Nothing beats a day on the ice with your favorite gang of fishermen. Whether you like to set up a few tip-ups solo and sip coffee from your favorite chair or sled out a day’s worth of food, drinks, and gear for you and all your fishermen friends, we’ve tracked down some awesome items you’ll want to consider for any style of ice fishing. There are items here for bringing the party out onto the ice, as well as for staying warm and comfortable. Portability and gear load was a big factor in selecting the items on this list — there’s an awesome selection of highly portable gear here but don’t forget to consider using a tote sled if you want to really bring everything along!
We’ve tried to imagine every type of ice fishermen and selected a short list of equipment that just about every angler will find useful. If you’re interested in purchasing a new auger for this season make sure to check out the Best Hand Augers for Ice Fishing post – there are some sweet units there that could really up your winter fishing game.
When my pals and I are out ice fishing it’s just as much about the comradery as it is about catching fish. Tight lines, hot meals, good music, and maybe a few beers go great with any frozen water body. Read through our list of ice fishing accessories and consider what you and your fishing buddies might think about adding to your gear locker this season.
Depending on your style and where you’re ice fishing, this could be an awesome item for you. Any ice fisherman who already employs a shelter will recognize this as an awesome value deal. Ice fishing shelters can be quite the luxury on those particularly windy or snowy days – for under $150 it might really be worth owning one regardless of where and when you’re fishing. This two man hut from Eskimo could be the perfect introduction to ice fishing with a shelter or make the ideal upgrade if your current unit is becoming battle-worn or outdated.
This is a fairly spacious unit, the footprint is 60 by 60 inches while the available elbow room is 76 by 76 inches. There should be plenty of space for you and a buddy to set up some seats and get cozy. There’s only one door on this unit so you’ll both have to enter and exit through the same side of the shelter.
The YKK zippers used are of superior quality so you won’t have to worry about dealing with a faulty door. The 300 denier ‘ice tight’ fabric employed in the design is built with a higher thread count than a lot of comparable shelters – this unit is built to be dam resilient to the elements.
The six included self-tapping ice anchors are equally as durable and designed not to bend under high strain. There’s even four separate detachable hook and loop windows for controlling the shelter’s ventilation.
The interior fabric is black to minimize light shining through your ice hole and to maximize visibility. All things considered, no doubt the best feature of this shelter is its incredibly easy set-up and break down. It utilizes a hub system similar to a lot of hunting blinds and erects in less than 60 seconds with some practice! The entire unit is only 18 pounds and collapses into a cinch pack you can easily carry or toss into your gear sled.
The strength, size, portability and of course price of this shelter make it a great ice fishing companion.
What’s a day on the ice without a hot thermos full of coffee, cider or cocoa? Here’s a nice big thermos for family or larger group use. This 34 ounce unit is perfect for filling up with hot toddys to stay warm, or coffee to stay awake.
The vacuum insulation technology employed into the design of this product both effectively preserves flavor and keeps your beverage hot or cold for an impressive 24 hours! The 18/8 stainless steel on the interior and exterior of this thermos makes it very durable, you can absolutely knock this one around on your ice fishing trips and other outdoor excursions. There’s even a stainless steel cup conveniently incorporated into the lid and the easy pour handle is retractable.
A detachable shoulder strap for use hiking or snowshoeing is also included and will no doubt come in handy if you don’t use an ice fishing sled. If you like the idea of brewing your own coffee while out on the ice with your camp stove, then check out this awesome stainless steel French press — it will compliment this thermos nicely.
As far as a high volume thermos goes, this is no doubt one of the best options available that will serve you well for many fishing seasons. If you’re looking for something a little smaller than this 34 ounce unit, make sure to read through our Top 14 Best Thermoses post — there are some awesome smaller options there!
Whether or not you use a sled to haul all out all your gear onto the ice, utilizing a fishing backpack could be a great move. A well designed fishing backpack with a thoughtful schematic can be a seriously righteous companion no matter what style of fishing you’re into. Once you’ve set up your pack, it becomes your personal gear locker – your tackle, lunch, fishing accessories and bait all mindfully arranged into a compact, portable unit.
Here’s a killer backpack for bringing along a ton of gear. This pack by Wild River is built to accommodate for all your tackle and additional fishing equipment. There’s a large upper compartment containing removable dividers as well as a lower tray compartment that can store up to four large tackle trays.
Wild River offers this pack alone, or includes four #3600 style tackle trays for only an additional $10. The two larger pockets provide a large amount of storage capacity here – if space is what you’re looking for this is a great choice. In addition to the main backpack compartments, there’s a large array of external pockets and places to secure and mount fishing gear.
Between the exterior loops and mesh pockets there is plenty of space to customize where and how you want to mount your clippers, forceps and whatever else you might want to have on hand. The bottom of this pack is built flat and reinforced with base pads so the backpack can stand upright and remain dry when placed on wet or snowy ice. Furthermore, there’s a waterproof pouch deeper within the pack for tucking away your paper fishing license or water sensitive electronics.
This is a large, but mindfully compact work station that will go where you go. The materials used in the design, as well as the flat, waterproof backpack bottom, make this a winner for use ice fishing.
Even the strapping is built mindfully on this pack – it’s not the most superior feature of this pack by any means but the quality is certainly adequate for handling heavy loads comfortably. Padded shoulder straps and an added sternum strap assist with weight support when you really want to load this bad boy up. For a fishing backpack at this price this is a seriously versatile option with a lot of potential.
The Nomad LED Camo Pack also employs an LED light system into the design. The light runs on two AAA batteries and provides top-down illumination when things get dark so you can keep fishing! It’s a pretty cool innovation that makes a lot of sense for inclusion on a fishing backpack.
You also get a steel cable fishing zinger with this purchase for securing clippers or forceps to the exterior of the pack. A full coverage rain cover is also included with this pack so your gear will remain dry no matter the weather conditions.
If you have the funds to spring for an upgraded version of this pack, you’ll want to check out the Nomad XP LED Lighted Backpack with USB Charging System. It’s the ultimate version of this backpack series by Wild River that can charge your electronic devices directly from an incorporated power bank within the pack. It even comes with four separate power adapter tips (Apple lightening, Apple 30-pin and micro/mini USB) so you can power up your phone, camera, GPS or whatever else! The purchase also includes two tackle trays – no doubt a kick ass deal from Wild River.
What’s a day on the lake or pond without a grill? If you and your fishing friends have a passion for searing steaks or cooking up dogs, the Coleman Perfect Flow Grill Stove is going to be your new best friend. This simple unit by Coleman is a top performing, reliable camp stove and grill all in one.
I can personally attest to this camp stoves ability – a companion and I spent over two months camping across national parks through the United States this past fall and we cooked almost all of our meals on this trusty Coleman grill. This unit performed flawlessly consistent day after day over our entire trip.
The two in one design allows you to use the stove and grill simultaneously so you won’t waste any time alternating between burners. Coleman’s Wind Block panels are an awesome addition to this model that help to shield the burners from wind and can also be folded down to be used as side tables. It’ a really underrated feature – when battling high winds out on an open body of water it’s immensely helpful to have some built-in protection from frustrating gusts of wind.
The Perfect Flow Grill/Stove puts out an impressive 20,000 total BTUs of cooking power, so there’s not really anything this stove can’t do in terms of camp cooking. It fits up to a ten-inch pan on the stove and has a total of 130 square inches of grill space, so despite the compact size of this model you can cook a pretty decent amount of food on this bad boy!
One last thing to mention is that this is a very fuel efficient unit — you won’t go through fuel canisters quickly with this one. Whether you’re preparing a fishermen’s feast or just need to boil some water for a cup of joe, this unit is a highly reliable and easy to use option.
If you’re interested in owning a smaller, more portable camp stove for backpack use or an even larger, more serious unit for an all-out tailgating approach to ice fishing with friends, check out our Top 10 Best Portable Cookers for Camping list for some other awesome options.
Do you have a hard time keeping your hands comfortably warm when out on the ice? If you’re like me and have poor circulation to your hands, then you’ll LOVE owning a hunting hand warmer and wonder why in god’s name you havn’t been using one for years!
This is a Polyester, brushed Tricot shell hand muff intended for hunting that might not be the greatest quality, but still performs well in the cold.
Hot Shot has designed this muff with 80 grams of thinsulate insulation and neoprene punch-through cuffs. There’s a shaped textpac with a clear window for using a smart phone included in this handwarmer that functions great when it’s not fogged up. Extremely cold temperatures will create some condensation and can make this feature difficult to utilize.
An external pocket against the backside of the muff adds a bit of extra storage. All in all a great all around unit for outlasting fellow fishermen.
Every ice fisherman needs a throne. If you and the gang plan on breaking out the grill, blasting some tunes and catching some fish for the greater part of the day, a comfortable seat is a must. This fishing chair might be a little excessive for some anglers considering its size and weight (15 pounds), but it’s a seriously comfortable and practical seat for any angler who has a way of carrying it out onto the ice.
If you use a gear sled to haul out your equipment then this is the seat for you – good luck keeping your pals out of it.
This chair includes a small side table with a cup holder as well as an attached cooler. These features add some serious versatility to this ice fishing chair, making it a solid value for the cost.
Note that this is a truly heavy duty chair at almost 15 pounds, so consider something else if you’re looking for an easy to carry option.
The cooler is perfect for a six pack of beer, or perhaps the ideal spot to stash your bait. Its insulating properties are not fantastic by any means, but it’s a great innovation to include in a camping chair that’s perfect for ice fishing!
The durable steel frame can hold up to 330 pounds, so this is a solid option for larger sized anglers. The breathable polyester fabric stays taught and won’t sag under pressure while the inherent design of the frame is designed to last long term. If you’re a fisherman or woman with reduced mobility, getting in and out of this seat is easy!
You’re going to need a pot and pan set for that camp stove if you want to cook anything other than burgers and dogs. This set by ProHealth is a great addition to any camping, fishing or backpacking gear locker. You can saute vegetables, heat up sauce or even cook pasta with this set – the possibilities are endless.
Why limit your ice fishing feasts to just barbequed food when you have a working camp stove that can cook anything!? The titanium construction of this cooking ware makes it super lightweight (under 10 ounces) without sacrificing durability.
Most customer reviews of this set mention how it weighs next to nothing. All the pieces are tasteless, odorless, and will not rust or corrode. They are also non-allergenic for those that keep an eye out for that.
The lid-pan and pots can be nestled together in order to create a double boiler or can of course be used separately. The whole set nests together tightly when stored and it even comes with a mesh carry pouch included. All three pieces may be a bit excessive for the solo ice fishermen – check out this smaller sized but fully inclusive mess kit if you’re only going to be cooking for yourself out there.
For those days where you and the whole gang load up to fish from dawn till dusk, you’ll be thrilled to have some larger cooking ware. This set is also dishwater safe, so you’ll likely even end up using it at home given the quality of the materials and design.
You may not have expected to see this item on this list, but when you think about it – why not bring a portable water filter with you fishing? You’ve got easy access to fresh water right through any holes you drill – just lean in and drink whenever you’re thirsty!
This could be a great alternative to lugging a few heavy gallons of water with you out onto the ice – just tell everyone to bring their own LifeStraw, they’re only $20! I think we can all be impressed with this filter, it’s a seriously cool and highly practical recent innovation in safe water filtration. The LifeStraw has changed the game for both packing and consuming water while doing anything outdoors.
For a surprisingly low cost you can stride through the wilderness in confidence knowing that you can safely drink from freshwater sources. The LifeStraw removes a minimum of 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria (>LOG 6 reduction) and even surpasses the EPA’s standards for water filters. Without using chlorine, iodine or any other chemicals, the LifeStraw will filter up to 1000 liters of contaminated water over its lifespan.
I’ve even read some customer reviews that insisted the lifespan of their LifeStraw was more than doubled by securing a regular coffee filter to the end of the filter with a rubber band! This might not be terribly practical for when you’re ice fishing, but keep that tip in mind when you’re using the LifeStraw for other activities.
For a super reasonable cost you can add a LifeStraw to your ice fishing sled, survival kit, backpacking equipment or regular camp gear. At such an affordable price it’s in my opinion totally worth owning a few of these units for the whole ice fishing gang, there’s free shipping on orders over $25!
Here’s the gear sled we’ll mention time after time within this post. If you’re going out on the ice for a full day of fishing, you’re going to need an effective method of bringing all your gear along.
This polyethylene sled from Shappell is likely just what you need to slide out all your essential equipment as far onto the ice as you need to go! The specially contoured hull is designed to allow for easy pulling by hand but of course will tow behind an ATV or snowmobile nicely as well – this thing moves!
It’s 54 by 24 inches and 10 inches deep, so there’s plenty of space for chairs, tip-ups, rods, bait and of course your grill, fuel and food for the day! I think this unit is the perfect size to bring along your more cumbersome gear, but if you really load up for days fishing on the ice then maybe you need a larger unit like this one also from Shappell.
Looking to up your ice fishing game this season? Check out our top 10 list of radical accessories to bring with you out on the ice this year and do it up big!
