If you have wanted to go ice fishing—do it. Walking on water is one awesome adventure every time out, even on a tiny park pond. Safety and knowledge are key, so if you are brand new to it, grab an experienced ice fishing guide to show you all the tricks. If you were wondering what you need, safety and comfort are key. On a budget, you can buy these things end-of-season and on sale, and slowly build up your ice fishing game.

Safety on ice means footwear. The top need is sure footing, which you absolutely need. Ice cleats are affordable safety which will save you visits to the E.R. Slips on ice happen fast.

The next safety item involves breaking through the ice. A float suit will both keep you warm and keep you up top should you go in. This is a full-body life preserver. Others use an instant life preserver over their ice suit.

A final must have safety item is the wearable ice pick. If you go in, these will save your life. Picks provide the grip to pull you to safety. These items are non-negotiable safety items. I would add mittens to the list; keeping your hands warm might save your life and makes fishing that much better.

Once you have hired a guide to show you the ropes, you can start buying equipment. Don’t buy things and then try to learn ice fishing. This can really waste money on gear that you may never use. An experienced guide will show you precisely what you need. The rest of this article will guide you to great items I have found that catch more fish on hard water.

Sensitive ice rods are a must. The feeding power of fish drops to below 10 percent. In winter, they move slowly, eat lightly and you need to see the bite (Yes, see it.). Titanium bite indicators and rods which have ultra-flexible carbon tips show you the tiniest tick of a bite.

To get more bites, do not buy sale jigs or cheap jigs. Cheap hooks result in missed bites. The hook is everything on the jig; I don’t care how sparkly it looks. You only get so many opportunities, so don’t miss bites on dull sale jig hooks.

The same goes for plastics. Purchase only premium plastics from independent lure artists or premium ice plastics. These will be aofter, more flexible and attract more bites. Wack’em & Stack‘em baits as well as Clam premium plastics are tough to beat! Fish attack these supple plastics.

An item I added that is killer is called a “Tip down.” These are stands for your ice rod and reel. They allow the fish to slide with the bait before the fish detects the line or tension. This is an ultra-weapon you need to have. At the business end, when using either live bait or plastics, I use premium 12-inch sections of ice lines. Fluorocarbon lines are essential as water is very clear during the winter. Winter Fluoro is thinner and more flexible, so be willing to pay lots of money for this part of your setup. You only need 12 inches per rod, so don’t skimp on this. Up top on the spool, I use bright green lines so that I can see the line move. The bite can be so light, you might need to line watch.

The last part of the list are the more expensive items, which you should try before you buy. As a guide, I can show you all of these on a trip or take someone out even on a local pond down the street. All these items are best bought at the end of season or from someone who has upgraded. This will save you thousands of dollars.

In no particular order: A portable flasher unit will show you what the fish are up to and even when they are about to attack! I use a flasher unit that quickly converts to a summer unit that I can use on docks and boats. The Lowrance Hook portable unit shows me exact depths, active fish and displays my lure.

Don’t pay extra for live scope on ice as a beginner! You could dumb your unit down to a flasher to catch more fish. I helped a new angler with a giant screen who was going fishless with a live scope. These will not hook more fish for you—just drain your wallet before you decide if you really like ice fishing. Another portable unit that is affordable is the Deeper Sonar. You use an iPad or phone screen and just set the sonar ball in the hole. (These are also nice to fish around in the hole).

Along with these items, it goes without saying that comfortable boots are essential since you are going to be walking on ice. Don’t you dare buy all the stuff up top and skimp on the boots. These might be your first purchase. One cheap item that you can pick up are some carpet squares. Put a carpet square in-between your boots and the ice to break the link to the cold. You can also use a rubber mat.

Another frugal ice fishing item is a 2.5-gallon bucket with a seat lid. This will store your gear and is also a seat. Be warned that plastic on ice can shoot out from beneath you, dumping you on that frozen concrete. I like the height of the 2.5 vs. a 5-gallon bucket for added safety. 5-gallon buckets fire out from beneath beginners.

In next month’s article, I will tune up the approach and talk ice fishing strategy with map software, scouting tactics and some advanced gear. With the water freezing, it’s go time. I will see you on the water and online. Be safe, be smart and get a taste for the sport of ice fishing. There is something magical about pulling fish through a frozen hole.

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