new ice fisherman - how do I get started

[tamarack]

Hello everyone,

Although I reside in the State of Virginia, this year I built a cabin on a lake in Northern MN, near Orr. I've been vacationing up in MN since I was a little boy and am well versed in fishing during the summer for walleye and panfish. However, my family and I have never ice-fished before. Now that we own a cabin, we plan on visiting our cabin during the winter and try ice fishing. We probably will go up around Christmas time. What do we need to get started, keeping in mind that we don't want to spend too much since we likely will only be ice fishing once a year??? Any help would be much appreciated.

[SDbowhunter]

Gas or Electric Auger, jig sticks, assortment of jigs, hooks, bobbers, bobber stoppers, warm clothes, maybe some tip ups are the bare necessities. A portable fish house will make life much more comfortable and help you keep warm. You can find some fish houses for relatively cheap. A MR Buddy Heater is nice in a portable. A knowledgeable bait shop will set you up with misc. gear. Winter fishing is alot like summer fishing in the fact you have to look for depth and structure. Know the lake before you drive on it. Check ice conditions talk to bait shop owners and neighbors. The ice may be safe in most places but if it is spring fed you never know. Any good spots you found in the summer may be good in the winter, or spots with good structure maybe better in the winter. I try to fish any where between 9-35. LOW deeper SD much shallower. Typically I try to find breaks from somewhere around 15-25 feet starting out. Of course it all depends on the lake. A lake map can get you started. Lots of the time if im fishing somewhere completely new I will follow the other fish houses and set up a hundred yards away from every one.

[french_lake_kid]

Well if you dont plan on going much later than december, and dont mind a little work if you do come later, the cheaper choice would be a hand auger-6" or 8". Possibly a vexi/marcum, little buddy, and/or a cheap portable, ice-rods, ice-scoop, sled, then obviously warm clothes & boots.

[Shack]

I look back and see how I started in the game we call ice fishing!

I started out with some old style peg wrap your line around jig sticks and a bare hook! Pick up a minnow bucket or use a regular bucket and get some crappie or fat head minnows, clip on bobber, some slip shot sinkers, ice scoop and a depth weight! Some times you can find all this in a combo pack for a cheap price!

If you do no want to get an auger yet or do not have one, find open holes from someone else! This was what I did for many years when I was younger! Easier to do in early ice than later. Nine times out of ten, if you hit a lake in the afternoon, you will find open holes!

Fish a foot or two off bottom in and around 15-20 feet! Clip depth weight on and drop to bottom, bring up a foot or two and clip bobber on!

Start from their and see if you like it!

This isn’t rocket science and very cheap for a first timer to start!

Good luck!

[Kylersk]

I'd be sure this is something you want to dive into. It can get addicting.

A few years ago a friend invited me to go Ice fishing with him in his portable. I had so much fun, the following year I picked up my own portable, a used auger, vexilar, rod and a few jigs.

The following year, I wanted something a little more comfortable. So, I modded my portable with storage compartments and a top to it.

Well, that wasnt enough! So the next summer I build my own drop down house, a new auger, a marcum, a few more rods and more jigs/lures.

Now this summer, since the modded portable (Otter Lodge) was too heavy to pull by hand (works great when I can use my 4-wheeler).. I decided to buy a smaller 1 man portable, a few more rods and of course more lures and jigs.

I'm afraid to see what I do next summer!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Kyler- I remember you as a newbie holding that pike at one of our events.. I knew you were "hooked" on the sport..

to the original question--- it really depends on how deep you want to get into it. You need some way to get through the ice... and a smattering of lures to start.. Maybe do your best to find someone... maybe post what lake you are on and meet up with a member here on IceLeaders and they can show you a trick or two... maybe do your best to time a trip out this way during one of our get togethers!!!!! Those can be a huge learning exp. And can point you in the right direction!

Be careful!!! be very CAREFUL.. you may want to move here full time!!

[Mike L]

for a once a year shot, get hooked up with a good guide service. At least for the first time. It's cost-effective and a really good way to avoid a bad experience.

[eurolarva]

7 years ago I started with a 6 inch mora auger a 5 gallon pail and a dipping stick. Used real small jigs and wax worms or eurolarvae. Since then I buy a new toy every year. Last toy replaced the graph from my boat as a portable and got a Marcum LX5. Start cheap and decide if you like it then expand. Enjoy.

[MuleShack]

I would suggest a guide too for the first time.

That way you can see how things are done and the tools needed (or should i say neccesary ) and probably learn some tactics, locations and other basics from the guide.

THEN you can go to the store and buy the toys to do it your self based on what you learned.

[Queenswake]

This is weird. I live in Virginia too. I thought I was the only one this far away from MN to read this forum religiously. Heck, I even get Outdoor News mailed to me! I moved here 6 years ago for a job after graduating from the U. Let's just say that I spend almost every waking moment thinking about Minnesota fishing and planning when I can get back to it. I was up at LOTW and URL this summer and just about cried when I had to fly back. I fish here, but it's just bass and a few crappie. But it just does not compare. I crave the walleye. And at this time of year, I crave ice.

Anyway, Tamarack, we should stick together and commiserate in our misery. I am in Alexandria, VA. The Minnesota group here in the DC area is having a walleye dinner next week if you are interested.

[anyfishaldo]

I recall my first outing with a hand auger, minnows and our old pup tent draped over to block the wind on a 2o below windchill day. Man were we stupid in high school, broke as well. I never cared much for this crazy sport until I got a Vexlar. Now that was ice fishing. if you can find them you can catch them. Get an FL-8 used and the rest you can figure out. Like Dietz says, icefisherman will help each other out, just don't ask where they are catching 28 inch walleye or 17 inch perch. With the Vexilar you can learn the rest.

[fiskyknut]

Welcome to the Virginia folks. Yikes DC I could'nt imagine!

Tamarack, check out the regional forum for that {your} area....Being that your registered you can scroungs thru the archives for tid bits of all kinds for your locale going waaay back.

You'll get alot of response here and there is lot's to read on FM both new and archived. Feel free to fire out more questions too.

As you're just fishing for a brief time per season, as mentioned hooking up with a local guide, a relative or neibhor or such with a bit of ice time would probably be a good thing eh.

Queenswake....Cool handle. I know what you mean about the LOTW, I could'nt leave as she keeps me sane! If you ever get into NC try below Lake Tillery on the Pee Dee river. I was on Ft Bragg in the 80's and that fishin hole was the next best thing to reality!!!

Regards.....fiskyknut

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Start with a guide. Also I noticed that you said Family. If you have some younger children and little or no experiance with a flasher,I would suggest a cheap underwater camera. You can pick up a cheap model for $100 bucks (fish tv)sometimes less. I found that it gives the kids something to watch and keeps them interested. Also helps the younger ones catch panfish when they aren't really agressive in feeding. lets you know what fish are down there, if there is any fish in the area, and how they react to jigging the bait. Also lets you know the structure down in the water. Flashers are great tools and can tell you a lot of the same things, but trying to keep a 10 yr old interested in a bleep on a round circle was impossible for me. Plus if you don't like ice fishing you can always sell it on HSOList and recover most of your money.

[Kylersk]

Dietz, I'm still a newbie!

[dirtking]

Quote:

---

I would suggest a guide too for the first time.

That way you can see how things are done and the tools needed (or should i say neccesary

) and probably learn some tactics, locations and other basics from the guide.

THEN you can go to the store and buy the toys to do it your self based on what you learned.

---

Id say this is good advice - use someone else's gear and figure out what you need to buy - rather than just going to the store and buying what you think you might need!

[aczr2k]

Four years ago I went ice fishing with my buddies, had to use one of their rods. Next year went to the brainerd fishing derby so I bought a rod and some small tackle. Next thing I know I have a portable, a wheel house, Lx5, nils auger, H20c (with chips of course) a few thorne bros rods and way to much tackle. Why is it you can't ever buy bait without buying some tackle? It definitely is an addiction, but who's complaining.

[SDbowhunter]

I like the guide idea. Then you wont have to invest any money in gear. Get out there see if you like it, use the tools of the trade and then you can purchase items with first hand knowledge of what to buy.

[tamarack]

Queenswake,

Sounds like we have a lot in common. I used to live in Alexandria as well and just moved out to Haymarket, Va (near Manassas) about 3 years ago. I still work in D.C.

I also spend all my time thinking about fishing in MN. I've never lived in MN but have been spending summer vacations at Melgeorges Resort on Elephant Lake (near Orr) since I was a baby (I'm 40 years old now). I became addicted to the Northwoods early on. Last year, the owner of Melgeorges Resort retired and sold the resort off as a CIC. It was always a dream of mine to own a cabin on Elephant Lake so I pounced on the opportunity I bought some land and built a cabin. The cabin is part of the rental pool with the other cabins in the rest of the resort. I usually make it up there about 2-3 times during the summer.

Up until college, I spent most of my vacations up in MN with my family (my parents live near Roanoke on Smith Mountain Lake) and my brother lives in Charlotte. However, over the last 13 years, I have also been going up with three of my best friends from this area (they live in Frederick, MD). They have become as addicted to MN as I am, and our annual trips to Elephant Lake have become quite the tradition, with hats, trophies, and t-shirts made up. We check the Regional Sites for the Vermillion Area and Crane Lake area frequently just to get our fishing Minnesota fixes.

Anyway, I'd love join your group for some walleye. Does this include spouses to? My friends may want to join too. Where do you meet? I am assuming this is walleye that people have brought home since I don't know any restaurants in the area that serve it?? I still have some walleye in my freezer from this year's fishing trips!!

Anyway, please feel free to email me at [email protected]

[tamarack]

Thank you everyone for all the great advice.

There are no guides on the lake where my cabin is on, but perhaps I can take a day trip to Vermillion one day and get a guide just to show me what to do and the equipment to get. In the Alternative, maybe one of the homeowners that live year long on Elephant Lake can take me out. I don't think I need anyone to tell me where to go, especially if the fish hang out in the same places during the winter as the summer. Since I have been fishing Elephant Lake for 40 years, I know pretty much every square inch. I guess all I need to know is what depth/structure walleye like that time of the year and what equipment to use, and I think I can figure out the rest. At least I hope so

Oh,and I don't think my wife is too worried about me getting addicted to ice fishing and spending lots of money on equipment...we just live too far away and I think I'll want to spend my limited vacation time up there during the summer months when I can really enjoy a cold brew while fishing instead of hot chocolate .

Thanks again everyone.