No Spin Zone. Eliminating the unnatural movement of lures under the water is important in keeping fish interested in your offerings.  Keep lures hanging in front of them without a spinning motion by using fresh line, a swivel above a leader, or by simply cutting and retying. Simonson Photo.

By Nick Simonson

Whether it’s hitting an icy road as the winter driving season gets underway or laying in bed after staying too long at the office holiday party the night before, the spins are never a good thing.  They’re even worse when you’re pursuing your favorite fish at first ice, as a twisting, turning lure making a full 360-degree spin is about the most unnatural presentation one can throw at a wary walleye or a discerning bluegill.  Eliminating line twist helps prevent a spinning lure under the frozen surface, and there are three surefire ways to help do that this season.

Line It Up

Foremost, replacing last season’s monofilament line on each ice fishing reel is the first step in preventing a spinning lure underneath the surface, where fish are more lethargic and generally have more time to get up close and personal with your offering and decide to bite.  Mono retains its coil around the center post of any fishing reel, and as a result stores a lot of potential energy from that tight wrapping due to its chemical makeup.  Imagine now that tightly wound line has been held in place for the past nine months and likely had some abuse last ice season as well.  Odds are a spinning lure is in order as the line tries to unwind itself under the hole.  Take the time now to restring reels for this year’s ice season and help prevent the spins.

On a Swivel

Another tool that helps prevent spinning lures is the use of a small barrel swivel above a one or two foot leader.  Especially when going after panfish which often swim in a circular pattern coming up the water column on the retrieve, a swivel takes a lot of that torque out so that only the bottom extension of line above the lure absorbs the abuse.  Such an option also allows an ice angler to use a heavier main line and downsize the bottom foot or two or change to fluorocarbon for better presentations to picky panfish.  Have a selection of small swivels to help take the spin out of lures.

Yell Cut

Finally, after a handful or two of fish – especially those bull bluegills – consider cutting and retying the lure to the end of the line.  The mere act of trimming things up helps release that stored potential energy and stress stashed in the line from the recent battles and lets a stretch of monofilament straighten itself out.  The work of cutting the line and retying is also worth it as it removes the last few inches of line which may become abraded or damaged from the fishes’ teeth, even if you can’t see the microscopic wear they put on it.  When in doubt, cut and retie to get the best possible prevention of spinning lures under the ice.

The spins are never good this time of year.  Taking these three steps to prevent spinning lures that spurn bites is key to better ice fishing, for those other kinds of spins that come with the holidays, you’re likely on your own, however. 

Simonson is the lead writer and editor of Dakota Edge Outdoors.