Benefit Your Fishing Game: The Ultimate Essential Ice Gear Guide

If you think the fishing season is over once the temperature drops, you have probably never tried ice fishing. Practised in cold climates around the world, it involves drilling holes into frozen lakes and fishing through the ice, often in the shelter of small, heated huts known as ice shanties. Far from being just a way to pass time in the winter months, ice fishing is a deeply rooted tradition for many outdoor enthusiasts, offering a peaceful escape and a chance to connect with nature in a whole new way. Like nearly all hobbies, having the right equipment for ice fishing is crucial.

Ice Fishing Gear List for Beginners

Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a curious beginner, gear yourself up with reliable ice fishing equipment. Not every piece of gear on the market is created equal and is necessary for beginners for that matter. Therefore, it’s best to start with a few essentials and buy more as you progress.

Ice Auger Drill

An ice auger is one of the more expensive items on this ice fishing gear list, but it’s also a necessity as you can’t always count on open holes. Typically, beginners start with a hand-powered ice auger as they are the most affordable type. Many experienced ice anglers swear by manual ice augers, which are more traditional than drill-powered ones and hence the sole alternative for some. 

A manual ice auger has the advantage of being lighter than a drill-powered one. Similarly, although a drill-powered ice auger will obviously require you to bring a cordless drill with you on the ice, a manual ice auger does not require any attachments or accessories to break through the ice. The size of your target fish should be your primary consideration when picking an ice auger since this will have a big impact on the size of the hole in the ice you will require. 

Ice augers with a diameter of 115 to 155 mm (4-6 inches) are widely used for ice fishing for perch. For burbot and pike, use a slightly larger ice auger with a diameter of 6-10 inches to easily draw the fish through the hole. A wider hole also reduces the probability of the fish fleeing because your hooks will be less likely to get snagged on the ice’s edge.

Bucket Chisel

A bucket chisel is another essential piece of ice fishing equipment. It comes with a dual-action chipper head design that allows you to chip more with fewer strokes. The hammer-style head provides a versatile opportunity for chiselling with a hammer motion, while the opposite end works great around tip-ups. Its fully welded steel design is durable and long-lasting, and its convenient 19-inch length will fit nicely in your fishing bucket.

Meggs and Jigging Raps

When ice fishing season rolls around, having the right presentation can make all the difference — and two lures that stand out on the ice are meggs and jigging raps. The first typically refers to soft plastic baits, often paired with a jig head. They’re designed to mimic small minnows, larvae, or other prey. Because of their soft body and realistic motion, they’re excellent for finesse fishing and especially effective when fish are slow or finicky.

They’re commonly used for: panfish (like crappie, bluegill, and perch), trout in stocked or shallow lakes as well as light-biting walleye in clear or pressured waters. It’s best to drop them down with a light line (2-4 lb. test), work them with subtle jigging or dead stick them, and let their natural movement do the work. Jigging raps are a staple for targeting more aggressive predators. 

These lures have a hard body, weighted centre and a distinctive swimming action that makes them dart in a circular pattern when jigged. They’re fatal for: walleye, lake trout and bass, especially in in winter patterns and large perch. These come with a centre treble hook and nose/tail single hooks, giving multiple hook-up points. 

The aggressive action trigger’s reaction bites, even when fish aren’t actively feeding. When utilising them it’s best to drop it to the bottom, then lift it and let it fall. Keep in mind though that short snaps or high rips can trigger strikes. Additionally, they are often used with a “pound and pause” technique to get attention and then seal the deal.

Portable Fish Houses

Flip-and-go portable ice fishing shelters expand on the sled concept by including a flip-over enclosure in their design. Simply grab a seat and flip up the shelter to block the wind, trap heat and make yourself comfortable. These pieces of ice fishing equipment are great for run-and-gun fishing. 

Hub or pop-up shelters, on the other hand, are the other important category of portable fish houses. Hub-style shelters do not have a sled foundation but rather resemble a rough camping tent. The newer models are quick to set up and take down, and they come in shapes that maximise fishing space and headroom. Hub-style ice homes are ideal for large parties and setting up a base camp location.