Is Ice Fishing the Most Expensive Passtime?

[uncleshorty]

South of I-80 in PA there are only a few days each year when there is 4 inches or more of hard ice.

The gear that seems to be required to ice fish today, (shanty, sled, electronics, etc, etc, etc...), and gas,food, drinks, bait, and everything else that one "needs" to get on the ice have to be paid for. (Don't forget your heater and propane!)

How much do you spend per hour of actual fishing?  How does that compare with your other hobbies, dollar wise?

"Enquiring Minds Want to Know"

Is ice fishing the best use of your entertainment dollars?

[Scranton Joe]

South of I-80 in PA there are only a few days each year when there is 4 inches or more of hard ice.

The gear that seems to be required to ice fish today, (shanty, sled, electronics, etc, etc, etc...), and gas,food, drinks, bait, and everything else that one "needs" to get on the ice have to be paid for. (Don't forget your heater and propane!)

How much do you spend per hour of actual fishing?  How does that compare with your other hobbies, dollar wise?

"Enquiring Minds Want to Know"

Is ice fishing the best use of your entertainment dollars?

It can be as expensive as you want it to be.

It depends on your comfort level

A hand auger, two jigging rods, and three tip ups is the way I started.   At a cost of under $200. 

Now, it's a jet sled (smitty) milwaukee drill with lite flight, sonar, 8 spinning rods, a cooler, minnow buckets, a heater, shelter, and 3 tip ups at a cost of under $2000. 

It's a pretty cheap sport as I see it.

I could pay $3000 for a world series ticket or an NFL playoff game  Go to a casino or head to key west (anywhere really).

It depends on your lifestyle and priorities.   

[NEZ]

Hobbies are expensive no matter what they are and what ever you want to spend on your hobbies.  In the last 2.5 years, I put about $10,000 in electronics on my  boat between trolling motor, graphs, live imaging, etc.  Nez

[MumbleSEED]

I buy all my stuff from goodwill or 2nd hand stores from people who move out of the area or give up ice fishing because there is no longer 4 inches of ice south of I-80.

[800stealth]

I've got an easy 20 grand tied up in snowmobiles, trailers and riding gear... Put 200 miles on in about 10 hours of riding last year, so far this year I put 400 miles on my truck/trailer at 12 mpg just to get a 100 miles on the sled... Ice fishing is cheap lol

[RuttNutt]

You ever see how much some people spend on cigarettes? I figure the money I spend on hunting and fishing gear pales in comparison to what a lot of folks spend on cigs................

[AGC]

This season; equipment, lures, bait and gas = 350.00. Two days fishing for 10 hour total = 35.00 per hour. Better than most who haven't made it out yet.

[Ramp 23]

I hear what your saying , last two years have really been short, few days , put my gear away today & really wonder is it worth it anymore. The safety aspect is starting to be more & more of a thought also , never really seem to have safe ice on an entire body of water. Not to comfterable coming in at night anymore. Hopefully next year

[uncleshorty]

I buy all my stuff from goodwill or 2nd hand stores from people who move out of the area or give up ice fishing because there is no longer 4 inches of ice south of I-80.

Gee, too bad you weren't around when I got rid of all the gear from me and three of the buddies I fished with. (I had inherited their gear when they realized ice fishin' in PA south of I-80 was like floggin' a dead horse.) 

You coulda had it all for free...

Oh, well...

[uncleshorty]

I get it Nez.  You can use your boat 11 months of the year in PA now.  Ice fishin' is 4 or 5 days... 

[4seasonfishrman]

Ice fishing is super cheap compared to other hobbies especially since we only can ice fish a handful of days per year now.  Past couple ice seasons I've spent almost nothing on ice gear, aside from gas, fishing license, and bait.  I'd bet if you added up the cost of all my ice gear it would be less than $1000 and I have everything I need. 

[Nitz]

As already pointed out, any hobby/activity can be very expensive depending on your choices.

But...if one was to look at $-spend per hour of enjoyment, snowmobiling is far and away the worst I have experienced.  Procuring the sled(s) is just the beginning.  They are costly to maintain, trailers are expensive, there's always a better helmet coming out, the other riding gear is expensive, the oil - the very pricy oil, accessories, insurance, registration, gas, lodging, eating out, trail passes.  And then, you are constantly looking at what machine you "need" next.

Then, it all just sits there and stares back at you ALL year long - taunting you.  Around me, sledheads have been fortunate if they get a couple hundred miles a season the past several winters.  I always tell people, it's a frickin' disease lol.

[capt.crappie]

My brother has a boat he tows to NJ every other weekend during the summer. Just to go flounder fishing. He easily spends 4 to 500$ per trip. & sometimes we don't even bring home any Flounder. But it's Worth it to him.

[meandcuznalfy]

As already pointed out, any hobby/activity can be very expensive depending on your choices.

But...if one was to look at $-spend per hour of enjoyment, snowmobiling is far and away the worst I have experienced.  Procuring the sled(s) is just the beginning.  They are costly to maintain, trailers are expensive, there's always a better helmet coming out, the other riding gear is expensive, the oil - the very pricy oil, accessories, insurance, registration, gas, lodging, eating out, trail passes.  And then, you are constantly looking at what machine you "need" next.

Then, it all just sits there and stares back at you ALL year long - taunting you.  Around me, sledheads have been fortunate if they get a couple hundred miles a season the past several winters.  I always tell people, it's a frickin' disease lol.

Exact reason I quit doing that, can't even imagine the fuel cost alone to go every weekend, used to fill four sleds and pickup,.from Thanksgiving until Easter, depending on the snow when I was sledding.

[PyroZuki]

Only 2nd to my huntin season. The cost of rods and tackle is now gettin to be as crazy expensive as camo and ammo!


Pyro

[krispcritter]

Try making Maple Syrup. 😆

[Van_Cleaver]

Kind of like fly fishing only with much less opportunity to actually do it here in PA. You can spend thousands on equipment or get it from a thrift store or a hand me down rig (how I started) That said you might end up with several rods, reels, and a plethora of fly tying equipment and materials. (where I am now) On he plus side, you are likely able to make some awesome crappie and pan fish jigs for ice fishing.

[SuperX2Nut]

We have horses. At least I don’t have to feed and clean up after my ice fishing equipment.

[Fishbones']

What is all this banter about pastimes and hobbies?!  Ice fishing is not a pastime or hobby.  It is a way of life.  Money is irrelevant!!

[pabassman]

What is all this banter about pastimes and hobbies?!  Ice fishing is not a pastime or hobby.  It is a way of life.  Money is irrelevant!!

Preach!!!!! 

[Captn66]

Bourbon .... hunting allocated bottles of bourbon is more expensive than ice fishing .... Pass the Pappy!

[PyroZuki]

Bourbon .... hunting allocated bottles of bourbon is more expensive than ice fishing .... Pass the Pappy!

This! I did this for several years, but have since moved to Scotch. Either way, you ain't wrong!


Pyro

[Captn66]

This! I did this for several years, but have since moved to Scotch. Either way, you ain't wrong!


Pyro

Maybe someday I'll grow up.  I just have a hard time handling the peat even at a low proof point ... but a nice 125 proof barrel proof - no issues 

[PyroZuki]

Maybe someday I'll grow up.  I just have a hard time handling the peat even at a low proof point ... but a nice 125 proof barrel proof - no issues 

Well, it's all about what you like. I really love the "extremes" from Isle of Islay. They are potent in the peat and smokey flavor.

Pyro

[Nitz]

I really love the "extremes" from Isle of Islay. They are potent in the peat and smokey flavor.

Same here.  I am more of a bourbon man, but I always have a bottle of Laphroaig 10 on hand.

It might be my seasoned (or destroyed) taste buds, but I really do not taste the peat out of any of the non-Islay scotch I have tried - especially all of the Speysides I have tried.

And yes, good call, whiskey and/or whisky can be a very expensive past time!

[Raquettedacker]

No. 
Guns and ammunition is..😎😎✌️✌️

[RuttNutt]

What is all this banter about pastimes and hobbies?!  Ice fishing is not a pastime or hobby.  It is a way of life.  Money is irrelevant!!

That’s what I tell my wife!    When she sees me getting out of bed in the wee hours on a Saturday she just shakes her head and asks.............”What lake is it THIS week?!” 

[zcm_82]

No. 
Guns and ammunition is..😎😎✌️✌️

+1. Antiques have gotten stupid expensive over the past decade, as have loading supplies.

[boatman]

You think ice fishing is expensive you could always go to a Taylor Swift concert for $1300 lol

[Scranton Joe]

You think ice fishing is expensive you could always go to a Taylor Swift concert for $1300 lol

Golfing,  yachting, skiing, or country clubbing has to be more expensive than ice fishing.
.