Successful ice fishing for bluegills, crappies and perch means good bite detection, and some ice anglers have improvised super-sensitive spring bobbers at the end of their rods that twitch at the slightest touch from a panfish. Or so they think. Fact is, panfish can nab a bait and spit it with such finesse they might never move a spring bobber or pull down a float down.


Some 20 years ago, a fellow from the upholstery department of the automotive plant where I worked as a catalog copywriter introduced me to ice fishing with unbaited flies and highly visible light line—two-pound Golden Stren was the top choice. A 12-inch leader of clear monofilament added a bit of stealth.... Read more here Bright Lining Panfish on Ice