5 Families of ICE

A Simple System for Maximum Efficiency on the Hard Water

One of the most common questions we hear is, "What lures do I need for ice fishing Lake of the Woods?". While the specific body of water matters, the answer lies in a simple system that maximizes efficiency regardless of where you are fishing: The Five Families of Ice.

Here is the breakdown of the five essential presentations you need in your tackle box to cover every scenario.

1. The Minnow Carrier

Whether you are jigging, dead sticking, or using a combination of both, a jig with a regular single hook is a must-have for presenting live bait. This family covers the classic jig and minnow presentation, though it works equally well with waxies or plastics for panfish.

The most critical component of this presentation is the hook. Many commercially available jigs use inferior hooks sourced overseas, which can cost you fish. We use the XYRA 7mm Tungsten Bullet, which features a premium Mustad Ultra Point #4 hook—the best down-eye hook available in this size. The bullet-style head is designed to open the hook gap, ensuring maximum hook-up ratios.

2. Drop Spoons

When you locate a school of fish, the priority is getting your bait down to them immediately. Speed is crucial; once you land a fish, you need to return to the strike zone fast to keep the school active. This principle of "drop speed" applies whether you are fishing in 20 feet or 35 feet of water.

Our solution is the 5G Mudd Bug (with a 7G version coming soon). While many baits fit this profile, too many suffer from small, inadequate hooks that require swapping out. Our Mudd Bugs come ready to fish with a pre-installed premium red #8 VMC hook and a clicker blade. They are built to fish fast so you can catch more fish.

3. Flash Spoons

Walleyes are highly specialized sight feeders. Their biology gives them a massive visual advantage in low-light conditions, and flash spoons are designed to exploit this specific prey instinct.

A great spoon must do three things: attract the fish, trigger the bite, and hook the fish. During testing, it became immediately apparent that the XYRA Flash Dancer Pro possessed that special "IT" factor that triggers hard hits. We equip these with the best hooks in the business—a #6 Owner ST-36 or a Red Gamakatsu—so you can fish with confidence. Look for a JR version dropping this February.

4. Big Spoons

When targeting aggressively feeding predators in shallow water (often less than 20 feet on Lake of the Woods), it is time to go big. These shallow fish often receive less pressure and are looking for a substantial meal.

Years ago, the "Angel Eye" spoon was a staple for this technique before it disappeared from the market. For our ICE 2026 lineup, we revived this concept with significant XYRA-style upgrades. Our version features premium split rings, #4 Owner ST-36 or Red Gamakatsu hooks, and a kicker blade. That kicker blade acts as a "second chance" triggers; if an aggressive fish strikes and knocks off the minnow head, the blade keeps them interested.

5. Rattle Baits

If you aren't fishing rattle baits, you are missing out on fish. While they can be tricky to master and personal preference plays a huge role in success, the time spent learning them is invaluable.

Currently, we enjoy using #5 Rapala Rippin’ Raps and Salmo Chubby Darters (though both often require hook upgrades). However, we are hard at work developing a XYRA rattle bait. In true XYRA fashion, we won't release it until it is the best tool for the job. We are in the final testing stages now; if you’d like to help us test them, send us a message through our website's Contact Page