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nearly always be using together. On our next trip, we
furthered our success, fi nding trophy-size bluegill at
Summit Lake State Recreation Area and two private
lakes in eastern Nebraska. We couldn't wait until our
next trip on the ice.
TIPS AND TIP-UPS
As the winter progressed, so did my trips to fi sheries
biologist Daryl Bauer's offi ce at the Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission. We'd recount our trips, and I'd
ask a lot of questions.
He introduced me to the 10-minute rule, used when
trying to fi nd fi sh in new holes. If you don't have a
strike in 10 minutes, it is time to move. Toward the end
of the winter, I said one word that once again upped
our ice fi shing ante. "Tip-ups?" I asked.
"Perfect for kids," Bauer said. "They love to set them
up. When someone yells 'fl ag!' it's great."
"Brand?" I asked.
"There are a lot. I use the HT Polar ones," he said.
At $13 apiece, we began to use them too, baiting
Crappies can be caught through the ice with a
myriad of lures, including fi ngernail-polish-painted
jig heads.
ICE FISHING DEFINITIONS
Cut: To drill a hole in ice. More importantly,
it's the language that ice anglers use. I've
never heard an ice veteran utter the word
"drill."
Mark: Ice fi shing language detailing if fi sh
have been located (e.g. We marked several
fi sh this morning on our Vexilar).
Spud bar: A necessary piece of ice-fi shing
gear that is a long, straight metal bar used to
test ice thickness.
Swedish pimple: This
long-celebrated jigging
lure has been used by ice
anglers for generations.
Teardrop: This teardrop-
shaped ice fi shing lure is
one of the standards seen
throughout the winter on
lakes across the state.
Tip: To include additional
bait to an ice-fi shing
lure, such as a waxworm
(also known as a 'waxie'), minnow, mousie,
mealworm or nightcrawler (also known
simply as a 'crawler').
Tip-up: A device (see below) used in ice
fi shing in which a wire attached to a rod is
tripped, raising a signal fl ag when a fi sh takes
the bait.
