Ice fishing is a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. The cost is minimal to get fixed up and with just a little bit of knowledge, a beginner can be expected to have success their first trip on the lake.

But what’s required to begin ice fishing? There are so many choices in fishing tackle on the market now, First Timer could easily lay out 100′s of their hard earned money on ice fishing tackle and not have the basic gear to get out on the ice.

It’s this reason alone that I created this collection of basic ice fishing tackle that a First Timer will need to get started. What’s more is that for less than what a Family of for can eat out at a steak house these days, you should be able to buy all the fishing supplies that a First Timer will need to get started fishing on the hard water.

First off, you will want to get an ice auger to bore holes in the hard water. If it was me, I’d get a 5 or 6 inch auger for panfish. 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. You need to keep in mind that the manual augers are cheaper to puchase but need more effort to make a hole in the ice. You will also need a scoop to keep the ice chips out of the ice hole.

Next on the list are tip ups and ice rods. Many ice fishermen bore a lot of holes over structure and use numerous tip-ups to increase their chances of catching enough fish for a fish fry. Others prefer to ice fish with a short rod. I’d get a few tip ups along with a good rod so you can see which tactic catches you the most fish.

The line you use for fishing should be designed for ice fishing. The ice cold water can make fishing line brittle. It’s due to this that you’ll want to be certain and purchase line specifically designed for ice fishing. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. The line you buy for ice fishing is the most crucial part of your ice fishing tackle.

Be sure to get some jigs and lures to go along with your bait. Small jigs are great for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. 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. Talk to the people at your local bait store 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. Many seasoned ice fishermen make use of an ordinary 5 gallon bucket. Some will even bring lawn chairs out on the ice, but a five gallon bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from the ice.

And this is all you need to start ice fishing. Don’t forget about buying a fishing license and read up on the regulations for the area you plan on fishing. Being ticketed for breaking a law can ruin your fishing trip. Now go out and have some fun. Don’t forget the most important fishing tip, be safe and follow all the safety rules for getting Outdoors in the Winter.