If this year’s winter weather predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” are to be believed, in 2022-23, the third year of La Niña, weather conditions will bring cooler temperatures than normal in much of the northern and midwestern states of the United States. While that may be bad news for your heating bill, it’s good news for ice fishermen looking forward to a long and productive fishing season.
Experienced ice anglers know that their luck always improves when their tackle boxes are loaded with a good selection of the most effective lures in the sport: Ice Jigs from Al’s Goldfish Lure Company.
The Goldfish Ice jig is based on the original Al’s Goldfish lure: an oscillating spoon developed in 1952 that has been a staple of serious ice anglers for more than seven decades. Al’s Goldfish Ice Hook is the original 3/16 oz. lure body, 1-1/2” long inverted with a single J hook in the nose. Pull it as-is, add the optional red barb, or pair it with an oddball and use the lure body as a flasher, and you’ll be cleaning fish before you know it!
Al’s Lil’ 49er Ice Jig is a brass scoop with a distinct shape and action, weighing ¼ ounce and measuring 1 3/4 inches in length. Anglers watching the jigging action of the lure with sonar will see the lure zigzag erratically in and out of the transducer beam as the lure rises, and notice pronounced flapping on the way down. Set up for vertical jigging with a treble hook in the nose, the Lil’ 49er ice jig is set up to target smaller freshwater species like panfish, trout and bass. If you like the shape and action of this lure, but want a little bigger action for species like lake trout, walleye, and northern pike, the Lil’ 49er’s big brother, the Forty Niner, is it. an exceptional lure when cast vertically through ice.
Al’s Helgy is a spoon shaped like a Hellgrammite, the aquatic larvae of the Dobsonfly. The Helgy Ice Stencil works well as a flapping spoon when moving across the ice, as its erratic flapping action combined with glow-in-the-dark paint will draw the attention of species such as trout, salmon, bass, walleye and panfish. It weighs ¼ ounce, is 1 ½ inches long and is equipped with a treble hook.
You can also purchase your own glow kit with four of Al’s Goldfish Ice Jigs with glow-in-the-dark paint. Pick four of your favorite ice stencils from Goldfish, Lil’ 49er, and Helgy and get a box of four free squares! These glow in the dark lures can be charged by sunlight or black light.
Suggested retail price for all Al’s Goldfish, Lil’ 49er and Al’s Helgy series lures is $5.29. Suggested retail for Glow Kit is $19.36. All Al’s Lure products are proudly made in the USA. For more information or to order, visit www.alsgoldfish.com/ or call them at 413-543-1524.
About Al’s Goldfish Lure Company
The company launched in 1952 with a pioneering single spoon lure, known as Stuart’s Goldfish, named after founder Al Stuart. The company’s flagship lure was renamed Al’s Goldfish in 1954, and by 1973 the popularity of the Goldfish lure skyrocketed to almost a million lures sold in one year. Along the way, other popular lures, such as the Forty-Niner and Helgy, and hook-hood lure accessories were added to the company’s list of American-made products. In 2015 the line was expanded to include the Saltwater Goldfish series. In 2022, current owners Jeff and Mandy DeBuigne are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Goldfish lure. For more information about Al’s Goldfish Lure Company, visit www.alsgoldfish.com.