Ice fishing is an enjoyable social activity that requires some specialized gear; however, over the years many improvements have been made to make this cold sport even more productive and entertaining.
Sportsman’s Warehouse provides everything needed for successful ice fishing expeditions, from cleats designed to prevent falls on hard ice to shelters that fit you and a companion over your hole. Whatever gear is necessary, Sportsman’s Warehouse has you covered for your next fishing adventure on frozen waters.
Augers
An essential aspect of ice fishing is having the means to drill holes. While other tools may work, augers tend to be the go-to solution.
Augers are large drills used to cut through ice and open fishing holes. They can either use gasoline or electricity as their power source; modern augers come equipped with both styles and are more powerful than ever before.
When operating an auger in cold conditions, it is vital that you wear quality gloves that keep your hands warm. In addition, ensure that you stand on solid ice wearing boots with good traction – such as this Strikemaster Lithium 40V Ice Auger which features a 39″ bit and can drill 60 holes per charge; plenty of power for most anglers!
Skimmers
Ice fishing requires several key pieces of equipment: a spud bar (long, heavy metal walking stick) and an ice auger. You’ll also require a fish basket or bucket to transport your gear while acting as a seat, plus an appropriate sled to transport all this gear across the ice.
An ice scoop is essential in keeping your hole free from slush that could freeze over and cut your line. Modern ice skimmers resemble ladles with holes at the bottom to collect slush while still allowing water through, like modern ladles with holes designed to collect snowmelt without cutting your line.
Fluorocarbon fishing line is essential to successful ice fishing as it’s virtually invisible to fish and sensitive to bites while sinking quickly. Other essential ice fishing equipment includes an insulated pair of boots and gloves; personal flotation devices (handles of spud bar or bucket may serve as emergency flotation devices if needed); personal flotation device for emergencies (handles of spud bar can act as emergency flotation devices as well).
Gaff Hooks
Gaff hooks can be very helpful when landing large fish. Their purpose is to grab onto and pull in the fish into the boat; however, these sharp hooks must be handled carefully as misuse could result in serious injury.
Before using a gaff, it is crucial that the fish has exhausted itself of all energy; otherwise they could attempt to swim away. Furthermore, it must be placed correctly behind its head under its Dorsal fin – this will allow for maximum efficiency when fishing with this method.
For larger fish like marlin or shark, a different kind of gaff is used; one with a very sharp detachable hook that attaches to a pole and when fish approaches, the person using this type of gaff jerks it free of its pole before leaving one end attached to line which connects back onto boat’s cleat.
Bait
Ice fishing is an enjoyable social activity that can be made as simple or complex as desired. All that’s necessary to get started is an auger and basic bait and lures; everything else depends on personal choice, preference and comfort.
Fluorocarbon line is often the preferred choice among ice anglers because of its effectiveness at hiding from fish while sinking quickly, resisting stretch, and increasing sensitivity. However, due to the difficulty associated with handling small reels with fluorocarbon, some prefer braid which combines its stealthiness with an easy-to-manage line.
Another essential piece of ice fishing gear is tip-ups. These ice traps serve to hold spools of line at a desired depth when fish bite, and some even feature flags to alert you when something takes your bait. Most fishermen use live bait in their tip-ups and either make subtle movements with subtle motion or use “dead stick” presentations until you discover which are producing results on any given day.https://www.youtube.com/embed/aInkqzdmmf0