Fishing through the ice is Winter activity that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. Unlike other Winter sports, it’s cheap to get and with knowledge of where to find a place to fish, a Newbie can have an excellent chance at success their first trip on the lake.

But what does a beginning fisherman need to start ice fishing? There are a wide range of options fishing gear on store shelves, a Greenhorn could easily lay out 100’s of dollars on ice fishing gear and not be sure they have what the need to get started.

It’s this reason alone that I created this guide about essential ice fishing gear that a Beginner will need to begin. The big surprise is that for about a $100, you could purchase all the fishing supplies that the Fisherman will need to get out there drilling holes in the ice for those tasty fish.

First off, you will want to get an auger to bore holes in the ice and snow. I recommend a five or six inch auger meant for ice fishing for panfish. For bigger fish like Walleye, Pike or Channel Catfish, then If it was me, I’d get a 8, possibly even a 10 inch ice auger. When it comes to augers, you have two choices, power augers or the manual augers. Obviously the manual augers are not as expensive as the power augers but need more work to drill a hole. You’ll also need a scoop to dip the ice chips out of the hole you’re fishing.

Your second purchase needs to be tip ups or an ice rod. A lot of ice fishermen drill a bunch of holes over rock piles, weed beds and other types of bottom structure and use tip ups to increase their chances of catching their limit of fish. Other fishermen prefer to ice fish with an ice fishing rod. I’d get a few tip ups along with a good rod so you can see which one catches the most fish in your area.

Line for ice fishing should be designed for fishing through the ice. The frigid waters can make fishing line brittle. That is why you will want to be sure and get line specifically designed for ice fishing. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. The line is the most important part of your ice fishing tackle.

The best ice fishermen will tell you to get some jigs and lures to go along with your bait. Miniture jigs are excellent for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. 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. You’ll want to chat with other fishermen to see what’s hot in your area.

Don’t forget to get something to sit on. Many seasoned ice fishermen prefer an ordinary five gallon bucket. Few Beginners will bring along lawn chairs out on the ice, but a bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from the lake.

And this is all you need to get started. Don’t forget about buying a fishing license and read up on the regulations for your area. Running afoul of the law for breaking a law can ruin your fishing trip. Now go out and start drilling holes in the lake. Never forget the first rule of ice fishing, be safe and follow all the safety rules for being out on the ice during Winter.

Technorati Tags: bass, crappie, fishing, fishing gear, ice fishing, lake fishing, musky, panfish, pike, river fishing, walleye, winter fishing

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