The New Fisherman’s Guide To Getting Ice Fishing Equipment

Fishing through the ice is an Outdoor activity that the whole family can enjoy. The cost is minimal to get and with just a little bit of knowledge, a Greenhorn can be expected to have success their first trip on the lake.

But what’s required to begin ice fishing? One has so many choices in fishing tackle on the market now, a Beginner could easily lay out hundreds of dollars on ice fishing tackle and still come up short of the essentials.

Knowing this, I sit down and made this list of the basic ice fishing equipment that the Fisherman will need to get out on the ice. What’s more is that for what it cost to fill a F-250 up with diesel, you ought to be able to purchase all the fishing tackle that a Newbie will need to get out there fishing on the hard water.

First off, you’ll need to buy an auger to bore holes in the ice and snow. If it was me, I’d get a five, possibly even a 6 inch auger for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. If you want to go after bigger fish like Bass, Pike and Walleye, then For Beginners, I’d want a 8 or 10 inch auger meant for ice fishing. You can get the power augers or the manual augers. Not surprisingly, the manual augers are not as expensive as the power augers but need more effort to make a hole in the ice. You will also need a scoop to scoop the ice chips out of the ice hole.

Tip ups and rods. Many ice fishermen drill numerous holes over weed beds and other structure and use numerous tip-ups to increase their chances of catching enough fish for a fish fry. Others prefer to ice fish with a reel and ice rod. For Beginners, I’d want a few tip ups along with a good rod so you can see which strategy is best for your style.

Line for ice fishing should be designed for ice fishing. The near freezing water can make fishing line brittle. It’s due to this that you will want to be sure and purchase fishing line specifically designed for ice fishing. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. Fishing line used for ice fishing is the most important part of your ice fishing supplies.

Be sure to get some jigs and lures for your tackle box. Small jigs are a good choice for panfish. 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 they suggest buying.

Make certain to purchase something to sit on. A lot of seasoned ice fishermen make use of 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 lake.

This is all you need to start ice fishing. Be sure to buy a fishing license and read up on the regulations for your local area. Being fined for breaking a law can ruin your fishing trip. Now get out there and start drilling holes in the lake. Don’t forget the most important fishing tip, be safe and follow all the safety rules for going out on the ice.