Tip and Tricks for Ice Fishing....why didn't I think of that sooner!!!

[chickeywing]

I lay a chisel on the front snow flap of my pull over house. Easier than kicking all the extra snow off.

Try carpet squares on the ice to keep your feet warm. You can sometimes find them on commercial construction jobs.

For saving minnows, it helps to change the water often. City water will kill them. I melt some snow in a 5 gallon bucket.

ALWAYS have an extra set of keys. Plenty of spots to hide them in a pick up.

TC

Great post! Killer ideas!!

[Duffman]

Ah-HAAAA, Duff, I bet you do that because of a "bad experience!"

Ha, thought that might come up. But nope that's not the case, I've never lost my keys or wallet. Always thought that with a little foresight, one could avoid those two "bad experiences".

I still have a duck band on my key ring from twenty years ago.

[mr_jman]

I also use the zippered pocket method for my keys/cellphone. Its deep enough that I can feel for the phone if it rings without grabbing the keys.

If you have a portable with a pull rope, when setting up and banking the house with snow. I always hold the rope up in my hand while banking the house with my feet, this keeps the rope from freezing into the snow/ice or getting caught under the house.

A lot of people like those UFO LED lights made by several ice fishing companies. At Wal-Mart you can go to the camping section and find a very similiar model made by Ozark Trail for $7. They run on 4 AA batteries and are very simliar to the HT ones for $10+. I bought 2 large lanyards to easily hook these to the bar running down the middle of my portable! It also makes it easy to "charge" your glow lures by holding them up to the lights.

EDIT: I use carribeaner clips to attach the UFO lights to the bars, not lanyards. I couldn't think of what they were called.

[bigbluepirahna]

Along with jman's lanyard comment...I always keep a lanyard around my neck when fishing with these essentials: fingernail clipper, jig glow light, depth checker, and a hook extractor. Makes all your quick re-ties, glows, and especially fish changes as fast as possible to get you right back in the water. Helps keeping things from falling out of the pockets, getting lost, and keeps them quick and handy if you decide to hole jump.

[JSK76]

I use chunks of 5" foam and put them over the holes in my wheel house when I head home, the next day out the holes have skim ice or no ice at all.

[NorthlandProCrow]

When I get home from fishing I dump my minnows in a 5gal bucket and add an aerator hose. I also add more clean/filtered water. I have a question for those who do the same, or similiar to the same: What color bucket do you use?

I have been using a common white 5gal bucket and notice the minnows turn a lighter color shortly after. They are kept in a darker part of the basement, but without further research as of yet, it seems they may be turning this lighter color from the environment they are in(white bucket).

Anyone have such an experience or comment?

Also, does anyone feed there minnows?

[coombia21]

put a floating lanyard on your keys i got mine at the ice show and it will float your keys when dropped in the water and has already saved me when at mille lacs

[JSK76]

put a floating lanyard on your keys i got mine at the ice show and it will float your keys when dropped in the water and has already saved me when at mille lacs

This also works well if you drop them in the deep snow.

[bak2MN]

Yes that is true about the color change. We used to trap and sell minnows years ago. And we had two tanks a darker one and a light colored tank. I like the lighter colored minnows myself I think they work better. I also keep mine in a white bucket.

[Jmnhunter]

Problem: Your jigging spoon or jig spins once you get it to the depth you want to fish

Solution: Attach a small swivel 10-12" above the spoon, I like using the swivels more for walleye/perch fishing and crappies too. Finicky crapps or bluegills may not like the swivel though in clear water

[Jmnhunter]

To make dragging your portable easier, be sure the skis/skids are ice free and or wax the skis/plastic skids underneath, it will help eliminate drag.

[rugbymn]

TIP #1 I could never securely attach my hooks to my tip-ups in storage. I bought industrial strength velcro and attached it to my tip-ups. Stick the hook in in between the velcro and you have a cheap way to secure your hooks.

Tip 1:

Don't bother wasting your velcro for that. Broccoli bands work better. Just wrap one around the spool and voila! I usually keep about a dozen of them on hand at all times.

Tip 2:

If you want to use velcro, you can use it for beer holders in your permanent house. Just stick strips of velcro to the wall and to your can coolers. Then just stick to the can cooler to the wall anywhere and you don't have to have drink holders protruding from the walls.

Tip 3:

If you lose your rubber stopper for your ice pod, don't bother buying a million replacements. The cork from a bottle of wine works just as well. Just cut it in half and cut a slit down the length of it.

[Jmnhunter]

Another tip for saving your Marcum/Vexi battery life; wait atleast 1 hour or more to let the battery reach room temperature when you get home before charging

[DTro]

Shower curtain hooks make great portable-house garment and rod bag holders.

[McGurk]

I just keep my eyes open for rubber bungies in parking lots and on roads. If they are broken, I use the "S" hooks from them for hanging everything!

[Mainehazmt]

Having a roll of duct tape works wonders from emergency patch on tent to making flags for tipups to a great bandage material

[Hd Wtr Hillbilly]

For the perm- Bisquick Shake and Pour pancake mix

you dont have to worry about a mixing bowl or spoon to stir it, just pour in water shake it and you got some pancakes in the morning. Saves on dishes

[Ole #1]

Originally Posted By: pulleye16

TIP #1 I could never securely attach my hooks to my tip-ups in storage. I bought industrial strength velcro and attached it to my tip-ups. Stick the hook in in between the velcro and you have a cheap way to secure your hooks.

Tip 3:

If you lose your rubber stopper for your ice pod, don't bother buying a million replacements. The cork from a bottle of wine works just as well. Just cut it in half and cut a slit down the length of it.

I lost my rubber stopper and have been usng a close pin, works pretty good too.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Have a Hide-a-Key on your vehicle in case the lanyards, or floats fail, or if you dont have one of those. lol speak of expierience

[GottaGo]

If you haven't done so yet, take a night or two to install LED lights in your portable. It's a very simple process and can be done relatively cheaply. I used LED lights I bought from a car parts store and could not be happier with them. They give off a ton of light and is much easier and safer to use than the old propane lantern (which makes me much more likely to stay after dark to fish).

[WallyGader]

Might not happen to alot of people but I always keep the zippers on my portable at the top of the house to prevent freezing and being unable to zip the door shut. I suppose the pam cooking oil would be another option i have not tried as well.

[nolte]

Use one of those looped strike indicators for a depth marker on a tip up. They slide up and down easy and stay on the line. You can trim them down if you want them smaller. They work much better than bobber stops or those little plastic bobbers.

[Bassboy1645]

I have an 11lbr propane tank in the kitty litter box as well. Much more stable on this ice and snow or in the truck or sled. If that falls over and rolls around the coils on my sunflower heater usually break. I know a tip to make the heater run without the coils but people on here would deem it unsafe. Simply tape your saftey button down with electrical tape or duct tape. Not recommended for everyday use but if you do break that copper coil it is a good emergency fix. To combat ice on auger blades I keep a small hammer in my sled. Lightly tap on the shaft not the fins of the auger to remove ice. Keep your teeth on augers sharp thats a big one. Cooking spray on the sled works too but the dogs like to lick it then too.

[jBohmer]

A lot of people would say that standing on a frozen lake fishing from a hole is unsafe too. I work down south frequently. You should see the look on their faces when I talk to them about ice fishing.

Tip - Clam makes a hanging fan/light for $25. Best thing I have bought since the power auger. Moves the air around in my flip up and I do not have to have my lantern and my heater burning fuel at the same time. Fan is super quiet and the light is adequate.

[silverbulletguy]

Empty laundry bottle (rinsed out well)--cut off the top (not the handle)--can be used to get water out of lake for minnow bucket or to rinse off hands after releasing a slimer and also doubles as a holder for a lot of misc stuff. Filet knife, headlamp, multi-tool, rod holder, whatever else you might need but don't need readily accessible.