Ice Team Tip: Getting Ready for the Ice Season

[Matt Johnson]

Getting Ready for the Ice Season

By: Bernie Keefe, Ice Team Pro

As winter approaches it's very easy to get complacent about getting our gear ready. I have a routine I work through every October. I pick a nice warm day; drag out all my shelters, sleds and huts. After I put them all up I check for rips and tears, then I look at all the nuts and bolts. Replace the broken ones and tighten the loose ones. After a thorough cleaning I let the dry and put to the side.

After that I get my Vexilars out wipe them down and check the charge. Next I dig out my Mr. Heaters, inspect for loose or worn parts (I always keep a couple extra thermocouples around.) light them up, let them cool and put them in my sled. (I always keep my portable buddy in the boat till it freezes).

My rods are next, wipe them down and get a Q-Tip to run inside the eyes. If I see cotton in the eye I will replace that eye.

My wife absolutely loves the fact that I bring my jig boxes in the house for every evening football and hockey game. That is a perfect time fore to organize, inventory and inspect all my jigs and jig heads.

Since I am still using my reels I will be able to put new line on them as well as clean and lube them a few days before I start ice fishing.

My snowmobiles have been started and run for about 5 minutes each month all summer so I know they start but a simple tune up and grease job will help them make it through another winter with no problems.

I pick evenings to start digging out my ice fishing clothes. Since I have been fishing for part of the fall I know my. "Blue suit" is in good shape as well as my hat, wool socks, gloves and merino will long underwear, but I still get out and organize all my "extra" clothes. Don't forget to waterproof the leathers on your boots.

I go fishing every chance I get in the fall, my ice fishing GPS is always with me. I am spending lots of time marking weed lines, rock piles, humps or any other "sweet spot". Every day I take my Crestliner fishing, finding a new spot is always a goal. Some days it's as easy as where I found fish very late in the fall to looking very hard for that small rock pile on the large flat.

As the season gets nearer and I am getting my gear ready the ice fishing fever burns hard. During the evenings on my computer at home I spend a lot of time combing through all the ice fishing articles I can find, this site is an awesome one as well as joining The Ice Team, the benefits of the Ice Team are almost endless check them out.

Talk more with Bernie at http://www.fishingwithbernie.com

[Lusid]

I will add two things.

Auger start check and Ice fishing line (condition) to the checklist.

Good read!