Ice Line - the classic question!

Ok, the board has been quiet...too quiet. So, let's heat it up again as we are now getting our first snowfalls and minus temps!!


What ice line do you recommend? Convention seems to be braid for in the hut and mono outside the hut. Do you agree?

If I'm in the hut i go with Suffix 832 ice braid with a flouro leader.

I use the same everywhere. 8 lb braid with a micro swivel and than a 6 foot long piece of 8 lb fluorocarbon carbon. Lures and baits tied directly to flouro with no swivel or snap.

I'm the same. Braid to flouro everywhere. Braid sensitivity is unsurpassed. I remember the last time I fished mono a few years back and was getting out fished bad by friends with Braid. Ya, braid freezes up, but the stuff is so tough, I can just rip my fingers down the line and bust the ice off. Plus I always bring a few rods, if it gets real bad, just swap it.

Just wondering if you honestly think it makes a difference have the the flouro leader on Nips stained colored water?

A few seasons back i made an effort to compare fluoro leader vs no leader. In those instances i consistently did 10 to 30 percent better when using the fluoro carbon leader when chasing walleye. For perch it did not seem to make a difference.

Anecdotal evidence for sure but it made me a believer. Makes sense to me too as walleye are known to have excellent vision even in dark murk and essentially are a fish that relies virtually exclusively on its vision to locate and capture prey.

I’ve used braid to fluoro leader in years past, but since I use a rod and wind-jigger outside the hut, the fluoro main to fluoro leader is intriguing. I have learned that Suffix 832 braid is the best from this forum, and it hasn’t disappointed inside the hut