Early Ice Walleye Fishing: Top Locations and Proven Techniques

Early Ice is Extra Nice for Walleyes

A freshly caught walleye glows in the light of the setting sun during early ice season. / Joe Shead

The early ice period is one of the best times to catch walleyes during the hard-water season. At this time, walleyes typically relate to classic structure in relatively shallow water. Best of all, they tend to be pretty cooperative if you put a bait in front of them, and they'll often be duped by pretty standard fishing techniques.

Top Locations to Find Walleyes Under Early Ice

When I think of early ice fishing locations for walleyes, I think of rocks, gravel or weeds, in relatively shallow water. Depending on the lake, that could range from 5 feet to 15 feet. Points projecting into deep water are good bets, as are inside turns in weedbeds. These locations should hold baitfish, which will in turn attract walleyes. Think shallow classic walleye structure for the first few weeks of the hardwater season.

As the ice thickens, fish may slide deeper to main-lake humps or to relatively deep mud basins where they forage on perch and minnows that feed on insect larvae emerging from the mud.

Early ice fishing win: Andy Arens with a solid walleye that fell for his jig. / Joe Shead

Best Early Ice Fishing Tips

The thing I like best about early ice walleyes is they are generally willing to bite. By mid-winter they often just look at a bait, but in December and early January, they often chomp. Because fish are in shallow water and the ice is thin, it's important to pop your holes well ahead of the evening feeding window so you don't spook fish. And once you're set up and fishing, minimize movement and noise on the ice.

Jigging Techniques to Trigger Aggressive Walleye Bites

I jig fairly aggressively to attract fish and then tone it down if I see a walleye on my electronics. Gauge your jigging to how the fish react. If walleyes rush in and slam your lure, keep up the aggression. If they hesitate, but still bite, subtle jigging will seal the deal. If they turn away completely, I might keep jigging to attract fish, but I'll give them a one-two punch by leaving a minnow on a plain hook, weighted with a single split shot next to my jigging hole. Often the jigging calls in walleyes, but they'll hit the live minnow instead of the jig.

I find a medium-action spinning rod with a fast tip like the Shimano Convergence Ice Rod paired with a reel with a smooth drag like the Shimano Miravel is the perfect setup for walleyes.

Fresh from the ice: Multiple walleyes caught during an early ice fishing trip. / Dreamstime.com | © Steven Oehlenschlager | ID 25540328

Combining Live Bait Tip-Ups and Jigging for More Strikes

Where multiple lines are legal, setting out tip-ups baited with lively shiners just a foot off the bottom is a good technique. Tip-ups, such as the Frabill Arctic Fire Tip-up, put your bait in the strike zone, allow you to cover a good-sized chunk of real estate (especially with multiple anglers) and best of all, because you don't have to tend directly to the lines, they keep noise to an absolute minimum.

Of course, I will pair my tip-ups with active jigging in my portable shelter while I wait for a flag. You can't go wrong with a 1/8-ounce Northland Tackle Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon tipped with a fathead minnow head. The vertical spoon gets your bait down quickly and the rattles help attract fish.

Ice fishing essentials: An angler carefully prepares a tip-up for early season walleyes. / Bass Pro Shops

Staying Quiet and Fishing Smart at Early Ice

At early ice, fish classic walleye structure, think shallow and keep it quiet and you should be on the walleyes.

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