School Me On Ice Fishing Gear

[Art Vandeley]

So I currently have no ice fishing gear but would like to get some some stuff so I’m not reliant on other folks. What all should a guy have to get started? I’ve looked at augers a little bit and seems that lithium battery powered is the way to go ? A house would be nice to run a heater in. Tipups and shorty rods would be the next thing. I would like to get the electronics going like I have in my boat that can probably wait for now. Anything else I’m missing ? I don’t want to do what I typically do when delving into a new hobby and buy a bunch of useless crap that I don’t actually need.

Thanks

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Following.. only been ice fishing once when I was like 16. didn’t catch a thing, and watched my dad and his friend drink beer all day… I think it’s time for this tradition to be passed down…


Also I’d rather skydive than be on a “frozen”? Body of water…. Every man’s gotta face his fears…

 

[Speeddmn]

Basic: hand auger, scoop and poles.
Advanced: sky’s the limit!

You can literally go overboard quick. Between all the different types of safety gear alone one can spend 1000’s.

Ice fishing specific jigs, poles, line, all can come into play. As for augers, oh man another rabbit hole! You can get a hand powered one, battery, gas and even propane. Most buddy heaters run off the small green bottles, same as a propane auger and no carb to mess with. Battery is nice till it dies on ya!

Tents, id go insulated popup before a clamshell/breifcase type. Get a jet sled to pull it all!

 

[Kaitum]

I ice fished most of my life until moving to NM a couple of years ago. All those years, I never owned a power auger. I often times went with buddies who had a power auger or I made due with my hand auger. If I were to get back into it, I'd go with a battery powered auger.

One game changer for me was the day I bought a Vexilar. I never felt the need for an underwater camera but I definitely could catch far more fish with a Vexilar in my arsenal.

I got by just fine with a smaller Otter sled to carry my gear. A pop-up tent (like the Eskimo Quikfish), a small propane heater, fishing rods, chair, and Vexilar all fit just fine and was a light enough load I could pull it around the lake myself without needing an ATV. Some buddies put so much crap in their sleds they either needed two guys to drag it or needed an ATV.

If you fish lakes that get a fair amount of snow, a Smitty sled out of old skis can really make life easier. I made one that I never used before moving. I convinced @Mthuntr to take it off my hands before I moved like I was doing him a huge favor

 

[Gellar]

So I currently have no ice fishing gear but would like to get some some stuff so I’m not reliant on other folks. What all should a guy have to get started? I’ve looked at augers a little bit and seems that lithium battery powered is the way to go ? A house would be nice to run a heater in. Tipups and shorty rods would be the next thing. I would like to get the electronics going like I have in my boat that can probably wait for now. Anything else I’m missing ? I don’t want to do what I typically do when delving into a new hobby and buy a bunch of useless crap that I don’t actually need.

Thanks

Poles, tackle, and a bucket with a ice fishing top to store tackle would be first. Maybe some tip ups, depending on how you fish. If you are going with other people that already ice fish they probably have an auger and a tent they can share. If you have electronics in your boat look into an Ice transducer for it.

 

[nordeast]

The other replies have covered the basics, but I’ll give my two cents. I’m one of the sick, twisted few that enjoy ice fishing over just about anything and I don’t even bring booze most of the time.

1) A 8” hand auger would be a good starting point. You can often find them used and even new Mora or Strikemaster lazer augers are relatively affordable. Even better get a cheap adapter and attach it to the cordless drill you probably have at home. BAM you have a power auger.

2) While you certainly can ice fish without electronics, I would consider it a form of torture. You’ll catch more fish and have a lot more fun with one. As already stated you can get a ice transducer and shuttle for what you already have on your boat. Otherwise, a vexilar fl-8 flasher can be had for around $200 used. Sell it if you don’t like ice fishing.

3) I’d generally recommend smaller (500 or 1000) sized spinning reels for ice rods. $30 seems to be a good compromise on affordability but not being a piece of crap. A good ice rod can be had for around the same. Or pick up a rod/reel combo. A 26-32” ML with 4-6 lb mono is a good all around setup for perch, trout, walleye, etc. Tons of other information online if you fish for other species.

4) Some small jigs (tungsten, rat finkees) and 1/16-1/8 oz spoons (Hali, buckshot, etc) can catch all the aforementioned species tipped with maggots or minnow heads.

5) For safety, I would highly recommend a spud bar and hand picks. Maybe even a life jacket if going out on early season, sketchy ice.

6) A sled isn’t a bad idea for carrying everything out. Five gallon pail wouldn’t hurt either for keeping fish, storing stuff and as a traditional ice fishing seat.

That was long-winded but hope it helps!

 

[Sytes]

So I currently have no ice fishing gear but would like to get some some stuff so I’m not reliant on other folks. What all should a guy have to get started? I’ve looked at augers a little bit and seems that lithium battery powered is the way to go ? A house would be nice to run a heater in. Tipups and shorty rods would be the next thing. I would like to get the electronics going like I have in my boat that can probably wait for now. Anything else I’m missing ? I don’t want to do what I typically do when delving into a new hobby and buy a bunch of useless crap that I don’t actually need.

Thanks

 

[Sask hunter]

What type of electronics do you have in the boat? Some can convert over to ice fishing use. I’m rigging up my helix 7 right now with the ice transducer. Other then that auger rods/tipups (what your fishing for effects those choices) and a tent and heater is very nice

 

[Nick87]

So I currently have no ice fishing gear but would like to get some some stuff so I’m not reliant on other folks. What all should a guy have to get started? I’ve looked at augers a little bit and seems that lithium battery powered is the way to go ? A house would be nice to run a heater in. Tipups and shorty rods would be the next thing. I would like to get the electronics going like I have in my boat that can probably wait for now. Anything else I’m missing ? I don’t want to do what I typically do when delving into a new hobby and buy a bunch of useless crap that I don’t actually need.

Thanks

Following, same

 

[Don Fischer]

I've only ice fished a few time's. First thing you need is a fishing rod. Know what? Any old rod will pretty much work through the ice. Only drawback if it is one, is how far from the hole in the ice you might be! Then ya need something to dig a hole in the ice. Only thing I ever had was an ax. Not a good idea for thick ice. Tried doing a hole outside Kalispell, Montana years ago with an ax and at about two feet, I finally found water. Hole at the top was about four feet wide! Really ned some kind of special tool here and probably the best way to start might be a hand auger. Buy a power auger and find out you don't care for ice fishing what do you do with thw auger. Acuallu on thinner ice, about four to six inch's the ax worked fine! lot of convienient stuff you can buy for ice fishing but the more you buy the more someone will design and convince you you absolutely need! ya know I just thought of it. I have a 16" bar chain saw I bet would dig a hole in the ice. Then if I find I didn't care for ice fishing, I could go back to cutting sage brush down! See where they even make smaller battery operated chain saw's now. If you got a use for the electric chain saw other than a hole in the ice it could be worth it. I though about ice fishing here in Oregon a couple years ago. They sell those worthless little rods for it in the Bi Mart in Madras. Only thing missing around here is ice you could walk on!

Just getting going or thinking about it, use what you have and if you feel the need to up grade, do it later!

Went back and read your post again. Noticed "a bunch of crap I don't need" then you mentioned a fishinder on your boat. I caught a lot of fish in this life before a I ever got a fish finder! And what did that boat cost?

 

[Northwoods]

A quality lawn chair was a game changer for me last winter. I can sit and jig comfortably for hours in one of these.

 

[Don Fischer]

Whole lot of truth to that! I bank fish quite a bit and for a long time carried all my gear in a 5 gal bucket with a top on it. The bucket became my seat while fishing. Then tried a folding lawn chair and boy was that an improvement!

 

[Bulldog0156]

Electronics should be your #1 priority. Even before a rod, reel, line, and bait

 

[BuzzH]

A few hundred in ice fishing crap to get started.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

I haven't done much of it but I want to. An old timer gave me a tire tube the diameter of a bucket that he put ply wood on top and covered in fabric. Made for a comfortable seat on top of the covered bucket. Also shoe chains.

 

[Don Fischer]

Those shoe chains seem great to me. Just not a lot of use around here. If I isced fished I'd sure check into them!

 

[Art Vandeley]

What type of electronics do you have in the boat? Some can convert over to ice fishing use. I’m rigging up my helix 7 right now with the ice transducer. Other then that auger rods/tipups (what your fishing for effects those choices) and a tent and heater is very nice

Have 2 Lowrance HDS 12’s with active target transducer and 2 helix 9’s. I should pull one of the helix’s out and grab a battery and an ice ducer and I think I’d be in bizzniss

 

[Art Vandeley]

Also should have added that I’m mostly interested in walleye fishing and not trying to go on the cheapest end of things. Not interested in hand augers

 

[Bigjay73]

Do you have an 18v drill? I really like the augers that you can attach to a cordless drill

 

[Sytes]

Do you have an 18v drill? I really like the augers that you can attach to a cordless drill

What size auger diameter will that operate? Worm drive drill? That's a good one I've not tried.