Learn the Basics and Go Anywhere

By Matt Johnson

Ice fishing seems so complicated at times. All the various pieces of equipment, the endless jig choices, weather conditions constantly turning things upside down, where do we even begin? When did ice fishing become so intricate that we find ourselves more frustrated than fruitful? Does it have to be that way, or are we over-thinking it?

Don Cox, Ice Team's very own resident flatlander, believes that if you learn the basics, the rest naturally falls in line.

Don is a very experienced ice fisherman who has logged countless hours on the ice. Residing in the Sandhills of Nebraska, Cox is known for guiding people to some of the biggest bluegills the Ice Belt is capable of producing. His Sandhills lake techniques are simple, yet he can travel to a structure-filled lake and play ball with the best of them.

How does he do it?

This is where the fun begins…

To better understand Cox’s thought process, we’ll start by picking his brain on the tactics he relies on when attacking his home waters.

“Sandhills lakes are, for the most part,” says Cox, “shallow bodies of water loaded with high-calorie macroinvertebrates that produce fast growth rates in panfish. Macroinvertebrates can be almost anywhere in a Sandhills lake, but the highest populations are usually around emergent and submergent vegetation. Panfish roam the lake, consuming these bugs.

“Structure-filled lakes have a different forage base for panfish, usually consisting of zooplankton and baitfish. There’s a huge difference between the two. Structure lakes will have defined feeding areas under ice. Panfish will avoid certain areas of the lake, locating in and near these feeding zones. It may be a very small area or several hundred acres, depending on the lake. The entire body of water in a Sandhills lake is a panfish's feeding area.

“The constants of panfish between the two types of lakes would relate to water quality and temp, food availability, and predation. This alone is an entire article well covered by many writers. In general it boils down to location involving these factors.”

These are key factors in determining differences among various bodies of water—a start to understanding Cox’s way of thinking. Taking his expert approach on the road recently, Cox made the run east into Minnesota, to fish the NAIFC event on Lake Osakis. Anyone who has fished Osakis knows it’s a structure-packed lake, nothing like the Sandhills lakes of Nebraska, but that didn’t stop Cox. He walked away with a second-place finish.

“Our pre-tournament fishing,” said Cox, referring to practice with his partner, Dave Fehlhafer, “was no different than exploring any new lake we walk on to ice fish. Prior to leaving the house we do our homework, looking at lake maps, DNR fish samplings and creel surveys on the computer. Usually don't pay a lot of attention to recent fishing reports, other than to note what species people are catching. I don't believe I have ever heard a fishing report that didn't spin the size of fish actually caught.

“One of the main reasons we picked Osakis, and many of the lakes we fished in Trap Attacks over the years, is the potential for quality fish. I could give you a complete article on how Dave and I view tournament ice fishing as more of an excuse to ice fish different states and learn as much as we can instead of a competition per se, but this isn't the time. It does bring up the question of how my sons Zack and Tristen pre-fished, though.”

“Dave and I don't share much information with other teams before a tournament, nor do we ask. Everyone knows and understands this including my sons, and they also do the same. This was not their first ice tournament. Both have competed in at least 5 Nebraska ice tournaments I can think of. There might be more. We traveled on the ice together during some of the pre-fishing but it was up to them to find their own fish, and they did.”

“Back on topic. Dave and I make a game plan before going on the ice to pre-fish, and then take off in different directions checking areas, planning a rendezvous at a predetermined time to discuss findings. When fishing multispecies tournaments like this one, our goal is to locate target species as close as possible to each other, or better yet, in the same hole. Weather forecast for Sunday and ice conditions helped us make a decision to stay within the first mile of the bay as we were pre-fishing on Saturday. The plan was to target crappie on sharp break areas out from the big weed beds.

“Using a handheld GPS with lake chip, eventually all that cutting paid off by finding quality fish of both species in the same area. It was the first deep water off the largest weed bed in that mile of bay. It also happened to be 500 yards from the launch, and only 10 yards off a plowed road. Can't ask for anything better with the ice conditions the way they were and wind-chill forecast at 40 below.”

Simple, yet effective. Cox’s strategy paid off both in a literal sense and in terms of being productive out on Osakis. So, then, how did Don use his Sandhills tactics to advantage on Lake Osakis?

“We approach each lake the same, no matter location,” he says. “In fact, known Sandhills lakes we fish every year must continue to be explored every time due to the roaming nature of these fish. Cut, move explore over and over. I guess it is second nature for us. Dave Genz talks about big moves and small moves. We do the same thing, only on Sandhills lakes it’s more like a chain of small moves in succession, equates the big move. Many times I will leave active fish, just to see what can be learned in other areas. Somewhere on any given healthy body of water, fish will be feeding. Like everyone at True Blue, I don't believe in a dead sea. All we have to do is find these feeding locations.”

This prompted me to finally ask Cox a direct question: For those looking to fish a lake without structure, how should one go about breaking the lake down and finding fish? (I know you mention punching a ton of holes, but what about focusing on shoreline structure or anything else?) Basically we want to know the method to your madness…

“Weed beds are probably what I pay the most attention to,” says Cox. “In the years before the drought (Nebraska’s Sandhills region is in the midst of a significant dry spell), submerged beds of coontail and cabbage were my preferred hunting grounds. Now, after the drought, emergent vegetation may be the only weed beds in the lake. Other target areas are depressions or the deepest part of a dishpan lake. Panfish will hole up in these areas avoiding pike predation.

“Studying topography around a Sandhills lake can also help. Narrow areas that widen out into the lake basin are prime panfish highways. The sharpest breaks (dropoffs) and deepest water usually occur off the tallest nearby hills.

“When searching for bluegills on Sandhills lakes, I usually start in the southeast corner if there is nothing else to go on. No scientific evidence here, just our findings with an underwater camera and other search methods. Over the past 8 years, including most of the drought years, we began searching for bluegill activity under ice. One thing we distinctly noticed was more bluegill spawning beds occurring in the SE corner of a Sandhills lake than any other place. This was not evident on every lake, but enough of them to call it more than a coincidence. Like I said, there is absolutely no science backing any of this. Just things the boys and I found over a period of time on the 17 Sandhills lakes we have fished with a camera over the years.”

The ‘basics’ of ice fishing seem to follow Cox wherever he goes and he continues to find fish. Cox’s basics of ice fishing can be summed up in one simple paragraph…

“My most important rule,” says Don, “is that it’s always about the fun of ice fishing. Doesn't matter if it's a tourney, out with my boys or by myself, if I can't have fun then why do it? Believing in that philosophy, I am never disappointed, always wanting to learn more, search more, ice fish different places, ice fish more, period. Plus, the boys and I always have a big time on the ice every time. We might not visit much on the lake, but with an hour plus drive time getting to and from the lakes we fish, there is some great quality time based all on fun. These are some of my most treasured days as a father and as an ice fisherman. All other rules, like work ethic, mean very little to me without this one firmly in place.”

Don Cox is a hard working ice fisherman who continues to find fish and turn most any lake into a productive one using his system. Cox’s Creed is to keep to the basics and have fun out on the ice. Use the skills you already have, and don’t be afraid to try new things. And always be on the lookout for a step in a different direction.

If this Sandhills angler can come to sprawling Lake Osakis and work his magic, that’s evidence enough that the basics of ice fishing need to find a place in all our arsenals!