new to ice fishing

[tom323]

I want to get into ice fishing.

what is some basic eqipment I should buy?

what's a good "flasher" to start out with?

do you need gas auger?

any advice will be much appreciated.

[Caleb S]

Welcome to the world of ice fishing. You said you wanted to get into ice fishing. Does this mean you have never been? If so, you might want to find an empty seat with someone and get out at least once before buying anything.

You asked a pretty open ended question with "what is some basic equipement i should buy?". You might want to specify how much money you have to spend or the post won't be as helpful to you as it could be.

Welcome and good luck!

[CJH]

Go along with somebody, and start out with a basic pole/lures/bucket setup until you figure out what you are doing and what will fit your style/type of fishing.

[want2fish]

Go along with somebody, and start out with a basic pole/lures/bucket setup until you figure out what you are doing and what will fit your style/type of fishing.

Agree with this....

But to answer your question

Get you auger from strikemaster, multiple options but good product. I have a strikelite and it is very simple, no oil mixing, easy start and Strikemaster is great with helping maintain your auger.

For flasher needs...a Vexilar FL - 12 or Marcum LX - 3 would be a good fit for someone starting out. But again, if you are a walleye or even perch chaser, the FL-20 from vexilar and LX- 5 from marcum is for you. These allow you to zoom in, a feature that I don't fish without.

you can get a simple ice house like a clam 5600 for pretty cheap, even more so if you buy used.

Ice rods: (trying not to get to in depth here) When I go Crappie fishing I try to have an ultra light rod on hand with a 2-4 lb mono line. When searching for eys bump it up a little to a medium rod that has a little more backbone, this will have 4 to 6lb crystal fire line at the most.

That's a base knoweldge of must haves. One could talk all day long about any one of these products, and I am not even going to touch lures.

I hope I helped.

[Stradic]

Originally Posted By: CJH

Go along with somebody, and start out with a basic pole/lures/bucket setup until you figure out what you are doing and what will fit your style/type of fishing.

Agree with this....

But to answer your question

Get you auger from strikemaster, multiple options but good product. I have a strikelite and it is very simple, no oil mixing, easy start and Strikemaster is great with helping maintain your auger.

For flasher needs...a Vexilar FL - 12 or Marcum LX - 3 would be a good fit for someone starting out. But again, if you are a walleye or even perch chaser, the FL-20 from vexilar and LX- 5 from marcum is for you. These allow you to zoom in, a feature that I don't fish without.

you can get a simple ice house like a clam 5600 for pretty cheap, even more so if you buy used.

Ice rods: (trying not to get to in depth here) When I go Crappie fishing I try to have an ultra light rod on hand with a 2-4 lb mono line. When searching for eys bump it up a little to a medium rod that has a little more backbone, this will have 4 to 6lb crystal fire line at the most.

That's a base knoweldge of must haves. One could talk all day long about any one of these products, and I am not even going to touch lures.

I hope I helped.

Ok, so I'm sure that's a little confusing if you've never ice before.

You will need an auger. A hand auger works just fine until the ice gets like 10" think or more, then you will want a gas powered auger.

Buy a cheap flip-over style fish house to get out of the elements.

Get a Little Buddy heater from Mr. Heater, you will need propane for this.

Get either a Vexilar FL-8 or Marcum Brand VX-1 fish locator.

Plus rods and reels and a minnow bucket.

I would definitely go with someone a few times to see how it's all done and keep reading these forums. There's a lot of people on here with some good advice.

Good luck to you.

[BuckKiller]

everything they said but no you don't need a gas auger. All I have is a hand auger and it works just fine and only cost 30 bucks for a blue(not sure the name) one and 70 for the black(laser)

[Cold_blood]

i agree with everyone here and having just gotten into ice fishing a couple years ago i just started wit some cheap rods and tagged a long with more experienced friends and for the short time i've been a member on FM the people will always help out a new comer to the sport if you can find a cheap house that'll get you outta the wind it'll help you out and if yer mechanically inclined or have a friend who is you wight be able to find a auger that might have a lil something wrong wit it anf fix it up and make it run again thats what i did and i've found all these for $160 this year

[NCLaker]

I recommend before you spend a bunch of money on gear, go out with someone to make sure you will like it. If you have never done it before, starting out on your own can be very frustrating. Very different from open water fishing.

If going out with someone: start out with a light/UL combo, few jigs, and a cheap tip-up. Try borrowing a flasher until you know you want to really get into the sport. Flasher is critical to enjoying jigging for fish - unless you plan to bobber fish (use ice busters). Good luck!

[mrfish1991]

the blue SM auger is the moura Buckkiller

i have one and im not very fond of it...i need to give it a little tlc to get it working properly again

[BuckKiller]

the blue SM auger is the moura Buckkiller

i have one and im not very fond of it...i need to give it a little tlc to get it working properly again

thanks, I always forget that one for some reason.

[Bigslugger]

Isn't it spelt Mora?

[BuckKiller]

??? couldn't tell ya

[erickol]

I grew up ice fishing in an old school family..... I used a spud (ice chisel) untill I was about 12 years old and got a hand auger (Mora) for xmas that year..... And I used a hand auger until xmas of this year! (I'm 34) I learned on crappy rods (a dowel with an ice pick and two pegs to wrap line), never had seen the inside of a house...... basically make holes, luck upon fish and it was hit or miss. My brother who is two years younger was permanently scarred from freezing his but off as a kid and has ZERO interest in ice fishing as an adult. It's too bad.

In the last few years I have rediscovered ice fishing, and also figured out it did not need to be a punishing experience.. I started with new rods/combos. That alone is night and day. With an ultralight and a spring bobber I was catching fish I did not know were even there.

I am a frugal spender, but I do not know how I ever ice fished without a flasher. I just got my first flasher three weeks ago or so. I had used a few different kinds when out with my friends, learned what they were all about. man, If I had only known. Don't be fooled, There are plenty of situations where you can catch a ton of fish without one, but in terms of fishing new waters, experimenting and saving time and energy, a flasher will pay for itself fast!

I would also echo what others have said, go fish with other people! I learned more from hanging out and watching in one or two seasons than I had learned in ages of sitting alone on a bucket over unproductive water.

this forum is an awesome resource! Read old posts, re-read old posts. Ask questions, meet people. It's FREE!!!!!!!

I would also start to put together a basic tackle kit. What's in it depends on what you want to fish for, but there are lots of multi species jigs and rigs that will cover many bases. I'm learning more about plastics and am finding that they can be very versitile, keep better than live bait, and are relatively inexpensive. But don't just go out and aimlessly spend money! keep a focus.

If you eat fish Ice season is hard to beat. I practice catch and release maybe 98% of the time, but I have already had a few great meals this season and fish from cold clean water is the best of the best! I throw back ALL the biggest ones and keep medium sized eaters for the table.

A gas auger is a treat, and I only have had mine for a short time. A sharp and well maintained had auger is bomb proof and wont run out of gas or need a new spark plug.

Last night I fished with some buddies from 2pm untill 10pm during the crappy weather. There were three potables set out but having dressed for the worst, I was warm and comfy all night outside and was able to hop holes too. I think I spent maybe 1/2 hr to 45mns in the portable. Portables are sweet and will be getting one sooner or later, especially when it's below zero, but good clothes and BOMBPROOF HANDWARE are essential. I think hands are the weakest link for most people. Once your hands are gone it sucks.

maybe by the end of this season or early next season my priorities might change, but I still like to save as much money as possible and cover as much ground as possible.

[pdk511]

I fished without a house or a gas auger or a flasher for a while. I started goin with a friend who had all this and then I stated to get some of the stuff. If you really wanna catch fish you need a flasher to find the depth they are at, unless ur just gonna do tip ups for pike or sumpthin. A house is nice for those cold windy days (in mn thats most of the time). I just got a gas auger and let me tell you, they are worth it, You can drill holes all over and then go check em out with your flasher to find the fish. then you can set up your house where the action is at. But ya, I would go with someone first before you buy all this stuff. It is a lot of money, but it will last you for many years.

[mrfish1991]

Isn't it spelt Mora?

Ya it probably is.. But thats not how my fingers typed it out

[pdk511]

Mora blades are sweet! super sharp

[mrfish1991]

Mora blades are sweet! super sharp

Well...not the ones i have right now...i believe the need to be replaced very badly and when i think about it.... I dont think the auger ever drilled right out of the box

[Sandmannd]

Originally Posted By: Bigslugger

Isn't it spelt Mora?

Ya it probably is.. But thats not how my fingers typed it out

Now that's funny right there!!

[fishingisgreat]

Originally Posted By: mrfish1991

Originally Posted By: Bigslugger

Isn't it spelt Mora?

Ya it probably is.. But thats not how my fingers typed it out

Now that's funny right there!!

you know what's funny? something I heard from a little tweety bird. I heard that a certain person was to go deer hunting with a buddy of mine, and backed out because he "couldn't afford the cost of the license" ($160) and was having problems feeding his family. Then about two weeks later, he bought a nice, new $600 television. I thought he couldn't afford to feed his family? wow, that's funny. Watching a brand new television is more important than feeding his family.

[Kellc1]

Hi new to ice fishing - Don't know where you are located, but I am near Alexandria MN, and I would sacrifice a nice home made portable fish house to a newbie for $50.00. You would want to own a pick up though as it doesn't pull well over snow.

KC