Going fishing on a frozen body of water is an Outdoor activity that the whole family can enjoy. The cost is minimal to get fixed up and with knowledge of where to find a place to fish, a first-timer can be expected to have success their first trip on the lake.

But what does a beginner need to begin ice fishing? A Greenhorn has many options in fishing reels available today, a Newbie could easily shuck out hundreds of their hard earned money on ice fishing equipment and not have the basic gear to get out on the ice.

This is why I wrote this guide about essential ice fishing gear that a Newbie will need to get out on the ice. The big surprise is that for about a 0, you should be able to obtain all the fishing gear that a Greenhorn will need to get started drilling holes in the ice for those tasty fish.

To begin with, you’ll want to find an auger meant for ice fishing to make holes in the hard water. For Beginners, I’d want a five or six inch auger for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. For bigger fish like Walleye, Pike or Channel Catfish, then I recommend a 8 or 10 inch auger meant for ice fishing. You can get the power augers or the manual augers. Not surprisingly, the manual augers are cheaper to puchase but require more effort to use. You will also need a scoop to dip the ice chips out of the ice hole.

Tip ups and rods. Most fishermen bore numerous holes over weed beds and other structure and use tip ups to increase their chances of catching fish. Not surprsingly a lot of fishermen prefer to ice fish with an ice fishing rod. If it was me,I’d get a few tip ups along with a good rod so you can see which tactic you like for catching fish.

The line you use for fishing should be designed for cold water that is associated with ice fishing. The frigid waters can make the line so stiff that it breaks easily. For this reason you will want to be certain and obtain fishing line made for fishing through the ice. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. The line you buy for ice fishing is the most critical part of your ice fishing gear.

You will also need to get some jigs and lures to go along with your bait. Small jigs are excellent for panfish. 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. Be sure to talk to local fishermen to see what’s they recommend a Beginner use their first time out on the ice.

Be sure to bring along something to sit on. Most seasoned ice fishermen make use of an ordinary 5 gallon bucket. A select few will even bring lawn chairs out on the ice, but a bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from the ice.

And that’s about all you need to to start ice fishing. Make sure you get a fishing license and read up on the regulations for the body of water you plan on going fishing at. Getting a ticket for breaking a law can put a damper on your ice fishing efforts. Now go out and start drilling holes in the lake. And most of all, be safe and follow all the safety rules for ice fishing.

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