Imagine for a moment that you are once again a newbie with $100 to spend.

[tunrevir]

For the record, I first thought, buy a flasher but with only a hundred bucks to spend, I really don't think it is feasable to buy what you need and get a flasher. A simple bobber and minnow combination has taken untold numbers of crappies all over the USA so that is basic equipment you want to have, whether it be a jiggle stick or a decent rod/reel combo. The next basic is having bait that a crappie or walleye would eat. Crappie minnows and fatheads do the job there. The next basic IMHO is knowing the lakes you will be fishing and the depths involved where you can consistently contact crappies. On most lakes this is deep water 2-6 feet off the bottom but in some of the shallower lakes deep is 10-12 feet. A simple way to find crappies and or panfish is look for the fish house colonies and poke around at the outside edges untill you connect. Another bit of info, is talk to the local baitshop owners as to what depth, what lake, and WHAT TIME of the day, the fish you seek are biting. This can give you invaluable info as to where, when and how to fish for a certain species on a given lake. No fancy electronics are needed, afterall, most of us grew up fishing without eyes under the ice. Being in the right spot, the right time of day and using tackle that is directed towards the species of fish you are looking for is some of the most useful info you will ever get.

Tunrevir~

[hamms-scooter]

I fished with bobbers and always used tear drops like demon jig by custom jigs, Caught lots of fish and always had them at different depths. One a foot or so off the bottom and one at 4 ft or so... I would still hole hop with a jig as well just work it slowly up off the bottom . Good luck

[EMAGDNIM]

Definatly agree with that list for 100$ a map or navionics is great investment for 10$ plus the basics (rod reel bucket etc.) explore and have fun!!

[Rippinlip]

Run down to your local store and put in the cart:

1. 2 rods/reel combos, 1 with a spring bobber - @ $25 ea = $50

2. 4 lb fishing line - $5

3. Pick up an ice fishing jig kit - $10

4. 5 Gallon Bucket - $5

5. Small Minnow pail - $5

6. Small Sled - $10

7. Minnows, waxies and/or Spikes - $10

Put all your gear in the sled and use the bucket to sit on and haul your fish home.

Set up one rod with a slip bobber, one with a spring bobber, hate to give you this advice, but go to the lake and look for the villages, set-up outdide of them and start fishing, the bobber rod with the minnow at 4ft off the bottom, and the jigging rods down to the bottom and work it up from there @ 1foot at a time. Repeat.

[adamr]

i agree on the flasher especially if hes gonna fish crappies.

[c0untryf1sh3r]

Definitely a map as other have said, Wmart has map books for specific areas all over the state. Granted they are not going to be as detailed as say the Navionics or lakemaster maps but if you can read and interpret them correctly then your already one step ahead of the fish.

I havent been icefishing as long as some people here have but I dont own a flasher or a camera and I still catch enough for a meal. Easy considering my wife doesnt eat fish, which means more for me . Dont bother forking out the clams to get one right away. It makes it more fun to go out and find fish as opposed to using a flasher, not that I'm saying it cheating per se' to use one, but rather your trying to outsmart the fish.

And most of all, just go out and have fun. Enjoy being outside in the dead of winter. A bad day on the water beats a good day at work.

[Down Deep]

I would go to the HSO store and buy a selection of jigs for panfish and walleyes. I stay away from any of the latest and greatest jig and spoons because they are usually expensive and you have a limited budget. Lots of fish can be had with simple jigs tipped with minnows, waxies or twister tails. Then get a couple of HT rods and put your open water reels on them. Find an old 5 gal bucket with lid and get a lawn chair. Buy a hand auger and a scoop. You'd be ready for some fishing. I would also put a WTB add on theCLIST and list the equipment you needed. When the ice gets thick you can always find someone to drill you a couple of holes.

[Thorney]

I like this thread because it describes me a couple years ago. I got my first flasher this year (FL-8), and while it is great, it is not a necessity for getting started. Many lakes (especially smaller lakes) can be fished with a lake map and a little scouting. Presumably with only 100 bucks to spend, a person isn't going long distances to fish. Look for a lake near home that is accessible and go ot there with a pair of binoculars. Look where people are fishing and try to associate what you see on top of the ice with what the lake map shows for depth, structure, etc. Anyway, as previously stated, a couple combos, a bucket, some jigs, some bait and you are good to go. (sorry if I got a little off topic).

[crappie55409]

I would find a buddy who already has everything, take that 100 bucks and buy him a nice steak dinner

[Cyberfish]

If you are looking for panfish, get a bucket, some HT ice blue 24 inch rods, tape some 3 buck Schooley reels, 2# gold stren, some small jigs, some plastic tails, and a tub of wax worms, you now have all you need for getting deadly with panfish. If you want big pike and walleyes, get one good rod and reel, and a couple tip ups, the rest of your money will go towards minnows!

[Portlis]

Hey everyone, I greatly appreciate all of the responses I've received. I got more responses than I expected honestly!

I do still have a couple questions though, if anyone wouldn't mind clearing up a few things for me.

Obviously I understand what the bare essentials are - sled, bucket, minnows, ice scoop, auger, etc.... My biggest "problem" isn't so much what to buy in general (especially after the responses!) but more specifically which EXACT products you would buy in my situation with no gear. Again, I understand that a bucket is a bucket - don't need help there heh. But there are literally thousands of jigs out there and it's a bit of a daunting process to weed through them.

I went to my local Wal-Mart last night to take a look at what they had. I had written down some of the suggestions people have given in this thread hoping to clear up a few things on my own. Unfortunately, although they seem to sell about 100 different jigs, NONE of them were the ones recommended by you guys.

So, here's my semi-long list of specific questions that I still have. Some of these might sound like REALLY dumb questions to you guys with all of the knowledge, but I warned you right off the bat that I was going to need my hand held a bit because I'm really, really out of the loop heh:

1 - Where do you guys buy your stuff? Obviously Wal-Mart is out of the question. Are the local sporting goods giants better for this? Dick's, Gander, etc? How about online purchases?

2 - I've seen multiple people suggest a "spring bobber". I just want to make sure I'm not complicating things here. Do you mean just a simple bobber that attaches to the line with a spring? The kind easily available for like a buck?

3 - Multiple people referenced a jigging "spoon". What exactly is this? None of the packages last night at wally world had the word spoon on them and again, I've only ever used a plain hook and minnow. I assume this is something that would be much more obvious if I went to an actual sporting goods store to find one.

4 - I keep seeing "demon" lures referenced, both in this thread and all over the boards. Is this a brand or a specific type of jig/lure? Same deal on "marmasoka" as was mentioned in this thread.

5 - Some of the jigs I saw (and see around the net) have treble hooks on them. I thought treble hooks were kind of a no-no for some reason? Or maybe it was that they are/were illegal to use with live bait in conjunction with it? I just remember something about not using treble hooks. Has this changed? Do you use bait with treble hook lures for crappies? I'd just hate to do anything illegal of course, but I'd also want to use the lure properly too.

6 - Are there any general guides out there on the basics of jigging? Again, I've only ever used a plain old little bobber and never jigged. Do you use a bobber while jigging at all or are you constantly and slowly moving the bait up and down at all times? I searched youtube a bit, but didn't really find much of help. I'm sure jigging is one of those deals that is easy to learn and difficult to master. I'm certainly not asking anyone to give away their secrets, but rather just the very very basics.

7 - I often hear people refer to using "plastics" when fishing for pan fish. What exactly are these plastics? I'm obviously assuming some sort of jig with artificial plastics on it, but what do they look like specifically? I didn't see anything like this in the lure section either. And are you using bait in conjunction with these, or just the lure? I've literally never caught a crappie on a 100% artificial lure, so it seems a bit foreign to me.

8 - Last question I promise - Gulp. What is it? I see it referenced all the time. Again, I saw some Berkley brand Gulp! plastic worms at wal-mart, but these were rather large and looked like the type of artificial lure that one might catch bass with. It certainly couldn't have been used for panfish.

Sorry again for the novel and dumb questions. I probably look like a dummy right about now, but I guess I'll never learn if I don't try, so I'd rather look stupid now and learn than not learn at all. I really am trying to slowly ease my way into this again. I used to love ice fishing as a kid, but when my grandpa (who was my fishing buddy) passed away I basically stopped going all together and haven't hit the ice in 15+ years.

[crappie55409]

i think your best bet to answer some of these questions would be to stop in to a gander mountain or another sports store and just ask them to hook you up with stuff to catch fish through the ice. The people at those stores are generally very helpful and would be glad to set you on the right path

[IcerRon2010]

Cyberfish's last post was spot on. If you want more answers on ice fishing may I suggest a couple of outlets: 1) Jason Durham has a great book out there called Pro Tactics, Ice fishing. Can be found at Gander Mtn or Thorne bros. It has everything you ever want to know about ice fishing and more. I find myself thumbing through the pages all the time.

2)Dave Genz has a video out called "Bluegills". Basically explains his system far as equippment and how to hunt for panfish.

You need allot of answers but the right ones starting out. Those are good starting points,of course being on this forum you have some of the best people willing to help you out also. Good Luck

[Cyberfish]

Portlis, if you are willing to come out to a lake I may be fishing in the next few weeks, I will give you one of my rod and reels with the correct line, a couple of my favorite jigs and plastics, and show you how to work them. let me know via email with your phone number and I will give you a call! MT [email protected]

[hamms-scooter]

Portlis take advantage of this offer from MT. He will show you first hand how to effectively fish without electronics,but you may even get a peek at some of the latest out there. The HT ice blues are truely the best rod for beginner and pro alike, It is cheap so if they break you don't curl up in a ball and cry about it.. they are tough and have a great action for panfish. The setup he is offering you is a great way to get started. With that said you will not need to change from it either. There are many guys in pro fishing circits that use this same rod and reel. The line is one of the most important things being able to see the bite. Good luck and hook up with MT, I got my first schooley from him and still use it along with others.

[soldoncass]

This is your BEST option. Go with someone who does it, has a variety of jigs/ spoons.....they can answer 100 questions in 5 minutes. Meanwhile there are many ,many videos to watch on computer that show basics about certain types of lures. Google Dave Genz ,vexilar, Lindy tackle, Northland tackle,JR tackle, Toms tackle, and many more. There are MANY brands out there competing, but many are very similar in style....they all could catch fish.

[CrappieAttitude]

Kind of off topic, but not really. After reading this, I am thinking about all the stuff I have accumulated over the years and how many retired piecies of equipment and jigs I have. Not sure if this is a possibility or not, but wouldn't it be a neat idea for us who enjoy the outdoors and want to get new people into ice fishing to have an outlet to donate items to be used for people in this exact situation. I know, I wouldn't have any problem looking through my stuff and donating some thing to a "new to ice fishing warehouse" for people to pick out items to get them on their way. Obviously it would need to be monitored by someone, so I don't know really how it would work. But the idea is there if anyone has a means or the time to run with it.

I know the idea comes with attached work involved, and you would always have the people trying to take advantage of free stuff, but if a few people could experience what we all enjoy, it would be totally worth it in my opinion. If they were limited to how much stuff they could take, it could work out great.

I was inspired from the thread about a hand auger that was given to someone with the "pay it forward" approach. That guy got to use an auger to get started and then after purchasing new equipment for himself he gave it to another newbie. A great way for more people to find a new "positive addiction"

Just a thought/idea...

CA

[hamms-scooter]

That is a great idea. It would be a larger scale of what MT is offering minus the one on one instruction. Perfect for those that have extra items but not much extra time...

[fsnrod]

You need to go to Fleet Farm but you have to remember this time of year every thing is getting picked through.

[Neises]

A license to start.

WS

+1

[crappie55409]

CrappieAttitude I know of a program that takes kids with disabilities to experience the outdoors (ice fishing, hunting, open water fishing, hiking...). They are always looking for donations. I lost touch with the person that runs it as of late but i could try and find his info again if you are interested in making some donations.

crappiehunter

[KrabbyPatties]

Can't believe I was the only one.

[Spike76]

In 2012 you would have to go to garage sales and hope you find what you need. Fifty years ago you could go and buy what you need and have some money left. I'm sure most have way over a thousand invested. It takes close to the hundred, just for gas to go upnorth and back.