Ice Fishing in 2026: A Beginner's Guide to Finding Fish Under the Ice

Ice fishing is one of the most unique ways to experience winter fishing. Instead of casting from a boat or shoreline, anglers drill through the ice, lower their tackle into cold water, and try to understand what is happening beneath a frozen surface.

But there is one major challenge: you cannot easily see what is happening underneath the ice.

You may have a promising fishing spot, the right lure, and plenty of patience, yet still spend hours wondering whether fish are actually below your hole.

That is why underwater visibility, fish behavior, water structure, and careful location selection are becoming increasingly interesting parts of modern ice fishing.

Ice Fishing in 2026: Why Conditions Matter More Than Ever

The 2026–27 ice fishing season is already getting attention from anglers, equipment manufacturers, and winter fishing communities.

For example, the 2026 North Metro Ice Show is scheduled for October 24–25 in Ramsey, Minnesota. The event's official website highlights underwater technology, lures, tackle, rods, outdoor gear, and other ice fishing equipment.

At the same time, Minnesota's environmental agencies are documenting longer-term changes in lake ice conditions. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reported in April 2026 that average lake ice duration across Minnesota has decreased by more than 10 days over the last 50 years.

For that reason, successful ice fishing starts with two separate questions:

1. Is the ice safe enough for the activity you are planning?
2. Where are the fish likely to be beneath the ice?

What Fish Can You Catch Through the Ice?

The species available during ice fishing depend heavily on your region and individual lake. In many parts of North America, common ice-fishing targets include:

• Walleye
• Yellow perch
• Crappie
• Bluegill
• Northern pike
• Lake trout
• Whitefish
• Other local freshwater species

Different species can prefer different depths, structures, temperatures, and feeding patterns. That means simply drilling a hole in the middle of a lake does not necessarily give you a good chance of finding fish.

How Do You Find Fish Under the Ice?

Finding fish is usually the biggest challenge for beginners. The surface of a frozen lake can look almost identical from one location to another, but the underwater environment can be completely different.

Start by looking for areas that are likely to concentrate fish:

• Drop-offs
• Underwater points
• Rock piles
• Weed lines
• Sunken structures
• Transitions between shallow and deep water
• Areas near baitfish activity
• Known seasonal fish locations

A good ice fishing strategy is often less about drilling dozens of random holes and more about understanding the underwater structure before deciding where to spend your time.

Why Underwater Structure Is So Important

Fish do not distribute themselves evenly throughout a lake.

Underwater structure can provide food, cover, current, temperature changes, and ambush opportunities. Even a relatively small change in depth can sometimes create a different fishing environment.

This is why anglers often combine lake maps, previous fishing experience, electronics, local knowledge, and direct observation when deciding where to fish.

Look for changes rather than just locations

Instead of asking only, "Where is the lake?" ask:

• Where does the bottom change?
• Where does shallow water transition into deeper water?
• Where are weeds growing?
• Where are baitfish likely to move?
• Where can predators position themselves?

What Does the World Under the Ice Actually Look Like?

One of the most interesting parts of ice fishing is that the environment below the ice can look completely different from what you see above it.

The underside of the ice can create unusual lighting conditions. Water clarity can change the amount of available light, while snow cover can make the area beneath the ice considerably darker.

Once you can actually observe the underwater environment, questions that are difficult to answer from the surface become much easier to investigate.

For example:

• Are there fish near the hole?
• How clear is the water?
• Is there vegetation nearby?
• Does the bottom look rocky, muddy, or sandy?
• Are fish reacting to your lure?
• Are fish approaching but refusing to bite?

Can an Underwater Fishing Camera Help With Ice Fishing?

An underwater fishing camera can give anglers something that traditional above-water observation cannot: a direct video view of the underwater environment.

Instead of simply guessing what is below the hole, you can lower a compact underwater camera and record what the camera sees.

This can be especially useful when you are trying to understand why fish are following a lure without biting, how fish react to movement, or whether a particular piece of underwater structure is actually holding fish.

Shinecam SC100 Underwater Fishing Camera

The SC100 is a compact underwater camera designed for anglers who want to record what happens beneath the water while fishing.

Video	1080P Full HD / 30 FPS
Field of View	136° ultra-wide angle
Lens	3.2 mm
Aperture	F2.0
Waterproof Depth	Up to 50 m
Storage	32 GB internal storage
Battery	400 mAh
Weight	32 g
Dimensions	85 × 45.5 × 39.5 mm

Because the camera records video, anglers can review the footage after retrieving the camera and learn more about the underwater environment.

Explore the SC100

How Should You Fish a Jig Under the Ice?

Ice fishing often involves slower lure movements than open-water fishing. Cold water can change fish metabolism and behavior, so aggressive movement is not always necessary.

A basic jigging sequence for beginners can look like this:

1. Lower the lure to the desired depth.
2. Hold it still for several seconds.
3. Make a small upward movement.
4. Pause again.
5. Repeat with subtle variations.
6. Observe how fish respond if you have underwater visibility.

The key is to experiment rather than assuming one movement will work in every lake and every situation.

Ice Fishing Tips for Beginners

1. Start with a known fishing area

If you are new to ice fishing, choose a lake with established fishing access and local information rather than randomly selecting an unfamiliar body of water.

2. Use maps before drilling

Lake maps can help identify depth changes, points, channels, and other underwater features.

3. Drill strategically

Multiple holes can help you compare depths and structures, but the goal is not simply to create as many holes as possible. Use information from the lake, previous trips, and fish behavior to decide where to move.

4. Pay attention to fish behavior

If fish repeatedly approach your lure without striking, the problem may not be the location. It could be lure size, movement, presentation, depth, visibility, or timing.

5. Keep notes

Record the depth, location, weather, lure, time, water clarity, and fish activity. Over time, these observations can become more useful than any single successful trip.

Ice Fishing Safety: What You Need to Know

Before discussing fish-finding techniques, safety comes first.

The Minnesota DNR states clearly that there is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice. Ice strength depends on much more than thickness, including snow, currents, water depth, temperature, ice type, and local conditions.

The DNR also notes that ice thickness can vary substantially over short distances.

According to Minnesota DNR guidance, at least 4 inches of new, clear ice is recommended before considering walking onto the ice, and even then ice should continue to be checked as conditions can vary.

For detailed guidance, see the official Minnesota DNR ice thickness guidance and Minnesota DNR ice safety information .

What Can You Learn From Underwater Fishing Footage?

The biggest advantage of underwater video is not simply seeing a fish. It is learning what happens before and after the fish appears.

You can study lure behavior

Watch how your jig, spoon, bait, or soft plastic moves underwater. A lure that looks attractive from above can behave very differently below the surface.

You can study fish reactions

Sometimes fish approach a lure, follow it, stop, turn away, or circle it without biting. Video can help you understand these behaviors.

You can study the bottom

Underwater footage can reveal whether the bottom is primarily mud, sand, rock, vegetation, or another type of structure.

You can improve future trips

Instead of relying entirely on memory, recorded footage gives you something you can review later.

How to Use an Underwater Camera for Ice Fishing

1. Choose your fishing location. Start with a location based on lake maps, local knowledge, previous catches, and underwater structure.
2. Drill the hole safely. Follow local ice safety procedures and confirm the ice conditions before positioning yourself for fishing.
3. Lower the camera. Position the underwater camera below the ice and adjust its orientation toward the area you want to observe.
4. Begin recording. Record the underwater environment while fishing.
5. Observe the footage. Look for fish, vegetation, bottom structure, water clarity, and lure behavior.
6. Review the footage later. Use the recorded video to compare locations, presentations, and fish behavior.

Underwater Fishing Camera vs. Fish Finder

These two technologies are sometimes treated as interchangeable, but they answer different questions.

For many anglers, the two technologies can be complementary rather than mutually exclusive. A fish finder can help identify depth and underwater activity, while an underwater camera can provide visual information about what is actually happening within its field of view.

Want to Learn More About Underwater Fishing Cameras?

If you are new to underwater fishing cameras, these guides can help you understand how the technology works and when it can be useful:

Final Thoughts: Make Your Time Under the Ice More Informative

Ice fishing has always involved a certain amount of mystery.

You drill a hole, drop your lure, and wait. Sometimes the fish cooperate. Sometimes they do not.

But modern fishing technology gives anglers more ways to understand what is happening below the surface.

Lake maps can help you understand structure. Sonar can help you understand depth and underwater activity. And underwater video can show you the environment and fish behavior within the camera's field of view.

For anglers who enjoy learning from every fishing trip, that information can be just as valuable as the catch itself.

Whether you are targeting perch, walleye, crappie, pike, trout, or another freshwater species, the basic strategy remains the same: understand the water, stay safe on the ice, observe fish behavior, and keep learning from every trip.

Explore the Shinecam SC100

Want to see what is happening beneath the surface while you fish? The Shinecam SC100 is a compact 1080P underwater fishing camera designed to record underwater video while fishing.

It is not a real-time fish finder or sonar system. Instead, it gives anglers a visual record of the underwater environment that can be reviewed after recording.

View SC100