Many anglers and fishermen wait for all along for the winter to enjoy their favorite activity of ice fishing. Ice fishing is one of the most adventurous and fun activities, however, it doesn’t seem as simple as it sounds. If you are not equipped properly or have essential gear for ice fishing then your adventure may turn into a bad experience. If you are planning to go ice fishing, read the article to know the gear necessary for ice fishing.
Ice Fishing Gear Guide
Here is the list of a few items which you needed for ice fishing:
1: Warm Clothing
Ice fishing is usually done in a cold freezing temperature and one must have to wait a bit longer for the target, which is why the angler must need warm clothes to keep themselves warm. The dress is composed of multilayers such as thermals, shirts, and jackets. Other than that, you must need gloves, socks, insulated boots, and headwear.
2: Ice Auger
The next most important thing needed for ice fishing is the ice auger which is used for drilling holes in the ice. The auger provides an easy way to create holes without producing noise to scare the fish. Various types of augers are available in the markets such as hand augers, gas or electric auger.
3: Ice Scoops
The scoops are necessary because these will ease you to remove the pieces of ice and form while drilling. Ice scroops are easily available in the market and are less expensive because it is either made up of metal or plastic having a grid or sieve – look like a feeding spoon.
4: Spud Bar
These are the long, thin metallic bars that are around 5 feet in length with a long pointed end, allowing you to probe the ice. In the early season, when the ice layer is thin, these are also helpful to create holes to hunt the target quite easily.
5: Jigging Rod
The jigging ice rod is one of the great tools to be used for ice fishing. The rod bears a small spinning reel and has jigs attached to one end. The jigs are made up of tungsten because it slides down easily in the deep holes and easily attract the lure.
6: Ice Fishing Reel
Two types of reel are suggested for ice fishing, either go for a spinning reel or an inline reel. The spinning reel is used to catch medium or large-size baits or sometimes living baits get trapped in it as well. The inline reel is used to drag the attention of small-size targets.
7: Ice Fishing Line
The fluorocarbon line is used for ice fishing because it is light in weight, and becomes invisible to fish. These lines are used to catch usually a small or medium size target. This line is highly economical and does not have curls or twists, making it ideal for ice fishing.
8: Tip-Ups
These devices are particularly designed for ice fishing, comprise a clamp that covers the ice hole, and may either support an extremely short rod or spook of the line. These accessories allow the anglers to fish without having to hold on the line all the time. When a fish accepts the lure, the device alarm rings and the flag shows that the fish is trapped. When fishing for larger species such as pike, walleyes, lake trout, or whitefish, tip-ups are frequently used.
9: Ice Fishing Electronics
Many electronic devices are necessary for locating the fish or to seeking the terrain ahead of time. Some of these devices are:
- GPS
- Flashes
- Fish finders
- Underwater cameras
- Live scope
10: Other Gadgets:
Other than the basic gear that is helpful for fishing on ice, some of the other important gear required are:
- Cleats
- Shelter tent
- Heater
- Chair
- Bucket
- Chisel
- First aid kit
Final Verdict
Don’t forget to have warm clothing, an ice auger, ice scoops, a spud bar, jigging rod ice fishing reel ice fishing line tip-ups, and electronics The gears listed above are necessities while going on an adventurous ice fishing tour. It is preferable to have additional items because being prepared is essential not only for fishing success but also for personal safety.
