A Guide to Inexpensive Ice Fishing Gear for the Beginner

I have lived in Michigan most of my life and from a very young age have fished through the ice. Ice fishing is a simple and inexpensive way to spend time outdoors and to hopefully bring home some good food at the same time. It is also a perfectly pleasant way to spend some quality time with your friends and family. As with every sport, it is very easy to go overboard and spend far too much money on the required equipment. I will explain here the basic equipment needed, and where to get it.

Lets start with the fishing rod required. An ice fishing rod is simply a much smaller version of a standard fishing pole. There are hundreds of varieties available at most sporting goods outlets and department stores. The hand crank models start at about $5, and the spinning reels go up to over $100. Here are a few selections at Cabela's to browse through. Please keep in mind that Kmart, Walmart, and most large chains carry cheaper beginner's gear than the higher end outlets. A $5 plastic rod/reel combo serves the purpose very well.

The hooks used for ice fishing are generally a lot smaller than conventional hooks. These are called jigs, or teardrop hooks. The hooks are smaller because the cold water slows the fish down and makes them bite lighter. They are also much more colorful to entice the fish to bite. The prices for these hooks go from about fifty cents up to over $5 per hook. The cheaper ones work just fine. Here is a small selection to look over at Frank's Great Outdoors in Linwood, Michigan.

Next is the auger required to cut the hole in the ice. These things go from about $15 for the hand choppers up to several hundred dollars for the power augers. The hand augers work fine, but more work is involved. Also, the power augers weigh up to around forty pounds or so which gets heavy to lug around. Here is one hand version available at Cabela's, but there are cheaper models elsewhere.

An ice scoop is necessary to clean the ice chips from the hole after the chopping is done. This tool is nothing more than a large spoonlike instrument with holes in the ladle to let the water drain as you scoop the ice. The prices range from about $2 up to $20 or so. As usual, the cheaper versions do just as well as this one at Frank's Great Outdoors.

A bucket is a very handy item to take with you also. It makes for a nice tote for your gear and fish, as well as a place to sit once you get set up. Dress appropriately for the cold. Good warm boots are a necessity. Wax-worms are a cheap bait favored in the winter, and cost about $1.50 per dozen. Please shop around, and you will find that you can get all the above mentioned gear for less than $40 new. If you are interested in used gear, The Craigslist sporting section is an excellent place to look.

Good luck, be careful, and thanks for reading.