Ice Fishing's Greatest Innovation

[DTro]

When it comes to modern day Ice Fishing what innovation has had the most impact on the way we fish?

[Random guy]

I thought auger but really it used to be go out and huddle behind the truck or a peice of plywood. Now we can move, stay out longer and bring a ton of gear with. It's actaully a great question as they all have impacted ice fishing in a huge way.

[jnorm1984]

They all do have a huge imact. I had a tough time picking one, but if I could put them in order of impact for the way I fish it would be 1.Flasher 2.Power auger 3. GPS (with contours) 4. Portable shelters 5. Cold weather suits 6. Internet

[muc33]

Dang man, tough question. I see all points. Sonar great, better than drop and pray method. Still doesn't make them bite. Portable shelter, great for cover and sight fishing darkness, but like Jonny said, many sat next to the truck for years. GPS put's you on a structure to a T, but good study and trial and error worked for years and persistence. The auger, pure convenience and allowed a larger age and strength group to be more active. Cold weather suits, I think may be the best, even without a shelter, one can now endure more temp and conditions longer, and using the other tools mentioned be a better angler, interesting. The internet, very neat, tips, locations, techniques, education, tendencies, all a help, but the best?

Great question...

[Ryan_V]

I was going to vote for whiskey, but its not an option! :}

[OnAFly]

Without a doubt, flasher.

Sure, you can fish without one in December when the bite is hot and have a ton of success. Now try triggering those tougher fish in late January and February without one. The feedback the flasher gives you allows you to adjust what you are doing. It's not just telling you the fish are there. It tells you what the fish want. This single device gives the most improvement on success throughout the slow part of the season.

Second has to be power augers. Hole hopping is extremely effective, and drilling 30 holes by hand in February is simply not an option.

[GrizzlyAdams]

For me i can fish without the other items listed but would rather not basically for convenience. The flasher has by far helped me catch more fish than any other item listed. Atleast i know if they are down there or not. The GPS is a great tool but doesn't show you where the fish are, ie, suspended, hugging bottom or just not there. I have drilled many holes with a hand auger but to be honest i don't know if i would go out without the power auger. Nice to be able to drill A LOT of holes when you need to. I love my portables but could do without if i ahd to as my truck is easier to move and relocate. The cold gear suits are awesome as well and wouldn't trade it now that i have one but used carharts for years before i got my suit and always stated warm. Couldn't get them wet or they would be very heavy but still stayed warm. The internet and this site have helped me by leaps and bounds but to be honest i think i have learned way more from the people i have met on this site and had the privelege to fish with. I am the type that learns more by seeing things done and doing it myself rather than reading about it. Have all these things helped me become a much better fisherman? By all means but the flasher has helped bring more fish through the hole than anything else.

[Bob Horn]

I think tournaments should be added to the list. I have learned more from tournaments than anywhere else.

[gregg52]

i would say of late

the wheel houses are the big thing

i fished out in the open back in the day (snot nosing it)..lol

or home made portalbes so they have been around along time

i remember going to winnie and driling holes with and old spoon auger

that was work!...then my buddies dad built a auger on a car starter

so augers are good to..flashers are a must

cold weather suits i cant coment on dont have one

old now dont like the cold much any more plus hands cant take it no more

no gloves when i was young and dumb i guess..lol

now its GPS and a wheel house!!!!!!!!!..lol or i stay on the couch!!

problem with wheel houses is its jan before you get out usally

so the fast bite is usally done

all though i will say we do good on winnie in feb

[bobbymalone]

kinda surprised the internet hasn't gotten more votes. maybe because it's effect isn't as direct as a flasher.

while the flasher (my 2nd choice) is obvious when you are out on the ice, I would spend a lot time just staring at it if it wasn't for the internet helping me with the following:

1. lakes to try, how to get to them, and what fish are in them - google maps and mn dnr lakefinder

2. the kind of structure i should be looking for - thanks hso

3. what to drop down the hole, the line to use, etc - thanks hso

4. fishing reports, ice reports, access problems, weather reports, etc - thanks hso and weather websites

5. i also wouldn't even have a flasher or bunch of the other equipment if I didn't find it used or cheap on the internet. - thanks listcraig, bayE, google shopping

[FISHINGURU]

Flasher hands down.

[Will]

Flasher

[thatoneguy]

Power auger, in a heartbeat. To maximize ice fishing success (at least where I fish) you have to be able to be mobile. I can't even imagine trying to drill 25 holes by hand through 36" of ice in early March when I'm chasing jumbos on Winnie.

GPS/Map chips would be a second for me, followed closely by flashers. But those two wouldn't do me much good if I was sitting at home because I killed my back trying to crank through the ice. That view is definitely colored by the back problems I've had since I was about 13

[EBass]

Ditto Flasher

[tinytimmy37]

Flasher well actually the ice ducer flashers were around a long time but the ice duecer really changed everything.

[fishguy21]

Very tough question, because they all have helped make it either easier or more enjoyable, but since I am there to catch fish i say the flasher.

[buzbunni]

kinda surprised the internet hasn't gotten more votes. maybe because it's effect isn't as direct as a flasher.

Me too.

I didn't take the time to look at the pole close enough as I just assumed I would select flasher from the get go. Had I taken the time, I probably would have selected internet as well for all the reasons mentioned.

The results are skewed! I demand a recount!

I agree that the power auger should be right up there as well. Of what great use would a flasher be if you only had the energy to drill a few holes in the middle of winter when the ice is 36" thick? No runnin', gunnin', and lookin' for fish then, flasher or no.

One other item that I think should be on the list: Underwater Camera

[jwmiller33]

not even a question.... flasher

[McGurk]

The first thing that jumped out from the list is a flasher. But then I though about it a while. You can't get a hook to the fish in without an auger or chisel of some sort. Drilling 2 holes can get you fish, but drilling 25 holes can get you the same fish a lot faster, even without a flasher. They do go hand in hand, though.

All a guy needs is a hook, some line, and a tool to get through the ice, and only one of those were on the list. Even the best flasher in the world can't read fish without a hole after some snow and bad ice, and if you were to fish there you'd need a hole anyways. Maybe a flasher and auger have ruined fishing for me, as if I don't see almost immediate action on the flasher after drilling holes, I drill more holes!

A port. house is great, and I own 2, but I'd rather catch faster and stay on fish than stay warm! The internet has definitely helped me immensely, and increased my success tremendously, too.

Oh yeah, I've always called my flasher a "$300 bobber", but now I won't fish without it!

[DTro]

Very good points on the internet Bobby.

Geez I can't believe I forgot to include camera. DOH

[deadeye]

They all do have a huge imact. I had a tough time picking one, but if I could put them in order of impact for the way I fish it would be 1.Flasher 2.Power auger 3. GPS (with contours) 4. Portable shelters 5. Cold weather suits 6. Internet

This is my list except I would delete the cold weather suit. I have never had a problem dressing for the weather without them.

[Northsider #13]

Auger, absolutely!!!! Who ever says different has never had to chisel (spud) through 3 feet of ice. Now with augers you can drill more holes and be portable. Men were tougher then. You had Bunny boots, quilted underwear, chopper mittens and fleece lined leather outer military pants to keep warm. Johnny hand warmers, wood and charcoal was your heat source.

I'm 63 now and have all the new equipment, but I remember going to Mille Lacs with my dad years ago.

My $.02

[JigginIsLife]

Honestly i cant belive that NO one and I mean NO ONE has mentioned the massive innovations that the rods and reels have undergone in the last oh say 20 years. you cant hole hop with a jiggle stick, nor does fighting that 10lb walleye with the line in your hand when hes almost up to the hole and makes that last attempt to get away and he runns off mor line than was taken off the posts and you loose the fish and the pole... i guess i take that stuff for granted and say that if i forgot my vex i would rather just go home... but im not very "old" and i remember the way the pols use to be... the plastic reels with a firm one eyelet rod that if you tried to pull a fish up by that you most certinly would break the pole...

or as another suggestion... the ice buster bobber...

[Vallejo]

This is an easy one, the FLASHER!! I would turn around and go home if I ever forgot my Marcum LX5!

Smitty

[Ed Carlson]

Sonar and the Vexilar "Ice-Ducer" system, hands down had the largest impact on modern ice fishing as it impacted all aspects of the sport after that.

It influenced future shelter design direction and development, presentation strategies, system modality, lure development, ice augers, snowmobiles,..you name it.

On ice sonar got things really rolling.