Travel Fishing Rods

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Ice fishing is Winter activity that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. The cost is minimal to get outfitted and with knowledge of where to find a place to fish, a beginning fisherman can have an excellent chance at success their first trip on the lake.

How do you go about getting started? And more importantly, how is a Beginner suppose to know what they need to get out on the ice? Plus, in this day and age, when families are watching their budget, how much will it cost?

Have no fear my friend. I whipped up this list of the basic tackle and gear that you’ll need to get started ice fishing. The nice thing about this Sport is that you can get started for less than a hundred dollars in most cases.

To get started, you’ll first be looking at ice augers. It’ll be hard to start fishing through the ice without a hole! Many first timers choose a manual ice auger. For small fish, you’ll be looking at an auger that will bore a 5 to 6 inch hole in the ice. Should you want to catch bigger fish like Walleye, Pike, Musky, Bass or Catfish, you’re need a larger hole. One in the 8 to 10 inch range. Just keep in mind that the bigger the hole, the harder it will be to bore it with a manual ice auger. This is why you’ll see many ice fishermen using a power auger to drill their holes.

You’ll need a way to get the fish to the surface. For this, you’ll want to use tip ups or a rod and reel. Multiple tip ups allow you to fish many holes while a rod and reel will restrict you to only one hole at a time. Some ice fishermen increase the odds of them bringing home fish by using a combination of tip ups and rod and reels.

Don’t overlook the line you’ll be using to catch fish. Regular fishing line will become brittle and break easily when fishing through a hole in the ice. Look for fishing line that is designed specifically for ice fishing. There are many on the market or you can order it through catalog retailers such as Cabela’s.

Be sure to get some jigs and lures to go along with your bait. Miniture jigs are great for Perch, Crappie and Bluegill. Also tear drop jigs and tiny spoons will come in handy when the panfish get finicky. As for bait, panfish love mealworms and spikes while larger fish such as Walleye prefer Worms or baitfish like smelt. Talk to the people at your local bait store to see what’s they recommend a Beginner use their first time out on the ice.

Make certain to buy something to sit on. A lot of seasoned ice fishermen use an ordinary 5 gallon bucket. Some will bring along lawn chairs out on the ice, but a bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from your hot spot.

Other miscellaneous things you may need are an ice scoop to get the ice chips out of your hole, a cooler or other item to carry your fish in and maybe a portable heater. Some hardcore fishermen even take sonars to see the structure on the bottom of the lake. Ice fishing is easy to get started in. You can spend as much or little as you want so get out there and grab your gear. Be sure to read up on the regulations and safety rules before heading out.

Ice fishing gear doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg. You can get great deals on reliable ice fishing supplies at DealsOnFishingReels dot com. You can save loads of money by being frugal and choosing your tackle wisely. Ebay is a great source for finding deals on ice equipment including name brand fishing rods and other fishing tackle. Now get out and enjoy a day of ice fishing.