What to buy
 

Hey guys, First post on here but I have been looking at this forum for a while now. This year I started to get into ice fishing with some moderate success, however I am using manual augers, no tent and no flasher. So my question to you guys is what would be the best thing to purchase first a gas auger, a good tent, or a flasher/camera?

Thanks for the help! getting tired of looking like a rookie out there.

Definitely a tent.

You can get a lot more out of your days on the ice with one. To me the rest are toys but the tent is a must. Depending on where your fishing (water clarity and depth) you'll be able to see down the hole and do the job of a camera.

Torn between the auger and flasher for 2nd, for me it would depend how much you like to move. Nothing makes you sit patiently like having to pack up and walk/drive to another bay/point and start punching holes by hand.

I'd be buying the auger first. On a normal winter with 3+ feet of ice, you will be darn happy with a power auger. If you hang tight for a couple of weeks I'm sure the big box stores will have them on sale. I see 2 good auger's on the "for sale" section here now.

Power Auger, Sonar, Tent, Camera would be the order I would purchase in. I might even put tent last unless your going with young kids or females who tend to get cold quick. Last year I only used my tent twice and that was when others came along.

Auger.

Why the Camera last? I'm in a similar boat. A friend and I have been discussing the importance of order on these. We'd kind of come to the conclusion sonar and camera would be our most important 2.

Reasoning behind this is that we can Cherry pick our weather so that puts the tent further back. A good hand auger (Fin Bore) can drill quite quickly and with 2 young operators switching off every 2-3 holes we can get a lot done.

But what we can't do is really see what's going on below us.

power auger hands down i own or have access to 5 tents and i have maybe sat in one for 2 hours this hole season

Auger, I've been fishing my whole life, mind you im only 28, and have never owned a tent and barly used one even when friends have them out. Just got camera this year and have never used or seen anyone use a sonar, we have always caught a ton of fish with out the fish finding gadgets.

I tend to cut a lot of holes when I get to a spot. Basically grid out the area then spend the rest of the time being quiet and fishing. By moving from hole to hole in the area I can fairly quickly tell you if there are fish there with the sonar and what height in the water column so don't need the camera for finding them. I can even tell basically what size the fish are with the sonar but I can't tell exactly what kind they are. So I have thought of getting a camera just to better tell species apart, hence why it is towards he bottom of the list.

It also it takes much longer to set up a camera for fishing than it does a sonar so it would slow me down.

Not at all saying they could not be a valuable tool though.

The order of what you buy really depends on how you fish. If you are into running and gunning a flasher and auger are the ticket. If you like to set up on a spot and stay there a camera and tent are key.

I have all the toys and sometimes that leads to an epic amount of work if I'm looking to move around. Not just drilling holes, it about packing up and re-setting the camera, chairs, heater, mats, packing up the tip ups and rods etc....

Most of the tents are pretty portable anyways. I don't see a small to medium size pop up any harder to take down or put back up compared to a large model. The sled bottom tents are great for running and gunning and do have some advantages this way - but they are small and don't let you enjoy stretching out your legs and having a conversation with some buddies.

For me - here's the list - I like to set up and stay put unless it really sucks ....

1) a good GPS to mark and return to good spots
2) Ice auger
3) Camera
4) Tent
5) Heater
6) Flasher

If I was run and gun ...

1) Auger
2) GPS
3) Flasher
4) Camera
5) Tent
6) Heater

Sounder next for sure, why when power augers are so much better than hand.

It gives you net new capabilities, though manually, you can get through the ice, a power auger won’t tell you the fish are suspended or what depth your bait is at or if there is a fish looking at your bait right now. Also the right sounder is a muti-season tool, mine takes about 5 minutes to convert from mounted on my kayak to ice fishing mode.

So many holes get drilled because folks are looking for a certain depth or active fish oddly things a fish finder is good for and since you can shoot through the ice you don’t have to drill as many holes in the first place.

Yes power augers rock compared to manual, but If the power auger is or tent is next is a toss up. If you drive on lots and run tip ups for pike then a tent is less useful, if you walk on or want to sight fish in shallow or clear water a tent is the way to go. And for me tents only come with heaters 

If the lake you fish has cell coverage then most smart phones have enough GPS functionality.

Cameras are fun/frustrating/useful all at the same time , you can have a hawg circle your bait and you can try different things and nothing you do makes them bite.

I use a one man tent and had more for my kids (suitcase model):thinking-006:

The auger is a Old Jiffy 8"(last year pic):test:

Camera is a Aqua..View ..Mini (today):sSig_cool2:

Good Luck :sign0111:

David:)

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Awesome, thanks for the in depth explanation!

If you're cold blooded and can stand the harsh weather on the ice this "run and gun" ***In my opinion*** Produces more fish.

Oh and GPS is a VERY under valued tool on the ice and in open water.

Auger for sure i have a tent I've sat in it half hour love the out side after you drill 3 or 4 holes in a2 feet of ice hard to wipe the smile of your face then you start buying the toys :) have fun

I did the same thing and went through this this year. I bought a pop up eskimo for 300$. I wish I had bought the auger, even though they are more money. To be honest the tent is useless without a heater, unless your fishing in heavy winds. and a pain in the arse to pack up when its full of ice at the end of the day in the dark. Buy an auger.

Here is what I would recommend

1 auger
2 tent. But you can always by a bag tent for 30 at the fishing hole

give this a go and as time goes on you will figure out what type of fishermen you are.

tell you what. I have a 2 man tent in great shape that you can have.

Send me a message and I will give you my address in Edmonton

Awesome!

thanks for the info guys, I have a few friends that work in fishing retail at some of the big box stores that informed me its all going on sale in the next week or two, so maybe I can get both an auger and a flasher :happy0180:

More I think about the more the tent would be just for the gf, shes happier and then I get to stay out longer

Auger was my best purchase by far. Tent is nice too. I have a flasher and camera but dont use them all the time.
But the auger most definitely gets the most use.

X2 ,
This order for sure. You can do without a tent if you have warm clothes and fish on the warmer days with little wind. Without a power auger, you will be drilling holes by hand and thats fine untill mid December, after that you will wish you had the auger. Should be some great sales on them right about now. A good sonar unit will help you catch more fish at least 2 fold if going for perch and walleye. If you fish for whites, then you will need a tent or suitcase style of tent.

That reminds me, I have an old suitcase style that I should maybe sell. :thinking-006: Maybe not? :thinking-006:

Yep X2

I personally have been waiting for the GPS+Sonar+Camera all in one to come out. Looked like Marum's new system might foot the bill but have never seen them released to the stores yet. And boy do they cost when you add in all the pieces. At least that way you would only have to carry 1 item which is a big factor for me.

I have had a tent for a number of years, along with a heater. Still using the hand auger, but I have been taking my kids with me since they were 2 and 3 (now 6 and 7) and the heater in the tent, along with a couple of things to keep them occupied during the slow periods definitely has allowed me to stay on the ice longer.

Auger .......can't fish without a hole in the ice......or holes! :sign0161: