without everything

[coldcreekchris]

could you go out with nothing but a hand auger...and catch fish??...know I could........would be great to hear from people that still sit on a bucket....

[missoulaicebeerdog]

My arm would get cold quick reaching down the hole feeling for fish.  Do I at least get some mono and a jig? 

[coldcreekchris]

of course..mono and a jig..is tits up...

[SpitzoMT]

Absolutely could CCC.....That's how i did it until 2010.....That year I got a gas auger & pop up shelter.....2011 or 2012 i got a flasher.....Thought I was really big time.....Nowadays I walk out on the ice thinking "every year it seems like I'm dragging more stuff out here".....The modern gadgets are nice n' all, but in no way a necessity.....I don't sit on a bucket anymore because I have a small Clam chair that I like.....Probably stand 80% of the time anyway.....Take care & stay safe !!

[chucknduck]

My first time out this year I forgot my sonar. Was freakin out a bit but quickly remembered how to fish without it. Still caught a bucket full of perch. Piece of cake If hand auger has sharp blades

[Emerica8312]

I know it’s not ice fishing but I use to hand line big ulua and hiramasa, hammerheads etc off north shore Oahu. Nothing but hook line sinker and some gloves. Really exciting way to fish.

[missoulafish]

share some pics of those hand line fish?

[WALL E GATOR]

Been thinking about something like this. Go Old School. Crack out the Green Hornet n the wool pants go get after it. see if I can find an ol spoon auger or just use the spud bar. Sounds all good talking about it but I have not yet got out n tried it, Yet.

[Born Late]

My story is similar to Spitzo’s. After 45 years of ice fishing (beginning with a hand reel and spud) I found and embraced power augers and electronics (flasher, GPS, Navionics). There’s little doubt it’s more challenging to find and stay with schools of some fish species (like perch) without electronics but for shallow cruisers (like trout and pike) or those species strictly using the bottom 2 feet of the water column, the gizmos are less useful. But, I agree, the list of gear that truly qualifies as “necessary” is a short one.

Sorry, CCC...I loathe buckets...but still prefer a folding stool and lightweight sled to my comfy shelter, which remains in the truck except on the coldest days. No mechanical hook setting devices and, so far, no transportation mode other than my aging legs.

[429421Cowboy]

I started this sport 20 some-odd years ago as a tiny tyke with my grandpa, fishing brookies off a bucket with a kiddie pole and a worm on a snell hook and a bobber. He just had a hand auger and a few ice poles. When I was a teen my dad bought me a hand auger and I used that up till last season. When I moved to Bozeman 7 years ago, living in an apartment and having limited space, I just had a bucket with two rods, a tiny box of jigs, my picks, a skimmer and a spud bar to open up old holes or chip a new one. I do think fishing was easier then because I only had a little bit to worry about grabbing and could just load and go.
Now I have an ice house, got an old gas auger this season, partner has a Vex, we have a sled and all that noise. I know I could still catch fish and have just as much fun with a bucket and a spud though.
I will say that I do appreciate having my own house and auger for things like spearing because I don't have to set up a trip with one of my partners that has all that just to go spearing. I can now go on my own whenever I want to, and I do sure enjoy spearing and setting tipups. A power auger makes it possible to be a lot more mobile with tipups or me more willing to chase fish. When I was hand chipping or hand augering holes I was pretty much committed to a spot for the day once I was setup.

[800stealth]

While I normally have a shack and sled full of gear with me. I'm still up for running out on the ice with just an auger and a rod for quick half hour here and there.. Mostly when driving and see a place I've never been, just gotta pull over and check her out real quick...

[hoofer]

i like simple. bucket,otter sled and a gas auger (to old to drill 20 holes by hand) no electronics. hell i dont even have a cell phone. simple is good.

[doublehaul]

When I was in college we would fish Georgetown lake. No electronics, hand auger, and no ice shack. I would double the catch rates of my fishing buddy. He asked me how I was catching the fish and I recommended he watch the line. No rod bend, the fish just take the bow out of the mono fishing line between the rod tip and water. Set the hook, fish on. Filled the smoker many a trip using that technique.

 If my flasher broke on the way to go icefishing, I think I would drive back home.

[BackCountry Kyle]

I can never have enough gear it seems! Seriously!!!

Most of it doesn't go out on the ice unless I NEED it tho…

 like doublehaul, my flasher is always welcome!

[Born Late]

...I recommended he watch the line. No rod bend, the fish just take the bow out of the mono fishing line between the rod tip and water. Set the hook, fish on...”

Ugh.  Few things make me cringe more than hearing a youngster comparing in delight a flasher to a video game. 
100% agreement: watch the line and rod tip, even with a flasher. 

That leads to my issue with ‘jackers and the like. For me, THE most rewarding part of fishing is being quick enough on the draw to successfully set the hook.  I can’t imagine removing that step.

[BoomerFTW]

I started with a spud bar to make the holes and one of my full sized fishing rods.  Staring down the hole hoping I was in a good spot. I loved fishing so much I figured I had to give fishing through the ice a try.  The acquiring of gear quickly progressed once I was in my second winter ice fishing season.

[meandcuznalfy]

Ugh.  Few things make me cringe more than hearing a youngster comparing in delight a flasher to a video game. 
100% agreement: watch the line and rod tip, even with a flasher. 

That leads to my issue with ‘jackers and the like. For me, THE most rewarding part of fishing is being quick enough on the draw to successfully set the hook.  I can’t imagine removing that step.

I compare the flasher to a video game, but still watch the line, trying to teach my boy that, as when the rod tip moves( if it does) it's usually too late.

[BigSage]

The question was could I?  Yes I could. Would I?  Nope!  Want my sonar, my power Auger and my single shack with a comfy chair. Hard to nap on a bucket!

[coldcreekchris]

The question was could I?  Yes I could. Would I?  Nope!  Want my sonar, my power Auger and my single shack with a comfy chair. Hard to nap on a bucket!

I get it...yes we most likely have solar for our batteries..and all that indeed..what happens when the world stops..it won't or will some day...but spirtually..its kinda cool..to think about it....I am not sayin its like naked n afraid crap...but I do think its important to learn how to fish from the basics...mother earth has her own laws and disciplines...lets see what happens...but I would lean toward the natural and wild..long before..the easiest and convenient....

[mtoutdoorsman]

Like most I started with nearly nothing. I would go out to the ice with a couple of my regular open water rods and worms. I would have to find holes the were fresh enough to kick open or would pay someone to drill a couple. From there it was a progression of gear, got a cheap hand auger, then couple end of season clearance ice rods. I actually got a underwater camera before a sled or flasher. I had mainly got it for open water fishing but soon turned into my best ice fishing tool. At the time seemed like no one had cameras yet. Buddy of mine and me split our first shack and some time after came flasher then electric auger. I find it hard to go with out my flasher. I regular go without shack or camera and can still use hand drill no problem but that flasher. I still couple times a season will hike to some back lakes with hand auger, scoop and one rod. All together starting simple and slow may have made me a better ice fisher.

[BloodShotP]

Another good post. Interesting a lot of it is perspective. Fish on