Favorite addition to ice arsenal?

With the ice season starting to wind down I was wondering what were some things people added to there ice arsenal that they really liked?

For me one it had to be the 40 Volt Strikemaster. I never thought I would be a battery auger guy, I always carried a gallon of fuel with me on the wheeler. This year I tried it and love it! I don’t see how I can ever go back. No warm up time no smoke, quite as can be and all the power I could need. One of the other things I like, which I have discovered recently in the last few weeks, is when it binds it will kick out instead of just fighting you like a gas auger. And if it really gets stuck you can just back it out.

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a less than $20.00 set of LED lights. Bought at a big box store for around $14 or so, a set of 8 LED lights for the bed of a truck. Modified that with a few switches and a battery for the shanty. Now I have more than enough lighting for everything, 2-USB power ports, and a cigarette lighter port. All ran from one 12amp hr battery.

Randy Wieland wrote:

a less than $20.00 set of LED lights. Bought at a big box store for around $14 or so, a set of 8 LED lights for the bed of a truck. Modified that with a few switches and a battery for the shanty. Now I have more than enough lighting for everything, 2-USB power ports, and a cigarette lighter port. All ran from one 12amp hr battery.

For anyone wondering, he’s talking about his strobe lights

I added two things that were big for me.

First, I added a TUCR precision noodle rod to my arsenal. I have always been more of a “feel” guy and love my TUCR precisions rods and never thought I would like this style of rod. I hate a “whippy” or “soft” rod but this has really opened my eyes and has become one of my favorites. I felt more bites than I expected and also learned to “see” the bites better.

Second, I put my 5″ Strikemaster hand auger bit on a 1/2″ Milwaukee drill this year. I have been wanting to get into the electric auger game for some time but have been sitting on the sidelines. I still have my trusty Jiffy Model 30 that is about 26 or 27 years old and still starts every winter with minimal effort or care but I loved the drill auger combo. I was able to get the drill with 3, 5 amp hour batteries for $240 and can use it year-round where my 3/8″ drill doesn’t quite match the tasks. I did also add the Kovac ice master adapter which has worked flawlessly for me. The only negative is late ice I could use an extension. I seem to average about 20-30 holes per trip and some trips were 40-50 holes and still never once got through 1/2 of the batter life (based on the life indicator lights).

No strobe lights for me…

Fireball in a plastic bottle

Oh….and an insulated Eskimo hub shelter. Don’t think the old flip over is going to see much action in the coming years

TUCR Fusion. Great rod and caught some nice Red and LOTW walleyes on it this year. Also bought the Otter lock and ride flip over for my Polaris Ranger. Only got it out on the ice one time due to I didn’t buy it until the end of January about the time it was hard to get out on the ice anywhere with the wheeler.

But I know I’m going to like this thing a lot for next year.

luttes wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Randy Wieland wrote:</div>
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For anyone wondering, he’s talking about his strobe lights

Fish near me and I’ll light you up

I have been having a ton of fun with the Finicky Foolers I picked up this year. Has been a blast for crappie fishing.

I’ll offer a few because I’m a tackle junkie.

Strikemaster 40v auger. Gamechanger. Second best piece of fishing equipment I own after the Minn Kota Ultrex.

Striker Predator suits. Best articles of clothing I own, especially after they’ve been washed a dozen times and soften up.

Lithium batteries on a graph. I’ve only tried the Energized Outdoors version. The battery life is great but I like how light they are. It feels like you forgot the battery at home.

TUCR Commanders. Try a long one. ‘Nuff said. If you don’t like it, it’ll sell in a day on here.

Humminbird Helix Ice 7 G2. I’ve only been using it a half season and am still learning new ways to tweak it, but wow this thing is great.

LED rechargeable headlamps with a dim red light. I’m convinced it doesn’t scare the fish like the bright white light does at night. Great hunting tool, too.

Cold Snap Toothpick Hook Remover. Every panfish angler should own one.

Clam Dave Genz Drop-Kick jigs. Best jig for rigging plastics. The flat surface is picked up really well by a graph so the sensitivity can be turned down.

Another outside-the-box mention is the Snowline Chainsen Pro Crampons. They’re a half-priced version of the Kahtoola Microspikes that can be had for $30-35 on sale. Exact same product. You can actually run on glare ice. Tip-up anglers can appreciate this.

Wish I could post a pic-its this hinged slush remover-you flip it vertical to go down turn it horizontal and pull out the slush. When I bought it the ice was about 6” and I thought it was kind of clunky and not worth the effort-now that the ice is crazy thick i like it a lot.

Slush copter I don’t even bring a ice scoop with anymore.. Well a lil plastic one for the minnows

Finicky foolers and my one off TUCR sturgeon rod

1st gen Milwaukee Fuel brushless drill,and my flock of home-rolled ice rods.
Added the K-drill,it likes to chew up shad,weeds and laugh at sand ice.

For me it was the Milwaukee M18 FUEL paired with the 6in K-Drill. A close 2nd is my TUCR Fusion

For me it would be my snowmobile, without out it would have been a tough year.

I picked up a pair of the blue tipz transmitters for the tip ups,took a little bit to get the app working correctly,but its sure nice not having to jump up and look out the window every couple minutes!!

I think this was the first year in many years I didn’t buy anything ice fishing related…and loved it! I don’t even recall buying a new jig!

That said, I did purchase and install a pair of scissor jacks for my ice house this past summer and that was probably the best thing I’ve done to it (its an old homemade fish house that gets moved twice a year).

Didn’t buy one ice fishing item or ice fish once… Was my best winter of fishing.

The hands down best this year was going to battery power for an auger. I really thought this time of year I would be back to gas, but I haven’t grabbed the old gasser all winter.

Second would be I finished upgrading all of my ice rods now. I had a mix and match of this and that. I switched everything over Kraemer Custom rods now. It is so much easier to have all the same manufacture. I have the same handles on all of them so no adjusting my grip for each type anymore.

The Argo

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Bought an Ion which was a nice improvement over my old gas auger. Other than that I didn’t really buy anything this year. I think I might have bought it all

Wade Boardman wrote:

The Argo

So jealous that thing it’s sweet

The short RV plug and cold weather extension cord for the Ice Castle. No more messing with the big black RV cord you get with it and an extension cord. Just bought a 50′ to go around the back of the to the truck. Solid purchase.

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Wade Boardman wrote:

The Argo

Those are sweet. I was considering buying 40 acres where the seller was including one of these with tracks to get around the property. I don’t hunt but want a piece of property I can turn into a nice family campground seeing as how nearly everyone in the family has a camper of some sort.

How does it do on the lake in the current conditions? You can find these used pretty reasonable sometimes.

8″ K drill paired with a 9ah Ridgid Octane drill. Also, an Eagle Claw rod case, and Perch Sweatheart rod from Thorne Bros.

my Smitty sled,,LOVE IT

Rigging a Garmin 73sv plus with an ice ducer.

Without a doubt it puts more fish through the hole than a “flasher.”

Never looking back……

The split zoom using the traditional sonar is nothing short of amazing. The target separation and detail is crazy.

“Rigging a Garmin 73sv plus with an ice ducer.”
Thought about doing this but I didn’t wanna spend so much money for the ducer. There is another thread about it, and finding one on sale.
How did you mount it? With the mount from your boat? I’ll have think it over.
My Best purchase was streamside ice cleats from LL Bean. They have the boa system for easy on & off, plus chain and heavy spikes. Very nice. And Bean’s has a lifetime guarantee.

Ice Cap wrote:

How does it do on the lake in the current conditions? You can find these used pretty reasonable sometimes.

Well. They are amazing……until they aren’t. 99% of the time the float over the nasty slush. But……..two weeks ago I broke through the crust and it was a huge pain. I carry a dead man at all times and obviously a winch. If I had a more aggressive track it would have been helpful. Problem with the Argo is when you get yourself stuck and in trouble, you are really stuck and in trouble. No body except another Argo is going to come help you.

With that said I absolutely love this thing. It’s an amazing tool.

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