| The right gear can mean success or failure while ice | | | | minor tools to remove the hooks, cut the lines or |
| fishing. To have a successful ice fishing trip you are | | | | whatever you might need them for. I suggest a folding |
| going to need to pack the right gear as well as bring | | | | multi-tool. An ice scoop is required to remove any ice |
| along the right friends. There are several ways to | | | | that forms in the hole that you cut with the auger or |
| have fun out there in the cold and on the ice but the | | | | ice saw. Also you are definitely going to need |
| best way is to bring along good friends that are going | | | | something to sit on. A large bucket works great |
| to help you laugh your frozen butt off and toss back a | | | | because you can haul you gear out in it and use it to |
| few beers while you are doing it. Ice fishing gear is | | | | haul you catch back home when you are done. |
| varied and there is quite a bit of it, if you want to bring | | | | There is a huge amount of gear that you can bring to |
| more than just the basic essentials. | | | | make your trip a lot more easier and almost luxurious. |
| The basic equipment that you will need to survive and | | | | Some of this equipment is quite nice but the rest is just |
| catch some fish are, very warm and very comfortable | | | | extravagant. This includes fish finders, cameras, cell |
| clothes for obvious lack of frost bite reasons. Gloves | | | | phones, underwater cameras, strike sensors, and GPS |
| and hand warmers because after you pull a fish | | | | equipment. Nicer pieces of equipment include, a fishing |
| through the ice your hands are going to be freezing | | | | hut, a space heater, cleats for easy ice walking, |
| cold. Thick warm boots and possibly snow shoes | | | | flashlights and lanterns, lighters and matches, and |
| depending on the conditions and how you will be | | | | something to check the thickness of the ice. Tip ups |
| getting to the location. Make sure that you pack extra | | | | are nice to bring along but are not quite necessary. |
| socks, you might need them and if you do you will | | | | If you are going out for a all day expedition you are |
| really appreciate that they are warm and dry. That | | | | going to need extras such as food and drinks. I |
| covers keeping warm and cosy in the sub zero | | | | suggest beer as a proper beverage. There are other |
| temperatures but if you want to actually catch some | | | | things that you are going to want to bring such as sun |
| fish you are going to need some more gear. | | | | glasses to protect your eyes from the glare of the ice |
| First you will need a fishing rod or two, with sensitive | | | | and snow. Those are the best bits of equipment that I |
| tips but still have some strength just in case you haul in | | | | can suggest, but there are many variables that you |
| that huge one. There are ice fishing specific rods that | | | | are going to have to cope with yourself. These are |
| you can buy which are shorter that regular rods but if | | | | things such as ice thickness, storage for gear and |
| you are on a budget you can use a regular rod. Be | | | | transportation because if you are driving a truck right |
| sure to bring some good line, four to eight pound test is | | | | onto the ice you can bring pretty much any thing that |
| usually a good fit. You are definitely going to need | | | | you want but if you are walking ten miles then you are |
| some kind of bait such as crappie minnows or worms. | | | | going to have to think about what you want to carry |
| Bring jigs spoons and hooks to help you catch more | | | | for that distance. Most importantly though you are |
| fish if you need them. You can bring along bobbers if | | | | going to have to have fun out there. Why bother if you |
| you don't have a proper ice fishing rig which lets you | | | | are not enjoying yourself? |
| know when the fish strike. Be sure to also bring some | | | | |