Going fishing on a frozen body of water is Winter activity that can be done as a family. Unlike other Winter sports, it’s cheap to get started and with just a little bit of knowledge, a beginning fisherman can have an excellent chance at success their first trip onto the ice.
But what’s required to begin ice fishing? One has many options in fishing supplies in the stores, one can easily spend hundreds of dollars on ice fishing gear and never get what they really need.
So I’ve put together this guide about essential ice fishing equipment that a person will need to get out on the ice. What’s even better is that for what it cost to fill a F-250 up with diesel, you ought to be able to obtain all the fishing supplies that a Greenhorn will need to get started ice fishing.
Before anything else, you will want to find an ice auger to make holes in the ice. I recommend a five or six inch auger for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. If you want to go after bigger fish like Bass, Pike and Walleye, then If it was me, I’d get a 8 or 10 inch ice auger. You can get the power augers or the manual augers. Obviously the manual augers are not as expensive as the power augers but require more effort to make a hole in the ice. You will also need a scoop to dip the ice chips out of your hole.
You’ll want to buy quality tip ups or ice rods. The majority of fishermen bore numerous holes over structure and use numerous tip-ups to increase their chances of catching enough fish for a fish fry. Other fishermen prefer to ice fish with a ice rod rather than tip ups. 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.
Fishing line should be designed for ice fishing. The near freezing water can make fishing line brittle. For this reason you’ll want to be sure and purchase line specifically designed for ice fishing. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. The line you buy for ice fishing is the most crucial part of your ice fishing tackle.
The best ice fishermen will tell you to get some jigs and lures for ice fishing. Tiny jigs are great 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 they suggest buying.
Be sure to bring along something to sit on. A lot of seasoned ice fishermen make use of an ordinary 5 gallon bucket. Few Beginners will even bring lawn chairs out on the ice, but a bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from your fishing hole.
And that’s about all you need to begin catching fish through the ice. Also you’ll need a fishing license and read up on the regulations for your local area. Running afoul of the law 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 getting Outdoors in the Winter.
Recent Comments