Ice fishing is Winter activity that can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age. The cost is minimal to get started and with just a little bit of knowledge, a first-timer can have an excellent chance at success their first trip at the fishing hole.
But what does a beginning fisherman need in order to start ice fishing? A beginner has a wide range of options fishing equipment on store shelves, one can easily spend 100′s of dollars on ice fishing equipment and still come up short of the essentials.
Knowing this, I sit down and made this guide about essential ice fishing gear that a person will need to start. What’s more is that for what it cost to fill a F-250 up with diesel, you can nab all the fishing equipment that the Fisherman will need to get started drilling holes in the ice for those tasty fish.
For starters, you’ll need to buy an auger meant for ice fishing to bore holes in the hard water. If it was me, I’d get a five, possibly even a 6 inch auger for panfish. If you want to go after bigger fish like Bass, Pike and Walleye, then If it was me, I’d get a eight or ten inch auger. When it comes to augers, you have two choices, power augers or the manual augers. Not surprisingly, the manual augers are less expensive but need more work to make a hole in the ice. You will also need a scoop to scoop the ice chips out of the ice hole.
Your second purchase needs to be tip ups or an ice rod. Many ice fishermen bore numerous holes over bottom structure and use tip ups to increase their chances of catching enough fish for a fish fry. Other fishermen prefer to ice fish with a reel and ice rod. I’d get a few tip ups along with a good rod so you can see which tactic catches you the most fish.
Fishing line should be designed for cold water that is associated with ice fishing. The near freezing water can make fishing line brittle. Due to this, you’ll want to be sure and buy fishing line made for fishing through the ice. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. Fishing line used for ice fishing is the most crucial part of your ice fishing tackle.
Any good sporting goods store will advise you to get some jigs and lures for your tackle box. Small jigs are excellent for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. Also tear drop jigs and tiny spoons will come in handy when the panfish get finicky. As for bait, panfish love mealworms and spikes while larger fish such as Walleye prefer Worms or baitfish like smelt. Be sure to talk to local fishermen to see what’s hot in your area.
It would be wise to purchase something to sit on. Most seasoned ice fishermen use an ordinary five gallon bucket. Few Beginners will even bring lawn chairs out on the ice, but a five gallon bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from the ice.
This is all you need to to start ice fishing. Be sure to buy a fishing license and read up on the regulations for your area. Being fined for breaking a law can ruin your fishing trip. You’re cleared to go fishing and have some fun. Don’t forget the most important fishing tip, be safe and follow all the safety rules for getting out on the ice.