If you target panfish and walleye through ice, there are a few simple, effective rigs you need to master. Pair these rigs with tungsten ice jig or tungsten rain drop ice jig to get more bites.
Vertical jigging rig is #1 for panfish like bluegill, crappie and perch. Use a short ice rod, thin fluorocarbon line, and tie on a tungsten ice jig or tungsten rain drop ice jig. Tip the jig with wax worm, maggot or tiny plastic grub. Lift and drop the jig gently. Tungsten transfers every tiny bite straight to your rod tip, so you won’t miss soft panfish taps. This rig works great around weed edges and brush piles.
For walleye, try the jigging spoon rig. Combine a metal spoon with a small tungsten ice jig below. Walleye often hit the spoon, but sometimes they strike the tungsten jig. Fish this rig near deep drop-offs during low-light feeding windows.
Another popular setup is the deadstick rig. Leave your rod in a holder with a tungsten rain drop ice jig and live minnow. It works when walleye are inactive and unwilling to chase moving lures.
The biggest advantage of tungsten ice jig and tungsten rain drop ice jig is small size with heavy weight. They sink quickly through slushy ice holes and keep your lure in the strike zone longer.
