Anyone see anything glaringly missing from my ice tackle?

I’m taking inventory and trying to figure out what to spend some gift cards on. Does anyone have any advice on some basic lures that no new ice fisherman’s tackle box should be without? I’ve got no one teaching me, just figuring out on my own and having a blast with it! I target panfish with my daughter for our rods, and Northern Pike and Walleye on my tip-ups.

Thanks!

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About 10 more of everything you have….

So, the “things” are right, it’s just the quantity I’ve got to work on? I’ve been looking at clam’s website and their tungsten jigs. When you look at buying jigs do you just order a few of every color and then more of the ones that work best? I’ve always SUCKED at shopping for tackle. My bass gear is full of lures that looked AWESOME in the store but haven’t caught a freaking thing.

If you target crappies get some buckshot spoons and some of those VMC tingler spoons…got some crappies with those yesterday. Tip with a wax worm or spike.

I typically fish for panfish. I like the fly type boxes for storing my small ice fishing jigs. It keeps them from crashing around and the paint from chipping. I usually carry 2 boxes that include mostly horizontal jigs, with a few small spoons. I do like the tungsten jigs when fishing in some of the deeper waters.

I would get more “small” 1/16th OZ or less tungsten jigs personally. Whether sunnies or crappies in a good mood or bad they seem to hit those tiny jigs. Tungsten simply sinks faster saving time which helps a lot especially when time is of the essence.

Agree, personally I would get more tungsten jigs, and VMC Tingler Spoons (perch and pink especially), you can never have enough tungsten jigs in my book

I am going to go just a bit against the grain. I’d hold off on the tungsten jigs until you know just what YOU want as to colors. It is cheaper to experiment with lead jigs. Find the colors and sizes that work best for you, in the waters you fish. Then you can duplicate those in a tungsten jig if you feel the need to. The only real advantage to tungsten is getting back down to the fish quicker, other than that, lead jigs work just fine.

Someone suggested two boxes… I do also and I put all of my horizontal presentations in one and all of my verticals in another… I also have boxes for my spoons and jigging raps again trying to keep them in the vert./horiz. planes. I like Dave’s idea on the not-so-much tungsten so fast. Although I would suggest several (2 or3) sizes in gold.

I’d definitely go tungsten there a little more money, but you dont lose that many except to pike..Its not like summer where you get snags… They also make it easier to see bites with the extra load on the rod..But I’d say my favorite thing about them is you can leave a good amount of slush in the hole and the jig will drop right through it…Nothing more frustrating than having a screen full of crappies and you gotta keep scooping thw slush out haha…

Sadly, the fish will let you know.

Tungsten and gill pills for me. It can still get a really small jig down fast for really finicky panfish and for some reason gill pills have just killed it for me in past years. I think its a good idea to separate the vertical and horizontal too even though I have to start practicing what I preach. But I have one large box with all my lures in then I have a fly tackle box for my pocket that has my favorites and go to’s so I can change right by the hole. Color wise I don’t think you can go wrong with oranges, pinks and reds for panfish. But definitely get more spoons for perch, crappies and eyes. Probably in perch and orange or pink to start for that.

So, how many duplicates do people carry with them once they’ve found a jig and color they like? I like the idea of vertical and horizontal jigs being in their own fly box’s. I like to travel fast and light so having a few jig box’s in my pockets rather then a big Plano box in my sled appeals to me as well. Also, other then cost, is there benefits to the lead jigs over tungsten? In a perfect tackle box would you still have some lead jigs for certain situations and if so what would they be?

Can’t remember who told me, think it was my Brother, that each time you go fishing pick up a couple of new lures. Talk with the guys at the local bait shops and ask them what works for what your after. Helps the local bait shops plus you get lots of info and in no time at all your tackle boxes will be loaded.

I normally carry two with me once I find something that works but unfortunately it always seems like when I’m on fish is when I only have one left with me then I look for the closest color and size to what I was using as a back up. I would probably go all tungsten and just spend the extra money if I could but the big difference is the availability of jigs. Some sizes and shapes I like are only in lead and my favorite tungstens I can only find in one bait shop so I save my money until then.

I’d work on getting various tungsten jigs from 3mm to 5mm. All tungsten is pricey compared to Lead but there are cheaper options than Clam tungsten jigs. PM if you want some guidance on Tungsten jigs that work well for me on MN Panfish.

If your tip ups ever get hot, you should have some slender spoons ready.. absolutely deadly for walleye, pike, or bass. Used to be talked about a lot more (found them through an IDO video), but are still very effective for me!

I don’t see a bottle opener in there.

Paul Owens wrote:

So, how many duplicates do people carry with them once they’ve found a jig and color they like?

3 of every color in every size. But I’m insane so dial back the number of different sizes but at least three of each color in two sizes for me. Also, if you wanted to slim back a little, focus on pink, white, gold, earth tone(bug), and chartreuse. This should cover most water clarity levels nicely. Then once you saved up again and are willing to risk divorce, get the rest. Again, I will refer you to the previous self assessment.

Also, I don’t catch many fish…so there is that too.

Its a sickness, that’s for sure.

A couple slender spoons or tingler spoons in gold/silver/perch/glow pink wouldn’t be a bad addition. If your using tip ups for walleye though I like the VMC sure set trebles James used on the show, just be sure to match the hook size to the size of your live bait.

tingler spoons and a few rippin raps also i love using the VMC tear drop with trigger X mustache worms and the minnows. also i really like hali spoons they are great.

No Argo!!!

I can’t make a trip to any shop that sells fishing lures without buying at least two lures that I haven’t tried, so unless you want bad advice you shouldn’t ask me.