I made threats to ice fish earlier this year and to use flies ( ok so they were jigs but I tied em my self) and have carried out my threat . The first day was -21 and yes I did freeze my buns off. No fish. Grew buns back.
Day 2 was a balmy -10 and caught just a few little guys ( no keepers).
Day three was just flat hot at 10 above and we got into a lot of little pan fish.
By the way , this was northern Minnesota at a place called Gull Lake. The local Jaycees put on a walleye contest there every year. We got there before the contest. Had a ball and cant wait to go do it again. NO one had a working camera (day one the only digital got dropped from mittened hands , not mine thanks be since it wasnt my camera ).
There were thousands of ice fishers up there (not on just one lake). Truely a sport that I highly advocate.
No, none of my flies worked , had to use little ugly things and then had to use little live squirmy things but caught fish (no trout) non the less.
Go north young man.
Perch