This article is the first in a series on a topic close to my heart. Ice fishing is deeply interwoven in the fabric of our local culture and has been enjoyed by generations of Mainers. It is a fantastic way to appreciate the great outdoors during our long winters, create lively memories for the kids, and bring home a few fish for the frying pan. With a relatively small investment, ice fishing gets folks outside without the high costs associated with more expensive winter activities, such as snowmobiling or downhill skiing.
Like all sports, ice fishing requires some basic equipment, much of which has not changed much over the last 100 years. I describe below the main pieces of gear needed to practice this sport.
Boots: Staying warm is fundamental to enjoy ice fishing, and boots are the most critical piece of equipment needed to reach that goal! Ice-fishing footwear must be both insulated and waterproof. It is worth spending extra money to obtain high-quality boots that will reliably keep your feet warm and dry for many years to come. I cannot emphasize enough the need for waterproof boots: a heavy layer of snow will weigh down on the ice, causing water to seep up through cracks and resulting in several inches of wet slush on top of the ice. I personally invested in a pair of Norfin Klondike foam rubber boots with retractable cleats. This footwear has been engineered to be both water proof and insulated, as I can attest. Cheap boots cost less but will eventually leak, resulting in cold feet and the quick end of a trip. I have learned that the hard way…
Ice fishing shack: I see lots of hard-water anglers with portable shacks. These structures are a fantastic way to stay warm and comfortable on the ice, particularly on cold or blustery days. Depending on make, size, and brand, they cost from <$200 for simple models to $600+ for multi-room palaces. As a bonus, one can jig through the ice from within the comfort of the shack. On the flip side, a shack represents additional weight that needs to be schlepped on the ice. It can also be a real pain to set one up under high-wind conditions or when the snow pack is deep. I personally gave up my shack years ago for a more fundamental reason: I am a fanatic jigger and got way too comfortable sitting inside my warm shack fishing from the same one hole… That cozy shack removed any incentive to get outside, freeze my butt off, and jig multiple holes to greatly increase my changes of catching fish!
Auger: An auger drills holes through the ice. New gasoline-powered augers cost $400+, whereas second-hand ones go for $200 or less. These devices work well but are heavy, noisy, smoky, and prone to break down. Battery-operated augers are more lightweight, silent, and efficient. New ones may cost as much as – if not more than – gasoline-powered devices. Pay attention to the width of the auger bit. I recommend 8 inches – or even 10 inches – wide to ensure that the largest fish will comfortably fit through the hole. Manual ice augers cost between $50 and $100 and require muscle power to turn the bit by hand. Regardless of type, protect the auger blades at all times: dull, chipped, or kinked blades will not cut efficiently and make your life miserable. Manual ice chisels called “spuds” represent the cheapest alternative (<$70) but are only practical when the ice is less than a foot thick. They also require serious muscle power! However, make sure you own a spud to safely check out ice thickness, particularly at the start of the season when ice conditions can be iffy. I own a trusted Eskimo Redneck two-piece Chisel which is tall and heavy and does the job efficiently.
Tip-ups: A tip-up, a.k.a. “trap”, brings the bait through the ice into the water. It uses a simple trigger mechanism to release a bright orange flag at the end of a thin, spring-loaded rod to alert the angler that a fish has taken the bait. The word “FLAG!!!” is therefore the most exciting sound on the ice! New traps cost from $10 to $40 per unit, depending on model and make. Maine allows up to five tip-ups per angler. I have purchased dozens of traps over the years and have found that taller is always better. My advice is to get “stand-up” traps instead of “lay-down” traps. The former have a vertical shaft that remains visible even with a heavy blanket of snow on the ice. The latter lay flat on the ice and are difficult to impossible to see with snow. Also, pay attention to spool size. A small spool works fine for shallow-water species, such as brook trout, pickerel, or yellow perch. A larger spool is better when fishing in deep water (for example lake trout or cusk) or targeting pelagic species (for example landlocked Atlantic salmon). I use large-spool traps for all my ice fishing. I landed on the Heritage tip-ups linked above.
Braided line: New tip-ups usually come without line. A good practice is to fill the spool with braided ice fishing line. My choice is Beyond Ice Braid. This material comes in many colors, diameters, and prices. I recommend thicker rather than thinner braid because thin braided line easily makes knots that are a pain to undo with frozen fingers… The major advantage of braid over monofilament is that it is inflexible, which is needed when setting a hook by hand with 50+ ft. of line off the spool. However, this material is quite visible to the fish below. Therefore, attach a small barrel swivel at the end of the braided line, followed by 10 ft. of 12-pound monofilament line with the hook.
Ice chip skimmer: The skimmer is a simple but essential piece of kit that costs less than $20. It scoops out the chunks of ice that fill the hole after drilling, or after chipping the ice that reforms in the holes after deploying the traps. Forget the skimmer at home and you will have to use your hands to remove those chunks. My preference is an Eagle Claw Lazer 2X Treble KAHLE skimmer because it has both a ruler stamped into the metal shaft and a sharp ice chipper blade at the end of that shaft. The ruler makes it easy to measure fish, whereas the sharp blade helps chip away at the new ice that reforms in the holes.
Bait bucket: A bait bucket transports live bait (e.g., minnows, smelts, suckers). Bait buckets come in many shapes and forms, from simple plastic buckets to insulated cooler-like contraptions. My preferred model is from Frabill because it is simple, sturdy, and practical. It consists of an inner bucket with a handle, lid, and slits at the bottom, and an outer bucket to hold the water. The water sandwiched in the one-inch space between the inner and outer bucket freezes solid to form an insulating barrier that prevents the water in the inner bucket from freezing over completely. Avoid overpriced bait buckets with battery-operated air pumps. The pumps brake, the batteries quickly run out of juice, and the airlines freeze.
Bait dip net: This simple and cheap (<$5) but essential tool lets you grab a baitfish without the need to plunge your bare hand into the ice-cold water of the bait bucket!
Pack basket: The pack basket is an iconic piece of ice-fishing equipment that stores your traps, food, drink, and gear. Most baskets consist of thin woven strips of wood or plastick. They come with wide shoulder straps and cost between $80 to $100+. If you decide to purchase one, get a tall and high-quality basket. It will cost a bit more but will last for many years, whereas the cheaper ones will quickly fall apart. A 5-gallon bucket is a low-cost alternative, but lacks the shoulder straps.
Sled: Finally, a plastic sled is needed to bring all the fishing gear, plus other items (e.g., foldable seat, extra clothing, food), out on the ice. Ice-fishing sleds made from sturdy black plastic cost between $40 and $100, depending on model and size. They are designed specifically for the purpose, with high walls and a wide base to prevent tipping. Cheaper plastic doboggans will do the trick but are narrower and don’t have the high side walls. They also easily tip over, thereby spilling the content of your bait bucket…
Getting geared up is only the first step to catching fish through the ice. Click here for more information on ice-fishing tips and tricks. Tight lines, keep your fingers warm, and may many big fish bite!
Click here for ice fishing tips and tricks.
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