A Greenhorn’s Guide To Buying Ice Fishing Equipment

Going fishing on a frozen body of water is an Outdoor activity that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. The cost is minimal to get fixed up and with just a little bit of knowledge, a first-timer can have an excellent chance at success their first trip on the lake.

But what does a Greenhorn need in order to start ice fishing? One has many options in fishing reels on store shelves, First Timer can easily shuck out hundreds of their hard earned money on ice fishing tackle and not be sure they have what the need to get started.

It’s this reason alone that I created this list of the basic ice fishing gear that you will need to begin. What’s more is that for less money than it cost for a trip to the grocery store, you ought to be able to buy all the fishing supplies that a Beginner will need to get out there drilling holes in the ice for those tasty fish.

Before anything else, you’ll need to purchase an auger meant for ice fishing to cut holes in the ice and snow. I recommend 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 eight or ten inch auger meant for ice fishing. You can get the power augers or the manual augers. You need to keep in mind that the manual augers are not as expensive as the power augers but need more work to drill a hole. You’ll also need a scoop to scoop the ice chips out of the ice hole.

Tip ups and rods. A lot of ice fishermen drill a bunch of holes over structure and use tip ups to increase their chances of catching enough fish for a fish fry. Others prefer to ice fish with a short rod. For Beginners, I’d want a few tip ups along with a good rod so you can see which one catches the most fish in your area.

The line you use for fishing should be designed for cold water that is associated with ice fishing. The ice cold water can make the line so stiff that it breaks easily. It’s due to this that you will want to make sure and buy line made for fishing through the ice. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. The line is the most crucial part of your ice fishing supplies.

The best ice fishermen will tell you to get some jigs and lures for your tackle box. Miniture jigs are great 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 recommend a Beginner use their first time out on the ice.

Make certain to bring something to sit on. Many seasoned ice fishermen prefer an ordinary five gallon bucket. Some will bring along lawn chairs out on the ice, but a five gallon bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from your fishing hole.

This is all you need to start ice fishing. Be sure to buy a fishing license and read up on the regulations for your area. Being ticketed for breaking a law can put a damper on your ice fishing efforts. Now get out there and have some fun. Don’t forget the most important fishing tip, be safe and follow all the safety rules for ice fishing.