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Christmas is the perfect time of year to get the ice fishing enthusiast in your life the perfect gift! Personally, I might enjoy ice fishing more than I enjoy open water fishing. There is something truly awesome about sitting in a warm tent with friends and family, catching fish, while there’s a blizzard outside!
Below, I’ve listed some of my favorite ice fishing gear. A lot of what I recommend has either been tested by me or is a product I know will perform very well.
The real beauty of gift giving to anglers is that you just can’t give a bad gift. If they don’t have it, they want it; and if they do have it, they will want two.
Under $50
Backroad Mapbooks – Backroad mapbooks are a must for planning your next adventure into the wilderness. I keep them in my fishing truck and reference them whenever I head out to a new body of water!
13 Fishing Snitch Ice Rod – This is currently my favorite ice rod. It has enough sensitivity to detect those light trout bites, but enough backbone to handle a walleye. One of the best Ice Rod values without going custom!
Northland Buck-Shot Spoons – These spoons are one of my go-to lures for walleye, trout and perch. They are a great addition to any tackle box.
Rapala Jigging Raps – A staple walleye bait, summer or winter!
MEC Fingerless Gloves – I don’t normally wear gloves while ice fishing, but if its cold enough these Auclair Rag Wool gloves are pretty much the only ones I use.
Yeti Coffee Mugs – Often when the bite gets hot, your coffee can get cold. My only complaint with the Yeti coffee cups is that my coffee stays too hot for too long.
Eskimo XL Tripod Chair – The XL chair is much more comfortable than the standard size version. I’ve used mine for almost every trip last year.
Under $100
Chekai Tungsten Bugs – Custom Jigs and Spins is the OG of tungsten and plastics. This collection contains all my favorite colors!
Flambeau Bunk Box – I use the Bunk box as my all in one rod and tackle storage. It keeps all my gear safe and I am able to keep my rods rigged and ready for action.
Walleye Jig Kits – I’m very impressed with the jigs from Big Sky Flies and Jigs, no matter how rough I am with them the paint never seems to chip!
Fenwick HMG Ice Rod – 30″ rods are the perfect length for fishing both inside a shelter and standing outside. i’ve been loving the HMG rods from Fenwick, they have a more moderate action and have been perfect when paired with braided line.
Under $250
Mr. Heater Buddy Portable – The Buddy Portable is the original. The perfect amount of heat for 1-3 person shelters.
Cold Nation Ice Defense Pro – This will be one of the hottest ice fishing accessories on the market this year. Get one quick, while you can!
Over $250
Strikemaster 40V Ice Auger – The Strikemaster 40V is one of the best electric augers on the market. Often throughout the season Strikemaster will offer a second battery for free for a limited time, keep an eye out for the sale!
Helix Ice Unit – My favorite part of using a Helix as my all season fish finder is that I can build custom maps using Autochart Live. Don’t forget to pair it with a Lithium Battery for all day performance!
Marcum Underwater Camera – The Marcum VS485c is one of the most affordable underwater cameras and has a great picture for the price.
Yeti Hopper 12 – In my opinion, the Yeti Hopper 12 is the perfect size for a day on the ice. Not only is it important to keep things cold, but the right cooler will keep your lunch from freezing as well.
Clam Kenai Pro Thermal – If you’re looking for a one person shelter, look no further than the Kenai Pro Thermal. It has long been the standard that all other shelters are measured.
Eskimo Eskape Flip-Over – For the run and gun angler, the flip over ice shelters are hard to beat. The Eskape Series is new this year but fair warning, they are heavy!
Otter Lodge Hub Shelter – The Otter Lodge is the hub shelter that I personally use. In my opinion it’s the perfect size, plenty of room for three anglers with room to squeeze in four; but it’s not so large that its difficult to use when solo.
