If electronics aren't your thing, or you consider yourself electronics-impaired, Mitchell also will delve into equipment choices and tactics for successful winter walleye fishing.

"You hear about guys who hate to ice fish. That's because they don't catch anything," he said. "Catching fish is important. It's easy to get hooked on ice fishing if you catch fish, and if you catch fish, you have more fun."

And electronics play a key role, Mitchell said. "You see so much by jigging and watching on your Vexilar," he said.

Although anglers in North Dakota may legally fish with four lines in the water, Mitchell says using one line and a flasher that discerns whether fish are nearby can be more productive. "You're usually catching more fish because it's an advantage when you can see the lure and see the fish."

Perch may be the big draw for Devils Lake-bound anglers in the winter, but Mitchell, who is part of the Perch Patrol Guide Service, targets walleyes and other game fish in Devils Lake, too.

"Perch are talked about a lot over in Bismarck," he said, "but walleye fishing is a lot more consistent."

That's because many hot-spot perch fisheries closer to Bismarck are short-lived phenomenons, he said, while walleye fishing is consistently good in spots along the Missouri River, on Lake Audubon and in smaller reservoirs. "Bismarck has a lot of good winter walleye fishing," he said.

Mitchell recommends stouter rods and heavier line when targeting walleye. "If you use a light rod day in and day out, it will cost you," he said.

His preference? A medium or medium-heavy action rod and line in the 6- to 10-pound test range. That combination is all the better to set the hook on a hard-mouthed walleye. "You need enough backbone to drive the hook home," he said. "When you're jigging, it's surprising how hard they come up and hit. They will startle you sometimes."

Mitchell also advocates using the short rods designed for ice fishing. "In the old days, longer rods provided cushion," he said, "but now we have really good reels that enable us to get really big fish up through the ice.

"A lot of really big fish get lost because of (longer rods). You can't get down there to work them."

For perch, Mitchell uses rods with lighter actions and line in the 2- to 4-pound test range.

Mitchell said he plans to have equipment on hand for anglers to inspect. He also plans a slide show.

He's been guiding on Devils Lake for six years, as part of the Perch Patrol Guide Service in the winter and running Mitchell's Guide Service during the open-water season.

Ice fishing might be kind of chilly, he said, "but when you start popping fish, you warm right up."

The scoop

* Who: Jason Mitchell of Devils Lake

* What: "Walleye through the Ice"

* When: 12:30 p.m. Sunday

* Where: Bismarck Tribune Sport Show, Bismarck Civic Center