Hey guys I am a very serious fisherman in the spring, summer, fall, but have never been ice fishing and I am planning on going out this year and was wondering exactly what I need. I know I obviously need a pole and auger ect. but what are some good brands/models to go with and anything else I would need. Thanks Jason
What types of fish are you planning on fishing for?
I would strongly suggest you look into buying a flasher, granted you don’t “need” one, but if you plan to pan fish or walleye fish any through the ice, it would be good money well spent, not to mention most of the time if you wet the ice a little you can shoot right through the ice and check depth, and at time you can even see if there is fish down there too. A regular depth finder can work, but doubtfully even near as good as a flasher, and you’ll have to cut a hole in the ice to get a depth reading. Get a couple poles, which ever look nice to you, I just have a bunch of cheap poles, and they work fine, grab a bunch of little ice lures, I can’t name any names off the top of my head but you could figure out some. I’d suggest the ice buster bobbers, they really seem to work well. A bucket with a seat is nice, although you could use anything really. I also like to have a tip up, usually I panfish with one rod and leave tip up out with a big shiner on it, hoping for a nice pike or eye. Auger wise, depending on how much you move and such, a hand auger would probably get you by, I don’t have a gas auger yet, and for a 1/10 of the price hand augers are nice, personally I’d like a 6″ auger instead of my 8″ just because it’s easier to drill holes with, and I never really catch anything that big anyways. You don’t need an ice shack, but if you really wanted on, I’d suggest a flip over style one, they are really nice to haul all you’re stuff in and set is quick and easy, mobility is nice, got a sled, or a 4 wheeler? They are simply awesome for ice fishing.
And most of all take the time to slowly learn about the ice and conditions, just be cause someone else is driving or parking on the ice doesn’t mean it’s safe, I cringe watching some people drive on the ice I’ve seen them go over areas where I knew the ice was thin, and there’re doing like 30 mph on the ice… You need to know the ice for yourself, you really can’t trust the other people out there, and you need to drive slow when you’re on the ice to minimize the waves you cause from the flexing ice, driving too fast can get you into trouble. Read up, and safety, safety, safety, out there because there is no such thing as “safe ice” areas with current have thin, or thinner ice, springs are suprisingly common on lakes, and can cause thin ice, you could be on a foot of solid ice in on spot and 10 feet over it will be 3 inches of bad ice.
Oh stop on in at Gander mountain in lakeville on the 21th and see Dave Genz speak, he is an ice fishing ledgend, and heck it’s free. 
Might I suggest that before you shop, hook up with some other people from the website and go out with them first. Pretty much any one of us has enough spare gear to cover an extra guy, if not an army of them.
The reason I say this is becuase there’s a lot of different ways to fish, and a lot of different equipment depending what you decide you like to do. Now eventually, we all would like to collect the whole set, but that seems cost prohibitive for a first-timer. If I’m hole-hopping on the river backwaters, all I relly need is the auger, a long (4′-ish) pole, a jig box small enough to fit in a pocket, and a long-handled skimmer. Compare that to fishing suspended crappies in a lake: auger, jig box are the same, but short rods, fish house, heater, flasher, shorty skimmer.
All in all, that’s over a grand worth of stuff if you buy new, and my suspicion is that anyone from this site would be more than happy to have you along on a ‘research’ trip before you drop that kind of cash.
Gianni
I curious as to why you suggest a 4′ long pole for fishing
for panfish – in the back waters or elsewhere?
Thanks
UG
It took me a while to find it, but here are the pictures from last year’s pool 10 get together.
Underneath the 50 or so people was a foot and a half of ice with probably a foot, maybe 2 of water beneath that. We drilled enough holes so that eveyone could fish 5 and basically walked from hole to hole doing a drop, twitch, then either set the hook and move on. The long rods really make a difference when you’re fishing shallow river backwaters, and you can see in the pictures that almost everyone was using them.
I can’t wait til this year’s ice GTG…..is it too early to ask where it’s gonna be?
I’ve got to show BrianK how to catch Cats through the ice 
MMMMMMM…Iced Cats…sounds like a drink!
I’m looking forward to the “Ecnook Invatational”, in which everyone’s invited.
It’s one of the few times each year catfisherman allow themselves to fish with the lowly Bass fisherman….
All kidding aside, last year was my first and it was a differant kind of fishing…I come walking out there with a 3 horse augar and my vexlar…only to find out a 5″ (?) hand auger and one of those “pulsar” (sorry can’t recall the name} was all you needed…maybe a bucket to sit on and toss the beer/soda cans into. My two walleye rods worked…but it was clear that the specialize rods had the advantage.
Coot had a report last year about the panfish on a WI lake..so after getting a few specifics from him, we met there. Fishing a lake in about 20 feet of water, is completly differant than the backwaters…even after the same species. Vexilar type sonar is a must. I would turn around and drive 50 miles home again if I forgot it. Portable shack helps you stay fishing all day.
Tip on fishing shacks…look in the for sale section of IDA for use one or two man portables. I’m looking to go larger this year (2 man). I was planning on new, but for almost half price I can buy a couple year old portable.
I’m actually about to purchase this second hand portable…once it’s certified as a 
“Bass Free Zone”…otherwise know as BFZ.
Slop Bass and Mossy?
I think it’s Herbs turn to buy breakfast isn’t it?
As you can see…we have a lot of fun on this site along with learning new styles ect.
Hey guys !!
The Pool 10 Ice GTG is something I look forward to putting one each and every year…It started small but it has grown each year we have had it…(2 years now )
This will be the 3 year and there are some big plans in the making !!!
As the season gets closer and the ice is safe I’ll be able to give you a month or more notice as to the date….
Look forward to some great times on the ice and to see all of you out there… 
Quote:
some great times on the ice
Will someone PLEASE keep the skates away from Dee Zee? 
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