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Ice Fishing Tackle Begins With Getting To The Water
By Angus MacLeod

There are many avid anglers who just cannot give up on the notion of having a line in the water and when the weather drops below freezing for several days, they will load their ice fishing tackle on a sled and head out onto the frozen lake. The main thing they need is not carried with them and that is at least four inches of ice, if walking. That is the general rule of thumb, but if planning to drive the ice fishing tackle onto the ice in a vehicle a minimum of 12 inches is recommended.

Whether sitting in the open on the ice or in a shelter or heated hut, the ice fishing tackle used is quite common. A chisel, saw or drill with which to cut a hole in the ice, a chisel to enlarge the hole and a skimmer to keep dip newly-formed ice out of the hole during the day, are the basics. Some use power augers to drill through thicker ice small, electric warmers to keep the ice from reforming.

Dressing for the occasion has never been truer and dressing in layers can make it more comfortable. If the weather warms up, some layers can be removed, but if it get colder additional layers cannot be added if they were left at home. Since they will be outside in the cold, being prepared is important.

Needs To Stay Warm And Dry

On the ice, to keep and eye on your pole, a small stool is used and most times a “tip up” is attached to the line to allow for less constant visual contact. This small flag tips up when a fish has hit the line. The ice fishing tackle used will depend on the species and size of the fish being sought. Small pan fish appreciate live baits such as worms or minnows while larger fish such as walleye, pike and muskies will go after artificial minnows as jig lures as well as live minnows.

When using live bait, make sure you have a dip net for the minnows to help keep hands dry and have extra rages to wipe any water from the hands, using care not to get the gloves wet. The size of the hooks being used should also reflect the size of the fish being fished with number 10 and 12 used for most pan fish and 2/0 to 6/0 used for the larger species. The ice fishing tackle carried will help with the catching. As larger fish are sometimes caught on smaller hooks, small fish are rarely caught on the larger hooks.

Author Details:
Angus MacLeod, copywriter for various websites with his main interests being golf, fishing and fly fishing, especially when in fishing in Scotland.

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