Ice Fishing Equipment
Ice fishing equipment is tailored to the Ice anglers specific needs. Usually you are in tight corridors sitting/standing over your Ice hole for lengthy periods of time. An ice hole is made with an Ice drill or Ice auger and are typically 8" in diameter depending on fish species and size. Ice Drills are commonly made from 6" - 12" in diameter and can be powered manually by spinning them by hand or by means of electric, propane and gasoline engines. After the hole is cut in the ice you will need a scoop to remove the ice shavings from your ice hole. Once the hole is clear of debris fetch an Ice fishing pole. Ice fishing poles are shorter in length than conventional fishing rods and are typically 24" in length, very flexible and sensitive to fish striking. Ice fishing poles will have a reel containing monfilament or braided fishing line. Once the fishing line is strung through the guides of the pole it is attached to a hook, lure or jig and is tipped with bait. The lure is then lowered into the water in hopes of catching fish. Once the lure reaches the desired depth you can jig or leave it motionless. Jigging is the motion of lifting you lure up and down erratically, this method can increase your odds of catching fish by attracting them visually. To carry all of your gear out to the fishing spot try using a 5 gallon pail, it also works great as a seat. There are companies out there that make 5 gallon pail seat covers, these are worth there weight in gold.
Notable Ice Fishing Equipment Companies:
- Berkley
- Abu Garcia
- Rapala
- Northland Tackle
- Lindy Fishing Tackle
- Frabill
- JR's Tackle
- Eskimo
- Coastal Importing
Ice Fishing
Jigging is the motion of lifting you lure up and down erratically, this method can increase your odds of catching fish by attracting them visually.
Advanced Ice Fishing Equipment
With any sport there are things you can do to increase your odds of success and Ice fishing is no different. Recently the use of Electronics such as Fish Finders, Flashers and high definition Waterproof digital video cameras has greatly increased the odds of catching. With the use of Electronics you can see the depth of the body of water, the location of your lure in relation to the depth, your jig cadence, where the fish are, how big the fish are and when they are about to bit. Electronics are continuing to make the angler’s job easier, and I can’t imagine what the future will hold. We now have the ability to see below the ice and watch the fish as if we are watching TV, we have the ability to watch a fish rise off the bottom and take our jig as its happening, and we can shoot through several feet of ice to get a precise and accurate depth reading. Electronics are helping us catch more fish!!!
