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Well, Christmas is over, the New Year has been celebrated
and winter has set in. Ice fishing season is here. I treat ice fishing like
fishing from a boat. I use topographic maps of lakes to locate drop offs,
shelves, structure and check out what’s below the ice with a fish finder
Ice Fishing Gear:
Safety Gear:
1.
Clothing - to keep you warm.
2.
Fishing License - yeah yeah yeah - just wait when you forget and DEC shows
up.
3.
Ice picks - could be a lifesaver! Keep them with you at all times when you
are on the ice.
4.
Rope about 25" - 50" - I have never needed to use but...
5.
Hand warmers
6.
First aid kit
7.
Sunglasses
8.
PFD
Fishing Gear:
1.
Pack basket for your gear
2.
Ice auger - I use a manual auger. As long as the blades are sharp it cuts
right through ice. I can cut five holes in fifteen minutes in ice 18” thick
3.
Extra blades for your auger - ever try and cut though ice with dull blades?
4.
Tip-ups - I still use the wooden ones and they work as well as my friends
who bring the "newest thing" each year.
5.
Lead weights to use when sounding bottom. I use these to set the depth
setting for my tip-ups.
6.
Ice Fishing rods - for jigging bait or lures
7.
Slotted ice scoop - for clearing slush and ice from the holes.
8.
Bait bucket with bait - crappie minnows, wax worms, fatheads,
etc...
9.
Normal fishing gear for landing & releasing - needle nose pliers, hooks,
extra monofilement line for extra leaders, split shot (important), nail
clipper, etc.
10.
Tools - whatever you need in a pinch (wrench to tighten auger blades), etc.
11.
Portable fish finder – for 15 years I was a drill and fish guy. After 1 year
with my eagle from my run about pulling extra duty I am a convert. Fish can
suspend just as in summer. The fish finder not only will tell you if there
is something below but also at what depth.
Nice To haves:
1.
Collapsible chairs - Actually a real godsend when you are on the ice
for an extended period of time
2.
Ice hut - Really only on windy or extremely cold days.
3.
Camera
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