How do you wrap it up?

[Tim Moore]

I know some people like the excitement of getting all their gear ready at the beginning of the ice season. By December 1st I am chomping at the bit to get on the ice and can barely sleep at night. I personally need all the distractions I can get at that time of year. With the season winding down I was curious how others end their seasons as far as putting gear away.

I do as much at the end of a season to get ready for the next one as I can such as removing all of my line from my reels. I top off my jig boxes and clean my sleds and fish houses (when needed), then put it away in such a manner that allows me to load my gear and go on a day's notice. I also charge all of my Vexilar batteries and maintenance charge them once a month in the off season. I have tip-ups for clients and I remove all of the leaders since they will get new ones next season anyway. It takes me a full day to put all of my gear away for the season.

What do you do?

[MNCPRGUY]

Good topic Tim! I have been thinking the same and in particular, how people store their shelters. I know I have seen threads on this in the past, but I am thinking something along the lines of shrink wrapping boats. A vacu-seal bag to put my trap to bed would be awesome!

[JeremyCampbell1582814062]

Yeah,I think il do that too.I guess I can try to fit all my gear in the clam and shrink wrap the heck out of it.Getting everything respooled and topping off the tackle is great too.I'm going to start using plastics this yr so I have to figure out a new system for storage

[dan z]

I run seafoam thru the power auger till the end of ice. Already respooled tip ups with new coated braid line. I'll pull the tarp off the portable wrap it up nicely and put it in the original auger box with the flashers and such. Maintain the 12v batteries on the battery tender. I'm sure there other tid bits but thats just blah blah.

[Rick G]

I take all the line off my ice reels at the end of each season, it forces my to put new line on instead of being lazy. Other than that I go the easy rout, I will put all my portable houses and my gear except for my Vexilar battery inside my wheelhouse. I always throw a couple dryer sheets in the big house to keep the mice out. I keep the Vexi battery out to top it off a couple times in the summer.

[fishing tech]

I wait to do anything until my wife says my season is over. lol

I clean the portables, I wax the pole on the porttys, put the buddy heaters in plastic bags, chains and auger racks come off the wheelers.

I then load the winter stuff into the shacks put the covers on and hang them in the shed where critters and bugs can't get at them. My augers I start 1-2 times a month during the summer and in the fall dump the old gas and add some fresh stuff.

[MNCPRGUY]

I'm not done fishing yet, but I'm done with my JM Thermal X for the season. Installed a Racor Heavy Lift in my garage so I can keep an eye on the shelter in the off-season!

I installed it in a location that I can back the truck up to. I can push the shelter right from the storage rack in to the back of my truck.

[MikeRaetz]

My vexilar and ice rods never get put away along with my ice armor. I use my vex basically all year round. As for my shacks. The scout, nanook and voyager go up to my cabin and get put up on our shelves in the garage So when Early ice hits they are waiting for me in the north country. But when putting them away they all get wrapped up in tarp to avoid the mice. I guess I really dont put anything away

The vexilar and ice rods are a great tool in the summer when I hunt down big basin crappies. I basically troll the edges of the basin and when I mark fish I drop anchor and catch em

[jigginjim]

My one man sled gets stacked on top of the 2 person flip-over. The rods get hung up on the rod bags, several of my ice jig boxes will be used during to catch spring panfish. My locator go back on the boat for the open water season. Auger get drained and filled with stable.