ice fishing | The Filson Journal

person taking an ice drill from the back of a white vehicle with skis and caterpillar treads in the middle of a huge frozen lake

How to Ice Fish: learn from fishing guide Walleye Dan

Walleye Dan has been ice fishing for more than 40 years. He’s seen the sport change dramatically from his early days out on Round Lake in Minnesota, trying his luck with nothing but a jiggle stick and a handful of wax worms. Today, he’s one of the most sought after fishing guides in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, happily sharing his knowledge of the region and love for all things fishing.

5 Min

line of small structures in frozen tundra at sunset

Profiles

Extinctions of the Pleistocene: Ice Fishing in Maine with Jon Levitt

Photographer Jonathan Levitt lives on an acreage near the village of Ducktrap, Maine and spends much of his time roaming the inlets and islands of Penobscot Bay. In his latest Filson Life, Jon explores the remnants of the “Ice Age” in a photo essay from an ice fishing trip for smelt with friends.

Ice Fishing - Man in olive wool coat and pants sets up ice fishing hole

How-To's

10 Tips to Get You Out on the Hard Water with Peter Patenaude

Peter Patenaude, a registered Maine guide, has been a Filson advocate for over six years. His blog Boot & Canoe, focuses on traditional skills and Maine’s outdoor heritage. Today, Peter shares 10 tips for a successful day of ice fishing. Exercising a small brook trout on a fly rod is a great experience; similarly, pulling one

Field Notes

The Ultimate Connection to Nature

Maine-based Rhon Bell of Backwoods Plaid, takes Filson on a record-setting ice fishing trip. Fishing is my ultimate connection to nature, so it’s without hesitation that I agreed to a two-day ice fishing trip with long-time friend and Registered Maine Guide, Steve. Within an hour I booked a rustic cabin conveniently wedged between two remote lakes.