The Ice Fisherman's tackle box

[shnelson]

I've been reading a lot of posts that cover what the best tackle is to use for a certain species, and it got me thinking about what tackle is absolutely essential for any ice fisherman to have. I'm filling up a tacklebox that i'm going to give my nephew for christmas, and i'd be interested to hear what you think should be in there at a bare minimum..

Depending on responses, this post could be a lot of fun. I wouldn't mind maintaining it and updating the main post with the kit that we come up with. Pictures would be a bonus too, because I know I've heard a lot of names that I don't recognize, but if you showed me the lure I would know exactly what you were talking about . Here's what I've got so far:

Tools & Utilities

Ice line (2# & 4# spools)

Rapala Clippers (includes a hook to clear jig eyelets)

Glow Charger light

Forceps

Pliers

Sinkers

Depth bombs

Handwarmers/footwarmers

First Aid Kit

Spud Bar/Chisel

Ice Picks

Terminal Tackle

Red Bait Hooks (#6)

Ice Busters Bobbers (Small & Large)

Spring Bobbers

Slip Knots & Beads

Gumball Jigs (#4's for tip up)

Jigs

Flutter Jigs

Glow Ratso

Lindy Genz Bugs

Diamond Jigs - Glow

Teardrops (#6)

Ants

Gumballs (#8)

Spoons

Swedish Pimple

Buckshot Rattle Spoons

Gem-N-Eyes

Rattl'N Flyers

1/8oz Go Devils

1/8oz Rattlin Varmint

Darters

Jigging Shad Raps

Northland Puppet Minnows

Lindy Perch Darter

#4 Salmo Chubby Darter - Red Tail Shiner

Artificial Baits & Plastics

Bloodworms

Little Atom Micro Nuggies

PowerBait Crappie Bites

Gulp Shiners

What am I missing? Keep in mind I'm looking for the essentials, I had the initial goal to keep it under $50 but that went out the window when I started adding darters .

[Esox_Magnum]

Some #3 Chubbies, 1/8 oz Go Devils, 1/8oz Shucks Jiggers, could be an endless list

[GrizzlyAdams]

JB lures rattlin varmints in glow red and glow blue. Airplane jigs.

Won't fit in the tackle box but a spud bar would be rather important.

[thatoneguy]

An absolute must for fishing perch & walleyes is a stock of Buckshot Rattle Spoons in various sizes. Te past two years that lure has outproduced everything else in my tackle box, big-time. The only thing that has come close for walleyes is a perch Jigging Rapala.

[Will]

Small light for glow lures

[afishrmn]

Sinkers and a couple depth finders

[magic_minnow]

S. Pimps - all sizes

[Joe15]

Glow jig,perch jig (can't think of name(the one with the lure with a chain on it with the hook on the end of the chain))

[Fred_Bear]

Definitely need a a glow charger if you'll be doing any low-light fishing. I would say no to the darters, and get some jigging raps instead. They're a lot more consistent a lot cheaper; get small perch colored ones for eyes. You need to add some plastics for sure. I say get rid of the teardorps, ants, and gumballs and pick up some glow ratsos, genz bugs, and extra rasto bodies and little atom micro nuggies. The only jigging spoon I ever use is Buckshot Spoons.

This is just what I use so take it for what it's worth.

[Bigslugger]

I second the ratsos! Phenomenal lure. Spring bobber are another choice. I tend to use them a lot.

Varmint rattlers and Stop signs for spoons. And instead of the Chubbys get him a Bait Puck.

[Northlander]

I just picked up some glow diamond jigs and spoons from JR's tackle at the ice show. Awesome glow colors especially the red with gold back. They should be very good for perch, crappies and eyes.

Also got some of Todays Tackles lure disks and I think these will take a normal jig and put some new fish atracting motion into them.

Of course you have to have different sizes of ice buster bobbers.

Snaps, swivels, #4 and #6 hooks, bobber stops, (cheapest I found was at JR's tackle), clippers, needlenose plyers, fish rags, something to glow your lures (I like the Lure Lightning product), bait pucks, ice picks, a good minnow bucket that wont spill in the house, flutter bugs jigs, Northlands puppet minnows and buckshot spoons, Wolfram jigs,jiggin raps and Lindy Flyers along with some panfish plastics like a few gulp shiners in 1" size.

That should be enough to keep you on any type of fish.

[Joe15]

PowerBait crappie bites

[shnelson]

Great suggestions so far! I made an attempt to get them added to the list, I might have left out some duplicates but this is shaping up quite nice!

The list is getting pretty expensive overall, but for an angler just starting out they could take a couple from each category and do just fine I'd imagine. Definitely giving me some ideas on what to add to my box!