Buying ice fishing gear can be a pretty stressful task for someone who is going for the first time. An experienced individual though, will know exactly what to look for. This article will tell you about some basic tools that anyone and everyone will need...
Ice fishing is a great way to spend a day outdoors, for individuals or for families, in the cold wintry months. It gives one a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy the calm and soothing effect of a quiet day spent with nature. Moreover, it also gives you the opportunity to catch some prized fish, and either eat it or put it up on your mantle. No matter what the reason is for you heading out, you will most certainly have a great time and enjoy the experience immensely.
Just like regular freshwater or seawater fishing, ice fishing is not really as simple as it seems. There are several little things that need to be kept in mind, and each of these subtle tricks can only be learned over time. Someone who has done it many times in his life will obviously know all the little quirks about the activity, and such a person is generally the best source for getting advice from as well. One universal piece of advice that you will receive though, is to be as well prepared as possible. This includes having enough material and equipment for safety purposes, and it also includes creating and following a checklist.
List of Ice Fishing Equipment
Each of these items will fulfill a specific purpose, and the fact is that you never know when you might need something. So it is certainly better to be safe than sorry when it comes to such matters. Different times of the year, different locations and different types of fish to be caught also determine the nature of the equipment and gear that will be required, and this is one of the basic tips that you will certainly learn over time. For beginners though, this gear list will prove extremely useful.
Fishing Tools
Before you pack anything else in your bags, you need to ensure that you have all the right fishing tools at your disposal. After all, you are heading out to fish and catching them is your ultimate goal, so you should bring all the necessary equipment to achieve this. This will include fishing rods, fishing reels, ice augers and chisels for drilling a hole in the ground for you to fish through, the proper bait for the kind of fish that you are going to be catching, and a backup for all these items as well. An ice fishing tackle is the full set of items that you will need, and you can purchase this from a fishing store or a sports goods store.
Clothing and Shelter
Since this is carried out in pretty cold conditions, it is very important for you to stay warm and protected. In some unfortunate cases, you may even find yourself falling through thin ice, so you need to be prepared for this. Carry plenty of warm clothing, an extra set of warm gloves, an extra pair of ice cleats, perhaps a portable propane heater, an inflatable tent (or a shelter), something to sit on while you are fishing and also a means of reliable transportation to get to the fishing spot and back. Most importantly, if you are a fan of fishing by yourself, always inform someone about your whereabouts. That way, if something tragic occurs, at least people will know where you are.
Safety Tools
Along with the clothing and shelter equipment that you use, you will also need some other tools for safety. These tools are always necessary when you head out into nature and it is important to have easy access to them. This includes a working cell phone to call for help, a GPS enabled compass, a knife, some rope, perhaps a pair of nail clippers for cutting smaller wires, a flashlight, some extra food and some blankets and towels to keep you warm and dry. Enough supplies of drinking water are also necessary, because you never know what can happen.
Simply owning all this equipment and carrying it with you is not enough though. Ice fishing is a skill that needs to be mastered over time, and this only comes with adequate experience. You will definitely have to go through some tough moments for you to realize everything that you need, so it is a constant learning process. This gear will be enough to see you through some basic problems, but for certain other issues, there is no better teacher than experience.
