Going fishing on a frozen body of water is Winter activity that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. It’s relatively inexpensive to get started and with knowledge of where to find a place to fish, a beginning fisherman can have an excellent chance at success their first trip onto the ice.
But what does a beginner need in order to start ice fishing? A Greenhorn has a wide range of options fishing supplies in the stores, a Greenhorn could easily spend 100’s of their hard earned money on ice fishing gear and not be sure they have what the need to get started.
This is why I wrote this guide about essential ice fishing gear that you will need to get started. The real kicker is that for what it cost to fill a F-250 up with diesel, you ought to be able to buy all the fishing equipment that a Beginner will need to get out there fishing on the hard water.
For starters, you’ll want to find an auger to cut holes in the ice and snow. I’d get a five, possibly even a 6 inch ice auger for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. For bigger fish like Walleye, Pike or Channel Catfish, then I recommend a eight or ten inch auger meant for ice fishing. When it comes to augers, you have two choices, 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 effort to drill a hole. You will also need a scoop to dip the ice chips from the hole in the ice.
Your second purchase needs to be tip ups or an ice rod. A lot of ice fishermen drill a bunch of holes over structure and use tip ups to increase their chances of catching fish. Also, most fishermen 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 tactic catches you the most fish.
Line for ice 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. For this reason you will want to be sure and buy line specifically designed 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 gear.
You will also need to get some jigs and lures to go along with your bait. Miniture jigs are great for Perch, Crappie and Bluegill. 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. Talk to the people at your local bait store to see what’s they recommend a Beginner use their first time out on the ice.
Don’t forget to bring something to sit on. Many seasoned ice fishermen prefer an ordinary 5 gallon bucket. Some will bring along lawn chairs out on the ice, but a bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from your fishing hole.
And this is all you need to get started. Make sure you get a fishing license and read up on the regulations for the body of water you plan on going fishing at. Being ticketed for breaking a law can ruin any trip. You’re cleared to go fishing and have some fun. Never forget the first rule of ice fishing, be safe and follow all the safety rules for going out on the ice.
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