First time ice fisherman - some questions!

[PakAttack86]

I'm a long time fisherman, but have never seriously ice fished before. Only been on maybe a handful of outings with friends that already had plenty of gear to share. I think this year I'm going to begin venturing out myself and with friends with my own gear.

That being said, I'm keeping things basic. A couple of small ice fishing poles, basic tackle for a variety of fish, a simple popup shelter and hand auger. Maybe a tipup or two. My main question is, how do -you- fish without electronics? Seems like everyone I know ice fishes with depth/fish finders and what have you.. but I've never fished this way before.

I'm going to try and just use a map with depth levels and structure point outs, and go from there. Obviously without electronics you can't see what depth the fish are at (or if there's any fish at all) but to remedy this, wouldn't it be beneficial to simply drop my lure or bait all the way to the bottom, and work my way back up?

[th64]

Get a depth finder or fish with someone who has one you can do alright in the summer w/o one but not in the winter. You are basically competing with those who have one 'don't bring a knife to a gun fight'

That said I guess I would fish spots where you see other fisherman and out fish them, go very early stay late, fish the same area but shallower or deeper. Exploring is not an option with a hand auger and no depth finder. Some will disagree with me, very easy for them to send you out with a hand auger and a fishing pole-let the try it!

Good luck

[Laddyaddy]

I agree, it is very difficult to fish without a flasher. I know they are spendy but even if I drove 100 miles to go fish on a lake and forgot my vexilar, I would drive back to get it. Besides it gives you something to look at when the fish aren't biting. A basic entry level fl-8 or comparable will do the job. I actually prefer the fl-8 over my fl 20. If you do any open water fishing and have a newer depthfinder, some of the manufacturers sell kits to convert them for ice fishing. I know a friend that used his Lowrance HDS for this and it worked great. Good luck on the ice and have fun!

[ozzie]

with no electronics what you do is find bottom and work the water column up. Once you find some fish then make note as to how far off the bottom the fish are biting and concentrate on that depth. I would have a set line anywhere from 6" to 4' off the bottom with a minnow and then work a jig with the other rod up and down the column. Try to find weed lines or structure and hope the fish are there. Good Luck but to be honest if I don't have my vexilar I won't fish or I will go (no matter how far) back and get it!!!

[Getanet]

That standard response when ice fishing is "avoid the crowds" but as a novice without much gear my advice would be to head towards the crowds. The villages tend to form because there is structure or decent fishing in that spot. Don't fish right next to someone, but if you have a map handy you should be able to pick a spot near them that looks promising. Start 6 inches to a foot off the bottom and work up if you're not catching anything.

[BoxMN]

I personally would get a locator before a portable shack. The only thing I won't ice fish without these days is a locator, unless tipup fishing then you don't need one.

But here is a tip is you don't have a locator and not using a bobber - put a slip bobber tie on your line without the bobber, and keep it right at about hole. That way you can easily get back down to the correct (last) depth very quickly and easily after catching a fish. Just keep moving it up (shallower) as you cover the water column. We do this with folks without locators in the shack and it works for jigging. I also put it on my rattle wheels so you can drop it back real quick and precisely.

Most folks with augers will likely drill you a couple holes if you just go over and ask them, I know I would.

After being in your position years ago, here is my advice on order:

2 poles

tipup

small selection of lures (including Gulp minnow heads and plastics)

scoop - do it right the first time, get a 30" Hockey Stick Big Dipper!

locator

auger (gas, can find for $150 used)

portable

- after that it is all toys!

Good luck and have fun!

[Scott O.]

Up until 5 years ago, I was in the same boat as you. Without a flasher, best advice I can offer is to put down lines with minnows on them. Find the bottom and move the hook up anywhere from 6" to 18" off the bottom. Deadsticking caught more fish than jigging did when it came to not having a flasher. Once you get a few bites in the same area, then move there and jig. But as others have said, there isn't much I'd go back to town to grab if I forgot it-----except for my flasher. Good luck

[WalleyeSlayer21]

if you dont have a flasher or camera dont panic!!! i was without flasher for a year or 2 before i got my own. i always used slip bobbers, or i straight lined it. When straight lining without electronics you first need to find the bottom by letting line out and when the line starts laying on the water or when you see that the line is getting bunched up on the water the you know your on bottom. You then reel it up with your best estimate on how far up you want to fish. When straight lining with out electronics reel only 5-6times to be close to the bottom. Thanks,Tyler(Perchslayer21)

[PakAttack86]

Thanks for all the replies, maybe I'll re-think the electronics and find one for cheap somewhere. Just curious but why do you call them "flashers"? Just because it flashes fish locations on the screen? Anyway this was very helpful, thanks again.

[Laddyaddy]

I would post a wanted ad on this forum and see if anyone is willing to sell you their flasher for a reasonable price. Many places will rent you one (with a deposit) as well if you are not sure about going "all out ice fishermen".

[WalleyeSlayer21]

Because "flashers" show the depth, the bottom, if any fish, and your bait. I have a hummin bird ice 35 and i got it for i think $280 i think im not sure, but i saved alot of money because i paidd in cash. The vexilar FL8se is also good one to start with. Dont need nothing fancy, just need to see the bottom, fish, and your bait..

[Luke_M]

Tip ups were always my go to before I had a flasher. For jigging without electronics you will probably have the most luck shallow like less than 8-10 feet just have to stay out of thick weeds. I don't know where you are located but I'm always game for people to tag along. I still love tip up fishing and the more people the better.

[M1dwestF1sh]

I would say search c list for an fl8. It'll make it more enjoyable. You should be able to find an old used one for pretty cheap.

[th64]

I have a fl8 and a fl20-love my 20 but really the 8 is just as good at showing fish-20 is easier to read and more convenient-should be able to get an 8 for around a hundred.

[Boar]

neat question, icefisherman have been iceing fish without all the fancy gadgets for decades before they took the worl by storm. I grew drilling a three foot hole thru Lake of the woods ice with a blue mora hand auger, we;d nock out a couple dozen, and go around an scoop out the ice and take the dowel rod with a bunch of 20lb line wraped around two nails a fot apart to count depth, but ya never got a acurate depth cause the line that came off the nails kept their memory and made a zig zag allthe way to tbottom. so you had to add alot of weight to straighten out the line to get it to the bottom so you had to have a bigg bobber which was a big red and white float. dacron worked better but froze up in the same zig zag pattern if you reset depth and caught a fish ect. it was so much a guessing game back then, but w still caught fish, didnt have the fancy maps, just a copy of a sketched map from a guide that wasnt suppose to let it out. Richard babbler would point you in the directiuon of reeefs but ya had to guesse where you were and after a few hole with the hand auger you pretty much styed where you were. offdah todays icefisherman have it prettty simple. oh and we drove out in a white impala, and periodically turned it on brifley for heat, so's not to waste gase that was bought for 1.25 a gallon. Makes me love my 20ft V Ice castle so much....

[Boar]

Oh, yeah get a flasher, youl wont leave home without it.