Ice fishing can be cold and downright hot at times. The key to getting in on a hot bite is finding the fish. Sonar has become the modern go-to tool, for locating and testing schools of hungry fish.
When I started fishing as a child, sonar was just beginning to take over the fishing world. That was over 30 years ago and since then, fish-finding units have come a long way.
I had fished without electronics for most of my life and wondered how much it would help. I was reluctant to spend more on a fish finder than I had spent on the john boat that I would be fishing out of. After a few trips out with fishermen that had sonar. I was sold!
This was on open water before I started ice fishing. When I got into ice fishing, it was the same song. I was being outfished by guys looking at a box with colored lines on it. It wasn't the typical sonar that I was used to seeing, but it was helping them catch fish. I was intrigued enough to start looking into affordable units. Modern electronics can tell you where, when, why and how. All you have to do is buy one, or two, and maybe another.
There are many companies making sonar units today. The truth is you get what you pay for. I started off buying the cheapest model that I could find. It was junk, and I was never able to get it to work. After talking to other fishermen, I found out that they had done the same thing.
Their stories were like echos and reverberated the same experience that I had been through. All of them were using high quality flasher units through the ice. I had decided to get some advice before breaking the bank, so I approached people who were using them. They showed me how you can see the fish and your lure in real time. I was surprised at how different their fish finders were than the others I had seen.
All they were looking at was a circular viewing screen with different colored lines in it. I was told the darker red lines were fish, and his jig was yellow. This allowed him to see when a fish was approaching his bait. I was used to seeing finders that resembled a small television screen. I became intrigued as to the difference between the units.
The following spring, I decided to purchase one of the TV screen models, and it was a whole new world. I could now see the bottom contour and identify fish and structure. This changed the way I fished forever.
I got into the routine of cruising the lake and looking for fish before even wetting a line. When I located the fish, I would set up on the area and try to find out what species they were, and what they were eating. This would take a while, sometimes, and could waste valuable fishing light. There had to be a solution. Not long after, companies started producing underwater cameras. We were now able to see what was going on down there, and get an idea as to what kind of fish we were in.
I now have four sonar units and an underwater camera. By using them together, I have learned more in a single season than the previous 10 put together. I start my ice fishing scenario by approaching an area that held fish in the past. I punch a series of holes, and use the TV-style sonar to find the school. Once they are located, I use the camera to figure out what species I'm on. I then choose a jig and see how they respond to it. I change jigs until I find one that the fish will chase and eat immediately. I sometimes just stay on the camera, but most of the time I switch to the flasher unit. Most cameras’ range is greatly decreased after dark, so I usually go straight to the flasher. This saves me time having to switch the units while the hot sunset bite is on.
Last but not least are the new apps for your phone that have lake graphs on them accompanied by GPS. You can mark your location, date, time and bait choice, which will help you narrow things down more quickly in the future.
I use the Navionics boating app, it's free and works great! I also got a product that turns your phone into a sonar unit this fall, it's produced by Vexilar, and works along with the Navionics app to help you return to the same spot year after year.
Fishing has gone electronic and fishermen are reaping the rewards. I personally can't live without them any more. I have driven home from the lake several times to retrieve forgotten sonar. I feel blind without it now. Try them out, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
Good wishes, and go electronic to catch more fish.

Questions or comments may be emailed to Sheldon at sheldonsoutdoorbusiness@hotmail.com.