Ice fishing question…

I'd love to hear the Juniors side of this story. The guy gets invited by three St. Cloud State football players to ice fish one of the best walleye lakes in MN and all he can do is mock it and make them sound like idiots.
Never looked at it that way. 😂
 
I live my nils. Only problem is they don't take much abuse on the cutting edge. Have to be careful with them. Don't tap it down on the ice just set if gently then start cutting. Had to buy a new head for mine about 7 years ago. My brother borrowed it and let his kids cut the holes and they were tapping it on the ice and bent the blades.......just treat them gently and they last a lifetime.
agreed, there is a guy who sharpens them in Ashby, my buddy has used him and highly recommends

 
Auger, bait bucket, if I'm going to be out all day or night I bring a popup fish house with a propane heater. If you want to jig you'll need some type of sonar.
Yes, He does, You should have seen how that heater torched his snow suit. Xtry51 was there as well to witness that.
 
So far most of my ice fishing is on Schoodic Lake in Brownville, Me. Now there we are spoiled, my friend (yes, I have a few) Has a camp on the lake (I call it a house) with a closed in porch facing the lake. We set out the tip ups and sit on the porch and drink coffee, smoke our pipes and tell the same stories that we told before. When a flag goes up, jump on the sled and head out.
 
I don't ice fish, but this year, I'd say that the first requirement at least in metrowest, is...ice?

A lot of open water, still. Not that I'm complaining, as I don't ice fish. [laugh]
Merrimac valley in mass is all locked up. I was out last weekend in haverhill
 
It seems that most people are in the "go big" camp. I went with a guy last year who dragged a sled full of crap on his snowmobile to his bobhouse. I don't how many trips he needed to unload that thing when Spring came about. I only went once with him, we were comfortable but I just found the bobhouse to be weird.

I prefer the minimal approach - it helps that I don't drink, have no friends to tag along, don't party and only enjoy my kids company.

I use a plastic kid's sled with:
Tipups
Jigging rod (optional)
Skimmer (ladle with holes to clear the ice off your holes)
Hand auger (smaller is better - I use 6", if I get a fish too big to get through a 6" hole I'll shoot it, then enlarge the hole) so I don't need to mess w batteries or gas
Camp chair
Bait Bucket
Hooks / sinkers / sounder
Waterproof pants
Parka
Ice cleats

Dig your holes, set your tipups, sit with the wind at your back and face in the sun.
 
It seems that most people are in the "go big" camp. I went with a guy last year who dragged a sled full of crap on his snowmobile to his bobhouse. I don't how many trips he needed to unload that thing when Spring came about. I only went once with him, we were comfortable but I just found the bobhouse to be weird.

I prefer the minimal approach - it helps that I don't drink, have no friends to tag along, don't party and only enjoy my kids company.

I use a plastic kid's sled with:
Tipups
Jigging rod (optional)
Skimmer (ladle with holes to clear the ice off your holes)
Hand auger (smaller is better - I use 6", if I get a fish too big to get through a 6" hole I'll shoot it, then enlarge the hole) so I don't need to mess w batteries or gas
Camp chair
Bait Bucket
Hooks / sinkers / sounder
Waterproof pants
Parka
Ice cleats

Dig your holes, set your tipups, sit with the wind at your back and face in the sun.
Good list.. I'm a minimalist myself, well really what Im saying is Im cheap... usually just get what I need to get by and have fun.
 
I don't ice fish, but this year, I'd say that the first requirement at least in metrowest, is...ice?

A lot of open water, still. Not that I'm complaining, as I don't ice fish. [laugh]
was out in southern MA at the RI border twice this week, and plan of venturing towards the cape this weekend. small ponds have as much as 4-6" already in central MA
 
First time I went was last year, you can bring as much or as little as you want. I’ve found the sled to be most helpful along with a comfy chair. Been thinking about getting a small heater to bring out with me to stay more than a few hours
 
I see guys out every time I drive by some local lakes. I’ve seen a few with tents but most are just out with a camp chair, tipups and a sled.
 
Cup of coffee. I just sit on my porch and watch them fish.

This is what I do when I go to Schoodic lake in Brownville, ME. My fishing partner has a house on the lake with an enclosed porch. We set up the tip ups and sit on the porch and watch for the flags. I will be going up there for Derby Weekend 19, 20 Feb and staying the week.
 
Had my first almost full day on the hard water. I’ve wanted to do it for many years. Caught 2 nice brookies. Beer was slushing up if you didn’t suck em back quick or leave them near the fire. My neighbor who was nearly born on the hard water took me and showed me a bunch of stuff. What a great day on the ice in a snowstorm. Very glad I spent the money on good fishing gear. I wasn’t cold at all except my fingers from frost bite years ago.
Great learning day for sure!!

Time to do some more shopping. Tent, bucket, auger and sled are next. I think I’m also going to build a nice wooden rack for the rear of my sled as I don’t need the trunk or gas can. I’ve got a bunch of teak doing nothing and maybe I’ll get some ash to go along with my Jacks Traps I bought last year. B24F3499-904F-4667-ADE7-D0217265CF27.jpeg

First fish thru the hole
 
I’ve only ice fished a few times as a youth. Besides traps and a sled what is the necessary equipment to go?



A good saw to cut a hole for the boat.
An Ice Auger, A scoop to take out the slush, A bait bucket and small net, A sounding weight to find bottom.
 
I'm putting my gear away now. I'm not a huge fan of ice fishing anyway, and with the temps rising the way they are, I'm not going out (yes, I'm a big scaredy cat, but I'm not falling through ice again - first time was waist deep and that was enough).

Taking a cue from a friend, and I'm relining my jigging rods to use them this spring, summer, fall as kayak rods. Instead of the longer regular rod, these little 2' rods allow you to get the fish right next to the kayak to deal with instead of having an extra couple feet to allow them to play with.
 
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