Unlocking Early Ice Walleye Opportunities With onX Fish
As temperatures plummet and lakes begin to freeze, anglers across the ice belt gear up for one of the most exciting times of the year: first ice. This brief but rewarding window offers the chance to catch walleye as they capitalize on favorable feeding conditions before the deeper freeze sets in. To maximize your success during this period, preparation is key—and onX Fish is the ultimate tool to help you locate lakes, plan your trip, and adapt to conditions on the ice.
The Magic of First Ice Walleye
First ice presents a unique opportunity for walleye anglers. Walleye are often active and feeding aggressively, thanks to favorable oxygen levels and minimal angler pressure compared to the rest of the season. However, this period can be challenging without a well-planned strategy. onX Fish simplifies the process by putting the information you need—fisheries data, access points, and recent imagery—right at your fingertips, helping you make informed decisions and spend more time catching fish.
Step 1: Find Walleye Lakes With onX Fish
The first step in any successful ice fishing trip is identifying lakes with a healthy walleye population. onX Fish offers several features to guide your research. onX Fish provides species-specific data for countless lakes, enabling you to focus on those known for walleye. By selecting the fish species filter for walleye inside of onX Fish, and choosing from a variety of other characteristics, anglers can optimize their search for the criteria that best fit their fishing needs.
- Locate New Lakes Near You: Whether you’re an angler exploring outside your usual spots or venturing into unfamiliar territory, onX Fish highlights lakes where walleye are present. Use the Walleye filter to scan for bodies of water near your location or in new regions and identify those with thriving populations.
- Identify Lakes With Abundant Species: For anglers focused on action-packed fishing trips, use onX Fish to locate lakes with high-density walleye populations. Anglers can compare Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) values, and compare them to other lakes of similar class, all while looking for “outlier” lakes with much higher than average numbers of walleyes. These lakes are ideal for catching large numbers of fish, making them perfect for quick outings or teaching others how to fish.
- Find Trophy Potential Lakes: Targeting trophy walleye? onX Fish provides insights into lakes with records of large fish. Look for state or local fish surveys within the App that highlight lakes where big fish have been documented. Trophy lakes may not always have high densities of fish, but they offer opportunities to land a personal best.
- Locate Lakes With Keeper-Size Fish: If your goal is to catch perfect eater-size fish, onX Fish can guide you to lakes where walleye are abundant in the 15- to 20-inch range. Pairing fish species data with local regulations ensures you’re fishing within limits while maximizing your haul.
Find First Ice with Recent Imagery
Be the first to get at the Walleye. Start using onX Fish in Minnesota and Wisconsin today.
Understanding Fishing Pressure With Recent Imagery
One of onX Fish’s standout features is its access to recent satellite imagery. During the early ice season, this can reveal valuable information about fishing pressure on different lakes.
Use this feature to identify:
- Ice Up: See lakes that ice up first and completely for a better idea of where ice has hit across the Midwest.
- Ice Roads: Clearly visible in satellite imagery, ice roads indicate where anglers are accessing lakes. These roads often lead to heavily trafficked areas, which can mean pressured fish.
- Angler Traffic Patterns: Look for clusters of vehicles, shelters, or other signs of human activity. Avoiding high-traffic zones can increase your chances of finding less pressured, more aggressive walleye.
- Undisturbed Areas: Conversely, imagery can highlight untouched sections of a lake where fish may be more relaxed and easier to catch.
Step 2: Planning Your Ice Fishing Trip
After identifying promising lakes, the next step is to plan the logistics of your trip. onX Fish makes this process seamless with tools designed for both preparation and safety.
Layering Ice Safety Information
First ice can be unpredictable, and safety should always come first. onX Fish allows you to overlay satellite imagery and access reports on ice conditions shared by other anglers. Look for signs of consistent freezing and avoid areas with inflows, outflows, or underwater springs. Always follow basic ice safety rules, such as:
- Ensure there’s at least four inches of clear, solid ice before venturing out.
- Avoid areas of visible cracks, slush, or discoloration in the ice.
- Carry safety equipment like ice picks, a flotation device, and a throw rope.
Mapping Public Accesses
Public access points, such as boat ramps and parking areas, are often marked on onX Fish maps. Use these to plan your approach and ensure you’re heading to the safest and most convenient entry points for your selected lake. This feature is especially useful for identifying areas where ice roads or snowmobile trails intersect with key fishing zones. Click on the access and utilize the “driving directions” button to navigate via Apple or Google on the road while in your vehicle.
Step 3: Marking Key Locations
A good fishing trip starts with having a clear plan. onX Fish allows you to mark Waypoints and create custom maps to guide your day on the ice.
Marking Structures and Depth Changes
Walleye often gather near underwater structures such as drop-offs, humps, or points. Even if you’re unable to analyze depth contours, you can use satellite imagery and species data to approximate likely feeding zones. Drop waypoints on these locations and label them with notes like “Potential Drop-off” or “Rocky Shoreline.”
Navigate to Waypoints
Whether roaming the open ice or setting up shelters and waiting them out, anglers can stay organized with their milk runs by utilizing onX Fish to get them from A to B.
Pro Tip: Short and sweet is great for Waypoint naming, but the more descriptive you can be—all while being brief—the better you’ll be armed with actionable knowledge when you hit the hardwater.
Step 4: Recording and Sharing Your Success
A successful ice fishing trip isn’t just about the catch; it’s also about learning and improving for next time. onX Fish makes it easy to document your success and build a personal database of productive fishing locations.
Save Successful Waypoints
Mark the spots where you’ve had the most success and save them for future trips. Over time, you’ll build a collection of go-to locations for first ice walleye.
Log Your Catch
Add notes to your Waypoints to record details such as bait used, time of day, ice thickness, and weather conditions. These logs can help you identify patterns and refine your strategy for next season.
Offline Maps for Remote Areas
For areas with limited or no cell service, download maps in advance for offline use. This ensures you’ll have access to all your Waypoints, satellite imagery, and layers even when you’re far from a signal.
Closing Thoughts
First ice walleye fishing is one of the most exhilarating experiences an angler can have. By combining traditional knowledge with the modern tools provided by onX Fish, you can drastically improve your chances of success. From researching lakes and analyzing fishing pressure to marking Waypoints, tracking movements, and leveraging Apple CarPlay for in-dash navigation, onX Fish empowers you to plan smarter, fish safer, and enjoy your time on the ice to the fullest.
This season, don’t just hope for a productive day—make it happen with onX Fish.
Plan Ahead with the onX Fish app
Start using onX Fish in Minnesota and Wisconsin today.