Starting out

[wyattboche]

Just geting into Ice fishing. I have a limited budget to start out with. The budget is $1500. I need everything. What would you guys suggest that I spend my money on? Will mostly be fishing panfish.Would like a 3 person portable shack,poles,vexlar,etc..

[DarthBaiter]

#1.Showdown 5.6 locator and a clam portable house. #2 Portable buddy heater and some LED UFO lights. Eskimo auger or whatever your pref.

[zamboni]

Get on HSO-Classifieds and get some nice, used gear.

[Swill]

Well there is a million gear related topics but here is what I run with

1. Strikemaster power auger

2. Otter Lodge Fish house and one man Fish Trap

3. Marcum locator

5. ultra light rod / reel combos with 2lb line, Dave Genz makes some decent combos already to fish with.

4. Marcum underwater camera- A camera helps a ton with panfishing, hate to fish without it now, extremely helpful)

5. assortment of small horizontal and verticla jigs, ice bobbers, small hooks, etc

6. Coleman Northstar propane lanterns, with a quality LED headlight.

7. Mr. Heater / cooker propane unit. Great for heating a 2-3 man house, and flips over easy to heat up some food on a long weekend out.

8. Lowrance H2o color gps unit with lake chip

If money gets tight, look at used ice houses. Nice way to save money. Or skip the camera and gps unit.

[Woody61]

Thats a nice budget just starting out,are you sure you will stick with? Just in case I would buy used wherever posible and upgrade later. DO you have a sled or other to haul a 3 man sled? if not maybe go with a 2 man to start out, lots of choices for 500 or less new.

next would be a gas auger goods ones there for 400 or less.

Flasher, any of the 300.00 or less ubits will serve you well.

As mentioned about Mr heaters do it all but a buddy type is safer and fuel lasts longer, less than a 100 bucks either way.

Top it off with a few 30-35.00 rod/reel combos and a handful of jigs and your ready to go. These are new prices,you could save big bucks by going with used on the tent and auger especially.

I assume you allready have warm clothes and boots.

[magic_minnow]

1500?? Nice startout budget. Probably more than 99.6% of the people here had their first time. Anywho, welcome! And invest in a nice panfish rod. I recommend (in order of preferance): 1) St. Croix Legend 2) Thorne Bros noodle 3) JM Meatstick.

[Jmnhunter]

hey Wyatt, as mentioned above check out some classified sites:

1.) Auger new or used, should be able to get a new one under $350

2.) Flasher a Marcum or Vex unit will be a good start (new or used)

3.) A few rod combos to switch up from dead stick to jigging (I would go new)

4.) Rod Bag

5.) Small jig boxes with an assortment of jigs, sky is the limit there! (i would go new)

6.) one man flipover house (quality used)

7.) Heater/cooker (set up on a stand connected to propane via hose)

7.) Coleman propane lantern

those items are what i would 1st focus on, as for other accesories, a GPS, camera, and other accesories can wait until you get a good feel of the ice

[thedeadsea]

hey Wyatt, as mentioned above check out some classified sites:

1.) Auger new or used, should be able to get a new one under $350

2.) Flasher a Marcum or Vex unit will be a good start (new or used)

3.) A few rod combos to switch up from dead stick to jigging (I would go new)

4.) Rod Bag

5.) Small jig boxes with an assortment of jigs, sky is the limit there! (i would go new)

6.) one man flipover house (quality used)

7.) Heater/cooker (set up on a stand connected to propane via hose)

7.) Coleman propane lantern

those items are what i would 1st focus on, as for other accesories, a GPS, camera, and other accesories can wait until you get a good feel of the ice

He has it just about right. I would hold out for a 2 man house though so you can share your new hobby with a friend. Don't spend too much $$ on rods and reels until you use a few and decide what you want.

[Swill]

1500?? Nice startout budget. Probably more than 99.6% of the people here had their first time. Anywho, welcome! And invest in a nice panfish rod. I recommend (in order of preferance): 1) St. Croix Legend 2) Thorne Bros noodle 3) JM Meatstick.

Yeah I thought hat too, but when you add up all the gear, 1500 can go fast.

[toughguy]

If you're looking for pannies I second the st. croix legend ultra lite rod. After seeing my brother out fish me 2-1 on one I got my own.

[gurkster]

Check out used stuff to see what you like/don't like. You coule probably resell it again for what you paid. $1500 should get you outfitted nicely.

[Carl Bjorgen]

1500 is a nice budget. Here's what I would do if I were in your shoes, knowing what I know, and fishing by myself most of the time.

1. 200.00 for a one-man portable.

2. 250.00 for a flasher.

3. 350.00 for an Arctic Armor Suit.

4. 100.00 for some decent base layer underwear.

5. 125.00 for a 6" Nils Hand Auger.

6. 75.00 for a Portable Buddy Heater

7. 100.00 for a propane cylinder, hoses, and filter.

8. 150.00 for a few rods, reels, and some jigs.

9. 50.00 for a scoop, chisel, and a soft gear bag.

These prices are approximate, but you would be pretty close to around 1400.00 and you would have all new stuff.

Have fun shopping for your gear!

[Swill]

I would for sure skip the arctic armor suit and 100 worth of long johns. When I started icefishing, we used to go out in just jeans with long johns underneath.

Plus, i you have a mr heater and are in a portable, you really only need something warm while you are setting up, or moving to new spots.

I would take that 450 or so, and apply it towards a larger portable and gas powered auger.

Cabelas has decent long johns for 40-50 a set

[thedeadsea]

I would for sure skip the arctic armor suit and 100 worth of long johns. When I started icefishing, we used to go out in just jeans with long johns underneath.

Plus, i you have a mr heater and are in a portable, you really only need something warm while you are setting up, or moving to new spots.

I would take that 450 or so, and apply it towards a larger portable and gas powered auger.

Cabelas has decent long johns for 40-50 a set

Agree 100%

[mr_jman]

Getting the basics is how I would start. If you've barely gone Ice Fishing I would tag along with someone else and see what they use and TRY what they use! The best way to determine what YOU want is by using the gear firsthand! Most of my purchases came after trying out things that my friends had. After seeing a vexilar and using it, it quickly became a MUST HAVE ITEM!

Like others have said all of these things can be obtained for much less than the instore prices. Don't settle for something just cause its on sale unless its something you want!

-- I would buy a 2 person flip style house. I like Clams but many work great!

-- I love Strikemaster augers and have a Mag 2000 and Mag Express both work great!

-- A Vexilar or Marcum should be bought before you even venture out. This will be your favorite ice fishing tool!

-- The Buddy heaters seem to be a great way to go and I own the basic Mr Buddy and it works great!

-- Rod and Reel combos next. If you have some money I would spend a little extra here for a quality combo or two. Purchase the reel and rod seperately IMO. The store combos I have bought usually aren't that great. Usually its the reel I get dissapointed with. Now I purchase my rods and reels seperately and get nice quality equipment at maybe an extra $10 to $20.

-- JIGS, and Line next: I think the Ice fireline is great! Try a bunch of lures in different sizes, shapes, and colors. JB Lures, Northland, Arnolds, Swedish Pimples, Custom Jigs and Spins, etc. etc. Soft plastics from companies like Gulp! are also good ideas! All are good companies that make a nice variety of panfish jigs!

-- You shouldn't need to spend more money on clothes you should have enough to get you by! The only thing I purchased new for clothing was some of those sweat wicking socks and a few pairs of the heavier wool socks. You will stay warm and dry!

-- A GPS with a map card makes a nice purchase if you have more money. The Lowrance H2O C is my choice but others work well.

-- Extra money I would spend on live bait, propane tanks, UFO or other LED lights, pliers, scissors, matches, a lantern, ice scoops, safety picks, chisel, fillet knife, etc. I also carry a few wide candles just in case, Candy bars, pop, beverages, etc.

$1500 will be gone before you know it but I wish I had that much when I started. I am a bargain hunter of sorts and for about $500 I had a Shappell 2000, Vexilar FL8, and Mag 2000. Great deals can be found if you want to save on one thing to spend a little more somewhere else.

[erik-the-great]

if i were you i would spend the money on the auger,rods,tackle,a flasher,save your money and keep your eye out for a good used 12-16ft camper, with a little work on it some holes etc,you will have something you can sleep and haul it with a pick up because once you start ice fishing you will love it and want to do it all the time and the family will enjoy it also

[wyattboche]

Thanks Guys for all the advice. Trying to get my wife to go fishing with me here in Wisconsin. Thats why I fiqured on a 3 person shack, so later on we can take the little guy with. But probably for now the 2 person should work.

[wyattboche]

1500 is a nice budget. Here's what I would do if I were in your shoes, knowing what I know, and fishing by myself most of the time.

1. 200.00 for a one-man portable.

2. 250.00 for a flasher.

3. 350.00 for an Arctic Armor Suit.

4. 100.00 for some decent base layer underwear.

5. 125.00 for a 6" Nils Hand Auger.

6. 75.00 for a Portable Buddy Heater

7. 100.00 for a propane cylinder, hoses, and filter.

8. 150.00 for a few rods, reels, and some jigs.

9. 50.00 for a scoop, chisel, and a soft gear bag.

These prices are approximate, but you would be pretty close to around 1400.00 and you would have all new stuff.

Have fun shopping for your gear!

Where do I find ice fishing equipment? Fleet Farm I imagine would carry most of what I need.

[thehawk]

Everyone who posted had great tips on what to get. Me personally I would get a good gas powered auger. I always think of it like this...no hole in the ice, no fishin. The second most important tool out there is a flasher of some kind. I have owned both the vexilars and marcums and both work great...something that once you use it you cannot go back to fishing without it. I wouldn't fish without one.

Good luck and most importantly be safe. dont let all your new gear get int the way of being smart out there. and always have fun...if your not having fun out there might as well go to work.

[Carl Bjorgen]

Originally Posted By: Carl Bjorgen

1500 is a nice budget. Here's what I would do if I were in your shoes, knowing what I know, and fishing by myself most of the time.

1. 200.00 for a one-man portable.

2. 250.00 for a flasher.

3. 350.00 for an Arctic Armor Suit.

4. 100.00 for some decent base layer underwear.

5. 125.00 for a 6" Nils Hand Auger.

6. 75.00 for a Portable Buddy Heater

7. 100.00 for a propane cylinder, hoses, and filter.

8. 150.00 for a few rods, reels, and some jigs.

9. 50.00 for a scoop, chisel, and a soft gear bag.

These prices are approximate, but you would be pretty close to around 1400.00 and you would have all new stuff.

Have fun shopping for your gear!

Where do I find ice fishing equipment? Fleet Farm I imagine would carry most of what I need.

Fleet Farm or Gander would have everything you needed except the Arctic Armor Suit and the Nils Auger. They have other brands of suits. I wouldn't recommend any other hand auger though. I got my Nils at Cabelas, which also has all the gear you would need.

Like some said the high tech clothes aren't vital if you sit in your heated portable. If you don't sit in one spot all day though they become very important and I can certainly elaborate on that.

[wyattboche]

What are some top of the line reels for my St. Croix legend ultra lite rods? Also What line should I use? What is a good sonar to get? vexliar Fl-20??