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yours. I was ice-fishing with a six-year-old last year. He was fishing, I was coaching. We had my Vexilar

FLX-20. I showed and explained to my young partner what the depth-finder was showing us. In two
minutes, he had it figured it out. He could see his bait, and he was able to accurately tell me when he
thought he was going to get bit, and he was usually right. Vexilars work very well because they read in
real-time. When the fish mark merges with the bait mark, you can expect to feel or see the strike. And,
if no fish are seen on the depth-finder, we move until we see fish. This prevents the new angler from
getting bored or frustrated. We don’t wait for the fish to come to us, we go looking for them.

Last thing: Go somewhere where the chances for getting bit are good. They don’t need to be big fish,

and it doesn’t matter what kind they are. We just want something pulling back. Most anglers,
regardless of age or skill level, want to catch some fish, and when they’re in the early stages of learning,
catching anything is a very good teacher and keeps them interested.

If you’ve got someone in your life that would like to go ice-fishing, keep these ideas in mind and you’ll
increase their chances for enjoying the experience.

To see new and old episodes of Fishing the Midwest television, fishing articles and videos, visit
www.fishingthemidwest.com.