The Ice Fishing Equipment List for Winter Walleye Anglers

Winter walleye fishing is growing in popularity all the time. Anglers are learning that ice fishing has many advantages over any other time of the year. For one thing, it is less competition and the walleye are hungry so the odds of them striking your line are greatly increased. It's easy to find a location to fish and you don't have a lot of noise scaring the fish away.

Ice fishing does require you have the right equipment before you set out. You don't want to go out on the ice unprepared. Not only will it prove to be unproductive but it could be dangerous as well. There are different methods used to go ice fishing for walleye and you will have to decide which one works best for you. However, there are certain pieces of equipment that you will need regardless of what method you choose to use.

Basic Equipment Needed for Walleye Ice Fishing

Before you go walleye ice fishing it is important that you have the right equipment. Ice fishing is different from fishing in open waters and so your needs will be different. There are certain items that you will need to have a successful and productive day on the ice. Below you will find a list of ice fishing equipment that is a must for winter walleye anglers.

Fishing Gear - You will need the basic fishing equipment such as the rod, reel and tackle. The medium action graphite rods that range 24 to 28 inches are recommended. Your tackle is very important and most ice anglers will recommend using spoons because the walleye are very attracted to them this time of year.

Shelter - You will need some form of shelter to help protect you from the cold. After all, it is ice fishing. The temperature can drop very low and you need to be prepared. There are several different styles of shelters available. The one you need will depend mainly on the way you intend to fish.

For instance, if you will be moving around a lot you don't want a large heavy shelter.

Dependable Transportation - Having the ability to move around is very important. The walleye are normally found in large lakes and you will need to move around to find where they are located. With the amount of area that you will need to cover walking is not practical. Therefore, using quads or a snow machine to travel from one location to another is recommended.

Drilling Tools - To ice fish you must drill holes in the ice so you can have a place to put your line in the water. You need a good dependable tool for this. Drilling the hole could be considered the hardest part of all and without the right tools, you could be too tired to actually fish once the hole has been opened up. In normal conditions an 8 or 10 inch auger will get the job done.