I do. We all keep in touch with how the last outing was or some depths where they were marking fish. I never want to be told where to go, I just like some info on parts of the lake and depths that is not worth drilling holes. I keep my gps jam packed with spots I've done well in the past.

I never fish by crowds, and I'm not afraid to drill 50 holes a day to find what I'm looking for. You dont need $2,000 in tackle in your box, just some jigs that you have been sucessful with in the past, as each jig has its own characteristic, that if you have caught fish with it in the past, stick with it, it will more than likely work in most other lakes (as I fish 10-15 lakes religiously, both in southern minnesota, northern minnesota and s.d.----And I use 1 particular jig at all of these lakes and don't have a problem getting them to bite.

I'm by no means saying I'm an exceptional fisherman, I just do what has worked for me, which has taken all of my 34 years on this earth to learn. I guess what I'm trying to say is it takes a lot of time, a lot of money, a lot of wives and girlfriends and a lot of understanding bosses(or just 1 that loves to fish like mine) to half [PoorWordUsage] catch fish consistently.

[gopher_nation]

Having and knowing how to use a flasher is the best way to consistantly catch fish for me.