If you're looking for ice fishing information you've come to the right place. You'll find lots of great ice fishing tips and techniques to help you catch more fish as well as gear and equipment recommendations to make your time ice fishing more enjoyable. Your first priority on the ice should be safety but catching fish is a really close second!
We get a lot of questions here at USAngler, and for anglers new to the sport, that’s completely understandable. If you’ve never been out on the water, or you’ve only been fishing with friends who did most of the heavy lifting, you may not know much beyond the basics - and there’s nothing wrong with […]
Fishing at night can be incredibly productive, and that doesn’t change once the water hardens and the mercury plummets. But a successful night fishing through the ice takes some preparation and know-how, and it’s that extra bit of knowledge that separates an adventure in the dark from a freezing night spent on the ice with […]
Michigan’s waters promise great ice fishing every winter, and as enthusiasts across the state - and country - know, there are simply fantastic opportunities to catch walleye, pike, panfish, and rarer freshwater species like splake. Blessed with lots of great places to fish, we’ve culled all but the best, offering you a list of the […]
When the mercury drops and the ice hardens, anglers in Minnesota can feel their adrenaline start pumping. Home to more than 10,000 lakes, the state is blessed with world-class ice fishing nearly everywhere you turn. We had a hard time picking our top 10 destinations for winter , but our shortlist offers the most impressive […]
Icemen are a special breed for whom even the best sleds just aren’t good enough. From the need to keep their gear covered and secure to customized organization, they demand what they need and won't settle for anything less. And the good news is that they’re more than willing to share their fishing sled ideas, […]
A Smitty sled is a clever modification of a standard plastic snow sled, adding skis to the bottom to reduce friction and make it easier to pull. Avid icemen already know that a heavily-loaded sled tends to sink into the snow, making it a real chore to pull by hand. If that sounds familiar, you […]
Ice anglers look for every advantage they can get, but at the end of the day, what they’re really fishing for is fun. Tip-ups have proven themselves effective for a very long time, but they’re not great for catch-and-release fishing, nor are they much help when you get a big fish on your line. Enter […]
Wisconsin is home to some of America’s most enthusiastic ice anglers, and it’s easy to see why. Excellent opportunities for hard-water fishing are plentiful nearly anywhere you turn, and winter in Wisconsin promises plenty of excitement. Seven locations really stand out as premier ice fishing spots, and if you’re looking for hard-water action, you won’t […]
Every ice angler knows just how hard the ice is, and kneeling down to work can be murder on your knees. Worse still, the cold that seeps into your bones through your feet can be just plain brutal. Unfortunately, the vast majority of ice fishing tents, including many of the very best options, don’t offer […]
A sharp blade is a safe blade, and that’s as true of ice augers as it is of knives and axes. A sharp auger blade will bite ice without requiring much force from you, and less downward pressure on the auger leads to less risk should it fail to bite and kick. And, of course, […]
If you’re getting ready for ice fishing, you’re not alone. We are too! And if you’re anything like us, you’re counting the days until the ice is thick enough to fish. Until then, preparation is key, and as any experienced angler can tell you, the right gear is essential to make the most of your […]
If there’s one thing all ice anglers can agree on, it’s that tip ups are an effective way to cover a lot of hard water no matter how cold the weather is. And if the thought of a lake packed with pike and walleye, but covered in ice and snow, gets your heart pounding, we […]
The northern pike, Esox lucius, is a common predator in freshwater lakes and rivers where ice fishing is popular. Armed with a mouthful of sharp, backward-facing teeth and a sleek olive green body sporting a white belly, the pike is the stuff of nightmares for other fish--and the fuel of dreams for many anglers. Massive, […]
This ice fishing gear and equipment checklist was put together so you won't forget anything important the next time you head out on the ice. Fishing License Fishing Rods & Reels (insure your line is in good shape) Tackle Box Tip-Ups Live Bait (minnows and/or grubs) Auger (and fresh gas) Heater (and fuel canisters) Sonar […]
