1st Shanty NEED some suggestions on stuff!

[Kevin2]

I grew up ice fishing on the lake we lived on in upper Michigan. I spent my entire life trying to get back up here and living on a lake, and I finally retired on a nice fishing lake up north in Michigan a couple months ago. LOVE it!

My view from my computer to the lake! Some Shanties showed up this week, so the ice is just now thick enough from reports I've read. I need to go give it a try!



I am looking at a shanty that I can either pull out from the house OR take via the snowmobile, an all in one folding shanty like Otter Outdoors XT X-Over Lodge OR eskimo sierra, on the cheaper side. I liked both at my local outdoor store. Unless there's something wrong with either OR there's a better option that is cheaper, I'm likely to get one of those. Thoughts!??

Besides that & basic fishing poles that I have from years ago, I'm not sure what else might be needed. Would love to hear some suggests that might make my 1st new season more fun and comfortable.

Auger - I am just getting a basic hand auger to start
Fish finder - I really would like one BUT have no idea what to look for
Heater - figured a Portable Buddy Heater
 

[straightShot]

For a shanty, I think that today is the last day for Franks Great Outdoors shanty days.  They have Otter shanties on sale as well as others.  They're open until 6:00pm.  It's worth a drive.

[ElectricSlide19]

In my opinion the Otter crossover is the best you can get. Otter is the gold standard. Either way you go, make sure it’s insulated, that’s the way to go. Auger, I know you said basic hand auger, but in northern MI that ice can get thick and you will not be happy after your 2nd hand drilled hole lol. In my opinion you would be better off with a drill powered auger or something similar to the strikemaster electric auger. There are countless threads on electric augers, in my opinion, the strikemaster or ION will do the job for slightly thicker ice, but they are a dedicated auger and that’s it. If you get an electric drill like the Rigid, Milwaukee, or Dewalt then you have a drill for the rest of the year for projects around the house, at least that’s how you can explain the cost to the wife. Lots of options for finders, the nice thing about some of them like the Hummindbird Helix or the Garmin Striker finders is that they are just as good as far as price compared to vexilar, and they also have GPS/ can be used on the kayak or boat in the summer. If I were you I would look at those models. If you want the basic flasher that is bullet prooof and you can pass on to the grandkids that will mark fish then I would look at the Vexilar FL-8. If you fish in deeper lakes for bottom hugging walleye or perch then perhaps you would want to bump up to Vexilar FL-18 which has zoom. Marcum also makes similar options. You can search the website for similar threads on basic fish finders but if you don’t want to break the bank, you best option is the Garmin Striker 4. Basic finder, can be used for open water, and also has GPS. Portable buddy heater will be plenty for whatever shanty you get as long as it’s insulated. Good luck and have fun with your selections! Hopefully some of this info is helpful, and make sure to take advantage of the search function as there are countless threads on all of these topics. Beautiful lake you live on, very jealous.

Edit: being your first season ice fishing and you asked what would make it more comfortable, in my opinion nothing will put you more at ease than a floating ice suit. You’ll be extremely warm and also have the comfort of knowing if you do fall through, you will float. Striker ice is the premium brand but if you don’t want to spring for an expensive suit, then a life jacket is a cheaper option. Either way, safety and warmth on the ice tops everything else!

[3300]

nice view, congrats!

ice fishing float assist suit. head lamp. flame king refill system for your heater unless your taking larger than one pound tanks. new line. tungsten jigs. jig box. spud. digital sonar. contour map of the lake. tow bar for your flip over shanty. otter would be the top to chose from. gps app for your phone. led string lights for the shack and lithium battery to power it and another for your sonar. ice scoop.traction for your footwear. i like ice racing screws in my boots 3/8" and do not care for slip on traction options. maybe a seat cushion if you stay seated for a long time. look at how to use your heater to warm up food or drinks. insulated bait cans.
a fishing friend so if you get into trouble they can help and bring a throw rope.

[Unclegillhunter]

Good for you getting where you want to be! As far as what you need be ready for a bunch of suggestions!
1. Don’t know what your budget is, but you will want some sort of electronics. I have been using Vexilar flashers for years and just bought a Humminbird Helix ice 5.
I like inline reels I like 13 fishing rods.
You are pulling your flip over with a power unit so weight should not be an issue. Get the best you can afford.
If you are going to buy a ice fishing suit, look at one that has flotation.
Don’t know what kind of safety stuff you have. Spud bar. Ice picks that hang around your neck.
Good warm boots, good warm glove/ mittens.
The buddy heater is what lots of folks use.
If you want to fly me up there and have a lot of money I would be happy to go shopping with you!
Have fun getting set up!
Through years of buying stuff I have found that it is a mistake to go the cheaper route, bought cheaper and didn’t like the performance. Start out slow get the basics and go from there.
Keep it safe! JDL

[Alex Delarge]

Build or buy a permanent shack you can put out in front of your place. Very comfortable fishing in a 6-7'X8' permmy IMHO. Get a pop up or hub to explore other parts of the lake. Congrats on the retirement BTW.

[FG Steve]

Congrats on the retirement!

We have had very good luck with Eskimo products.  Buddy heaters are good.  You might like a 5- or 10-lb propane tank to go with it.  Don't forget to use a filter or the special non-filter hose.

Would love to hear some suggests that might make my 1st new season more fun and comfortable.

-Safety Gear: Ice chisel ("spud"), throw rope, etc.
-Clothing: The Striker stuff is really good.  Warm boots are mandatory. Lots of opinions here about that, for sure.  I really like my Cabela's Trans Alaskans.
-Good sun glasses.
-Electronics: Too many options, but reading on IS can help you decide.  Seeing some in action can help you decide faster.  Flasher, Electronic Sonar, etc.  I like my Marcum lx-6s.  Our underwater camera has probably delivered more fun than anything else, and they seem to be getting better.
-Good ice scoop: The Frabill ice scoop is hard to beat.
-Powered auger.  Lots of options on this now, too.  Gas still works, as does propane.  The electric units are starting to get pretty good and catch my eye.  The drill options are getting popular.  I get enough exercise running around on the ice that I don't miss the manual auger.  More time fishing instead of drilling holes, and less next-day soreness.

Lots of topics here that could hijack the thread.  Have a great season.  Tight lines!

[filetandrelease]

 
The guys have covered it all so
Congrats on your retirement , and great pic of the lake

[Kevin2]

Thanks! It was to far to go after I read your post! They said I could buy over the phone, but I couldn't make up
mind in time before they closed what shanty and stuff I wanted. I'm bummed!

For a shanty, I think that today is the last day for Franks Great Outdoors shanty days.  They have Otter shanties on sale as well as others.  They're open until 6:00pm.  It's worth a drive.

[SKIFFLAKEJIMMY]

Is that East Lake? North of Curtis? Pretty view.

[Kevin2]

ALL very helpful. I've been reading for weeks & I now have lots more to read and research about. I'll keep you tuned in for my progress...

[Kevin2]

Lewiston...Little Wolf Lake!

Is that East Lake? North of Curtis? Pretty view.

[32footsteps]

The volume of suggestions here already make my head hurt. Maybe they make your head hurt as well.  If you read through it too much you might begin to think that if you don't have any of those things you'll never catch a dang thing.

-Things I need
-Things I want

The things you need are the bare minimum necessities. A way to cut a hole in the ice. A way to retrieve a fish that you have fooled (this would include a rod/tip-up/other device, and some sort of hook or jig). A fishing license. Warm clothes.

The things you want are nice to have but are they 100% necessary to catch fish? Nope...people have been catching fish through the ice forever without those things.  Figure out what you are comfortable spending and break it down from there. The costs can add up quick. Before you know it you could be spending over a grand and you haven't hit the ice yet. There are ways to do this on a budget but that is dependent upon you identifying what you truly need and what you want.

[ElectricSlide19]

Does he need just a hand auger to go ice fishing? Yep. Heck he really could use a spud, or even one of those spoon augers if he wants. I agree, simple is good, especially when starting out. But when he gets over a foot of ice and is hand augering holes, he probably won’t want to ice fish ever again. OP, another good option is to look on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for a used gas auger. Usually run around $100-150. I do agree with the above post that it’s hard to justify throwing a grand at an activity you may not even  like, but if you get a hand auger, no electronics, a hand over hand pole, a bucket, and some home made mittens and gollashas you’re going to hate every second of ice fishing and never want to go again. To me, after the essentials like a rod and reel and an auger, the next thing to purchase would be a fish finder of some sort, then a shanty all in that order. I would rather have a fish finder over a shanty any day. I guess the reason for my post is a long way to say that yes, simple will get you fishing, but spending a little more for comfort can go a long way for safety and actually ice fishing more than once in your life lol

[straightShot]

Thanks! It was to far to go after I read your post! They said I could buy over the phone, but I couldn't make up
mind in time before they closed what shanty and stuff I wanted. I'm bummed!

It was a two hour ride one way for me.

[Kevin2]

yep, I wished I'd seen your post a couple hours sooner. Still bumming over it! Would have gladly drove the 2 hours!

It was a two hour ride one way for me.