HELP FROM ICE FISHERMEN

Ok guys
Here’s my ice fishing experience so far
Started out 2 years ago went out about 6 times.Last year just got out once due to things I could not control.Also got my nice 676 Eskimo stolen.I would recommend this shelter tho.And of coarse using my hand auger that won’t cut through to save my life

That said I need advice on a few things.
Camera or flasher
Do I get another Pop up shelter for more people
Which auger not really looking new but right price maybe that gas or propane
How many rods should I carry I have 2 but looking at more
And then I carry a small box of jigs some puppet minnows and ultra light raps
Il
I have a flip up 1 person and how to set it up the best way

At this point in the game you may be better served by getting a used flasher unit (or new) and simply fishing. Figure out what you like and what you want to do and not sweat the gear. There’s no guarantee the gear you buy now as a beginner is what you’ll want three years from now.

Fish with other people if you can. Pick and choose the ideas that make sense to you. A lot of it simply comes down to personal goals and style.

I like the run and gun style I can get with my flip up

I started with a pop up but got rid of it. The deal breaker for me was wind. Too much faffing around with set up, ice screws, etc. A flip down worked better for what I wanted to do. You lose space but make up for it in versatility.

Can’t wait to test it out this year

Gabe,

I have 2 LX-5’s. Let me know if you are interested in one.

FDR

There’s lots of ways to ice fish.
I have my 1-man flipover, GPS, Gas Auger, Marcum, heater, etc and i’m hole hopping all day.

Then i have my Clam BigFoot Hub. That’s my group house or toss in my cot and it’s my over-night house.

I like to seriously RUN & GUN. I made a smitty sled for my 1-man so i can fish more and use less energy. My one man also has a custom auger holder so i can move move move.

The hub houses drive me nutz anymore unless i’m sleeping overnight in the thing…But they are roomy and have their place in my aresenol of fishing gear.

Gabe Kuettner wrote:

Started out 2 years ago went out about 6 times.

Gabe Kuettner wrote:

I like the run and gun style I can get with my flip up

If you’ve only ice fished 6 times in 2 years (or ever), it’s pretty unlikely you know what you like or don’t like. Go fishing with your friends, as much as possible, and you will learn what you NEED to catch more fish. I didn’t buy a flasher until I realized it was pretty rare I outfished my friends with one. Among your many posts it seems you equate equipment to skill/ability at catching fish, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

Flasher is the #1 must have item for ice fishing in my mind. No other single item will make your time on the ice more successful.

If you are fishing the Wabasha/Winona area, there are a few fairly popular ‘community’ spots that produce fish almost all winter long. I’d head out to those spots with the flasher and maybe a spud bar/auger. If you don’t like using your hand auger then just find some frozen over holes and use the bar to open them back up. You can run n gun this way. Kick open a hole, drop transducer down the hole, if no fish move to the next one.

PM me if you don’t already know some of the spots to try. Most of the spots will have fairly recent holes you could kick open just about any day of the week from January – April.

Then if you feel you are getting enough use out of your flasher and ice gear start thinking about upgrading your shelter/rods/auger/etc.

Flasher is #1 and can be a game charger once you learn how to ice fish. I never ice fished until I got to college. Dealing with a cheap college budget starting out, over the last 7 years or so I have tried to slowly accumulate everything. Next up in a few years is a snowmobile or 4-wheeler.

This is roughly how I accumulated gear starting out.

Year #1: Go with friends, learn what works. Borrow everything.
Year #2: Go with friends, really learn what works. Get a pole or 2.
Year #3: Go with friends, buy your own flasher to use.
Year #4: Buy an auger. Now I could go out on my own if I wanted to with an auger and flasher.
Year #5: Keep learning.
Year #6: Add a flip over shelter.

The best advice I can give is to just go fishing with what you’ve got and the rest will sort itself out… Back when I was in high school all I had was an old school plastic sled, five gallon bucket with a couple rods, and an ice chisel. I spent just about every free evening I had walking out chiseling a couple holes and flipping the bucket over as a chair. Over the years I keep adding to my arsenal and I’m definitely a much better fisherman, but looking back those days spent on the ice with almost nothing were some of the most fun times I ever had.

Will

Will Roseberg wrote:

The best advice I can give is to just go fishing with what you’ve got and the rest will sort itself out… Back when I was in high school all I had was an old school plastic sled, five gallon bucket with a couple rods, and an ice chisel. I spent just about every free evening I had walking out chiseling a couple holes and flipping the bucket over as a chair. Over the years I keep adding to my arsenal and I’m definitely a much better fisherman, but looking back those days spent on the ice with almost nothing were some of the most fun times I ever had.

Will

This is about the best advice I have seen in this thread.

GRK,

Keep an eye on the boards here for Ice Outings…

We gather from time to time and put a lot of very friendly people that are willing to share info and equipment.. I think that is a perfect time to try before you buy !!!

I myself have learned the hard way most of my life …that is until I found my home here..

Great people sharing a great passion !!

Tom Sawvell wrote:

This is about the best advice I have seen in this thread.

But it is so money conscious that it can’t be the right way!

One cannot START ice fishing without first spending $1,000.00
THis is, afterall, a fishing forum…for fanatics.

@MalmoMafioso

My number 1 thing I won’t ice fish without is a gps. Down load the navionics app for your smart phone.

the bare essentials… $18,000 Ice Castle, $1200 flasher/camera, $800 Auger, $600 in ice rods and a ice scooper…

big_g wrote:

the bare essentials… $18,000 Ice Castle, $1200 flasher/camera, $800 Auger, $600 in ice rods and a ice scooper…

You’re missing a 0 on the ice rods, and you haven’t even mentioned that you need 3 of every color and every size lure/jig by VMC, rapala, trigger x, etc.

now your spending more than you need to….

And here I thought my $1,000 comment was going to be “out of line”, but you guys are really serious about fishing huh

GRK,

As Mr. Koonce said, watch for ice outings and join in. Or look at hiring a good guide in the area that you spend most of your time ice fishing. They are both great options to see what is out there and test some of the gear before you buy. With there being so much product out there in the ice fishing industry it is important to get and fish with what you are comfortable with, not always what everyone else uses.

Just a couple ways to maybe make it a little easier..

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tom Sawvell wrote:</div>
This is about the best advice I have seen in this thread.

But it is so money conscious that it can’t be the right way!

One cannot START ice fishing without first spending $1,000.00
THis is, afterall, a fishing forum…for fanatics.
@MalmoMafioso

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LOL, Love that movie Will!

I’m currently baby stepping in the shop with my ice gear!

The number one thing is for sure a flasher. There are some really good deals right now on used ones but it will change soon with the season coming up. Also I rarely fish with an ice shack anymore. Only if it will be ungodly cold or I just want to be out of the wind. I love being able to drill a ton of holes on a piece of structure and move without too much effort needed in set up and tear down.