Get your Gear Ready!

[mtgrant]

The ice is almost here! It is time to get your gear ready. Alot of guys just carry a bucket with junk in it. Get organized. What about a sled. I use the plastic toboggan type and custom build a box that fits my auger, bucket and rods. I am always ready to go. Sharpen your auger blades and ck the fuel. Nothing worse than pulling a rope to the auger for more than a few times. Change the line on your reels. I like 6-8 lb. golden stren or Trilene green solar. I use a small barrel swivel at the terminal end and add flourocarbon fly tippet material. It is thinner and invisible. The colored line is for me to see the bites. If the bite is really lite, I use 2-4 lb. test on a reel with a good drag.  I prefer 5 ft rods so they help me set the hook quicker. Short rods slow down the hook set and are for confined spaces not better fishing. Sharpen all your hooks. 1 really sharp hook is better than trebles. Last year I did better with really small glow jigs. Test your fish finder. If you dont have one try one out. Even the basic Fishing Buddy styles work well. You know depth, temp and can mark structure and fish. Save the info on a GPS. Your fishing will become catching with less freezing and skunking!

[hunterdan1]

Hey Grant haven't seen you around laterly

[Jberg440]

I have no idea how i'd get a 5ft rod in my clam....    

[bquick]

 

Something must be in the air as I already pulled out all of my gear and have gone through it and prepped everything.  Got a few things on order and can't wait to hit the ice!

What new gear might you be looking at this year?

[fishin mt]

What r you guys doing still getting ready.  Me andmy boy were out catching them yesterday

[Jberg440]

What r you guys doing still getting ready.  Me andmy boy were out catching them yesterday

You can't just come on here blast a comment like that then NOT give us details on where there is ice!   

[fishin mt]

You find out how bad you are hooked to ice fishing when you go to extremes to find the ice.  I looked last weekend and didn't find it but I found it yesterday.  I learned not to give away all the details.  You will find it if you want to bad enough.

[JayHelfrich]

Lots of fishable ice.  You just have to find it and know you own limits.  I have been on several new to me lakes in North Dakota to find ice.  No fish yet but I hope to find some soon.

Jay

[Jberg440]

Well atleast post the GPS cords....haha! 

Maybe i'm getting soft but I gotta fill a couple more tags before I can officially hit the ice. Glad someone is getting out though!