Southern boy wanting to try ice-fishing and I got some questions?

[UAD7116]

Hi all, I wanting to give this ice fishing thing a try.  I'm moved to Staples MN in March of this year from SC, and had never even seen a frozen lake before, now it's that time of year and I want to give this a shot.  I have a few questions though, I've heard that a gas or electric auger is way better than a hand version but if its all I can afford is it fiesable to use (I need the exercise anyways)?  Any recommendations on equipment and lures to use (I probably start off fishing for panfish since they will be probably be the easiest to catch)?  Also any tips and tricks that may help me out on this new adventure.  Thanks for the info, Kris

[billy_56081]

Get a gas auger, if you gat an electric you will have to either cary a battery or wait until the ice is thick enough to drive on. For bluegills and sunfish use wax worms, for crappy use crappy minnows, and fatheads for walleye. For jigs get a bunch of different colored tear drops.

[GRIMJIM]

Very small jigs work the best for me. The bite through ice is usually very light. Get yourself a nice ice fishing pole, a scoop, and something to sit on.  a bucket works well, you can haul your stuff and then sit on it as you fish. I wait for the ice to get at least 3-4" thick, thicker is better. I also carry a thing around my neck when the ice is thin, I don't know what it's called but it comes apart and has two steel spikes sticking out of it, just incase I go through the ice.

 If the ice is only a few inches thick, you can use a hand auger. Drill your hole, and start fishing. It will ice up so use the scoop to fish out the skim ice.

Up there they can drive out on the lakes and have ice shanties so it's nice and warm. Dress for the weather and have fun!

[Empty Quiver]

I was in your shoes just 8 yrs ago, having only ice fished in Illinois winters. First and foremost get a buddy to tag along with for a couple trips. Unless you are unique for Southerners you are flat gonna freeze to death standing on the ice. If this buddy has a fish house buy him beer and brandy and don't let it run out. Learn all you can. If he doesn't have a fish house he ain't worth befriending.

Get a 6" hand auger, 2 ice skimmers (one will go down the hole very quickly, don't spend much money on them right away), 2 jiggle sticks with 4lb line on them. $10 worth of ice jigs out of the bulk bins ask what colors are popular for sunnies in your local lakes get a clip on bottom finder too add some foam bobbers as well. I have ice spikes for my boots as well as hand held picks to drag youself out should you go in the drink, I also carry about twenty-five feet of half inch rope for same reason. Put all this in a 5 gallon bucket, and bungee it to a sled. For bait get a can of maggots and a can of mousys, if Crappies are on the list minnows in a cheap insulated picnic jug get a minnow dipper too 1/2 scoop is plenty of minnows. If you keep the water very cold and change it before yopu head home they will last much longer than you think. If you are thinking this is something you will be doing for sure get a sunflower heater to put on a 20# lp tank( not such a bad thing to own in MN. anyway ). If you find this is fun all this equipment will get upgraded very soon, but isnt really a waste as it can still be used in the future. You ought to be able to get all this for under a hundred except the heater.

This is the order I upgraded #1 portable fish house, getting out of the weather is paramount to having a good trip in below 25 degree and any wind. #2 8" or 10" power auger gas is more portable and common, after 14" of ice hand augers quickly start sucking, at 24" they are truly no fun. #3 and maybe #2 is a vexilar flasher, once you have one you will never be able to fish without one again. Somewhere in here you have probably bought a lot more cold weather clothes, if not, 1000gr thinsulate boots, Carhart arctic bibs and coat with hood chopper mitts and gloves you can work in as well. Good quality ice rods and reels to replace the jiggle sticks too especially if you are in deeper water. Don't try to reel fish in with a jiggle stick people will laugh at you set the hook then hand over hand them.

[UAD7116]

thanks for all the advice, I've already got a ice rod and sinning reel, and a tip-up.  Can't aford a gas auger, and I am going this weekend to Fleet Farm and get some jigs and spikes for my boots.  I will upgrade to some other thing, if I decide it's something I will want to do often.  As for southern boy being cold, we had wind chill at -30 this morning and its been in the lower single digits all of last week, and I hear the locals complaining more about the cold than me, maybe when it gets REAL cold I may be singing a different song, but so far so good.

[moxgrove]

If you are going to use a manual auger, be sure to shed clothes so you don't overheat. Nothing worse than working up a sweat then sitting in the wind after. Sweating is a true enemy in the cold. There are some nice manuals that can be converted to hook up to a power head later, might be a good option.
  Have fun nothing better than fish caught through the ice.
Small jigs tipped with minnows or wax worms are great for crappies and bluegills

[snapcrackpop]

Or you could go the spearing route for Northern Pike!

[Empty Quiver]

That hand auger may also adapt to a cordless drill. I haven't used one but they were advertised a bunch a couple years ago. seems like a 17 volt was reccy., The chuck tended to loosen up and drop the auger so later models had a steel plate to keep it from dropping through the hole. Something as simple as a charcoal fire to warm your hands up can be welcome. A few briquets in a coffee can is about all you need, vent as needed.

[mcwoodduck]

Ice Fishing was invented by a guy who had a Nagging Wife and wanted to get away and drink.  Others thought this was a good idea and joined him.
Seeing as you are a southern Boy.  Don't drop a stick of Dynamite in the ice hole to get your fish.  Not only will you have a gyser of water comming out of your hole but every other hole 100 yards around you.  Don't ask how I know.  But I grew up in NJ and have two uncles from Va.

[moxgrove]

one other thing. If you decide you like it, then look in the paper and craigslist for deals on a clamshell. They are easy to haul around and sure make things more comfy when the wind blows. Not a replacement for a good ice shack, but worlds better than a bucket.
But only if you are gonna spend the time on the ice to make it worth it.
A big sucker minnow will lure in some nic pike too.  Maybe you will get lucky and snag a nice eelpout.

[Mustache]

When I got started a few years ago I wanted to keep the costs down also. After one afternoon on the bucket out on the hard water I decided to try
my pop up deer blind. You will need to use some imagination to anchor it but it will break a moderate wind not the warmest out there but it will keep some of the wind off of you.

Good Luck

Mustache

[jim deerhide]

Best of luck...it's fun especially on the weekend. I moved from a warmer place, Nova Scotia to the 'cold' Labrador. We use a manual auger and carry an ice chisel for when the ice is real thick (a 1 1/2 inch wood chisel on the end of a 5 foot wooden handle).
We catch smelts, trout and rock cod and use a piece of meat or fish out of the fridge to catch the first smelt...........hook out the eyes for a better bait!
We go on snowmobile, tow a komatic (sled with full length box) and (really) sit on a caribou hide on the leeward side of the komatic.
Have fun. Eat good.
Jim

[cwlongshot]

WARM BOOTS, water proof gloves and something to break the wind are the biggest things I have found to make the ice fishing day more enjoyable. Many places sell cheap sleds to put all the stuff in so you can drag it out to the ice. WAY better then trying to carry it!!

Be sure your ice rod has a sensitive wire tip so you can detect the bites. With all the cloths and gloves its very hard to feel anything. But you learn to watch the colored tip and you will get the knack quick enough.

We always bring out a small propane grill and cook venison samiches and warm coffee. generally we have everyone from a couple hundred yards as "friends"!!

GOOD TIMES!!

CW

[bilmac]

You've pretty much got what you need to start. If you like to tinker at all, think about making most of your gear,that's what I like most about ice fishing, it is a tinkerers dream sport. Go out look at other folk's stuff and make your own. Ice rods can be made from the end of a broke rod and a broomstick. A couple nails tapped into the handle will work to wind your line on for awhile. My favorite reel for icefishing are the old fashoned direct drive level wind reel. If you're lucky you can find them cheap in pawn shops. Just tape it on your broomstick handle. Look at what the locals are using and make your own sled, Usually homemade is better than the plastic crap they sell.