For ice anglers, line is a key piece of gear in their arsenal. Having the right line for the situation at hand can make the difference in having a great day on the ice and going home empty-handed. Today we’ll take a look at some ice line tips, along with a few products to help you on your next trip to the ice.
When you’re looking at ice fishing lines, keep in mind that lines that tend to exhibit a lot of memory in cold conditions, rather than straightening out, won’t perform as well. This tendency to keep a coiled shape leads to decreased ability to feel bites, which translate into fewer fish.
Ice lines are designed for fishing in wintery conditions and are made from durable, high-performance materials to handle the job, such as nylon monofilaments, copolymers, braids, and fluorocarbons.
Berkley, a well-known and innovative tackle company, offers a few ice lines of its own that have become favorites. Micro Ice Fireline and Trilene Ice Fluorocarbon are two of Berkley’s ice lines that ice anglers have come to love. The Fireline, in particular, is great because of its thin diameter, high strength, and boosted sensitivity.
Northland Fishing Tackle has its own ice line, as well, called Bionic Ice Fluorosilk, which consists of a fluorocarbon shell wrapped around a nylon copolymer core to deliver the key benefits of both types of line. The fluorocarbon coating sheds water, resists freezing, is virtually invisible underwater, and offers a faster sink rate than straight monofilament, while the nylon inside boosts the line’s manageability, knot strength, and abrasion resistance. Also, it won’t become brittle in sub-zero conditions.
Many anglers love Power Pro’s braided line for bass and other freshwater fish, and ice anglers will enjoy the company’s ice line, Ice-Tec. Designed to withstand freezing, Ice-Tec is braid coated with Polytetrefluoroethylene, known as PTFE for short, which fights braid’s tendency to freeze up in icy conditions.
Now that March is here, the ice season is winding down and making way for freshwater fishing, but you still have a few weeks to get in some ice time. Keep the lines and tips we’ve explored today in mind, whether you’re trying to squeeze in more ice fishing or stocking up for next winter.