Beginner's Guide to Ice Fishing Gear

Published February 6, 2026 12:21PM

Like any style of fishing, ice fishing definitely has a learning curve. Even as an avid fly and spin fisherman with loads of diverse experience, my first time stepping out onto the ice was surprisingly intimidating. Getting kitted out with the right ice fishing gear took cold toes, damp hands, and more than a few fishless days.

Whether you’re a weekend warrior like myself or an aspiring hard water enthusiast with prolonged primo winter forecasts, my recommendation remains the same: start with some budget essentials and leave the high-ticket items for later. Not only will introductory-level gear provide a more affordable entry into the sport, but leaning into the bare-bones basics will also inherently give you a more intimate understanding of how ice fishing “works.” The portable tent heaters, top-tier jigging rods, and fancy fish finders will be there when you’re ready; for now, let’s talk about the ice fishing gear you need for liftoff.

Best Ice Fishing Gear: At a Glance

While your existing cold-weather wardrobe is likely suitable for most ice fishing applications, a proper pair of insulated bibs will elevate your experience on the hard water by providing a full-coverage layer to break the wind, trap your body heat, and, most importantly, keep you bone dry. Kneeling on the ice all day long to set baits, clear holes, and handle fish will wet out your pants in no time, a sure way to lose your precious body heat and pack it up early. A pair of bibs not only traps all of your body’s warmth in your own personal hot sock, but it also effectively shields you from the inevitable wetness one expects while ice fishing.

The Striker Ice Fishing Bib offers a great balance of price and performance for aspiring anglers. Built with a 600-denier waterproof shell and 150g of Thermadex insulation, these bibs are built to take a beating. The design provides high coverage to keep your torso properly insulated while still retaining excellent freedom of movement.

Warmth and weatherproofing aside, these bibs are equipped with two high-capacity thigh pockets and D-rings for quick access to essentials. Crucially, these bibs have Sureflote Flotation technology, a vital safety feature that can keep an average person afloat for up to two hours.

While many ice fishing boots provide awesome insulation and traction, you probably don’t need a new pair just for fishing the hard water. If you already own a warm pair of boots that keep your feet dry, try purchasing a pair of crampons to keep you upright on the ice. Even when there’s a layer of snow over the lake that feels safe to walk on, the areas you clear for drilling and fishing remain slick, so don’t risk an unnecessary injury.

The FreeSteps6 from Hillsound is an easy-to-deploy, affordable traction system compatible with most footwear. Simply stretch the elastomer harness over your boots to engage 21 stainless steel 7mm spikes. The heavy-duty material stays stretchy in sub-zero temperatures, and at just 12 ounces for a medium size, they’re incredibly lightweight.

Cold hands are a sure way to cut your day of fishing short. A pair of purpose-built, waterproof ice fishing gloves is crucial for remaining comfortable on the hard water.

KastKing’s IceRiver Fishing Gloves keep your hands dry and insulated, without breaking the bank. Constructed from 2.2mm neoprene with stitched and glued seams, they are completely waterproof—so you can reach into bait buckets or slushy holes without suffering the consequences. The polar fleece lining provides warmth, while embossed non-slip palms ensure a secure grip even in frigid temps.

While the gloves are thin and dexterous enough for reeling, setting tip-ups, and (crucially) cracking open a beer, tasks like tying knots, unhooking fish, and snapping photos will still require bare fingers. A pair of Palmyth pop-top mittens enables you to briefly expose your fingers. Whatever you go with, remember that wet hands equal cold hands, so make sure you’ve got your waterproof bases covered.

Before stepping out onto the ice, you need a transport system for your ice fishing gear. Carrying a few tip-ups and your bait bucket alone will leave your hands full, and who wants to do multiple snowy, slippery treks from the truck to the prime fishing spot and back again? A utility sled that you can pull or tow with an ATV or snowmobile is your best friend. Period.

The Pelican TREK 45 Utility Sled is a rugged, reliable workhorse. Measuring 45.5 by 20 inches with an eight-inch depth, it offers a 71-liter volume and can carry up to 130 pounds. Sure, there are larger utility sleds, but we find the TREK 45 to be a wonderfully affordable choice for hauling the essentials (but admittedly, not much else). You can always add extra gear capacity and rod protection with a few sled-compatible rod holders.

Built with high-density polyethylene runners, this sled tracks straight and is built to last. Pelican includes a tow rope and integrated rim indentations for securing bungee cords or tie-downs. At just six pounds, pulling this sled by hand is a breeze unless you diabolically load it up. Perfect for hauling an auger, bait bucket, cooler, and a few other items, it’s a built-to-last transport system that you’ll likely find yourself using both on and off the ice.

While it might not necessarily sound like an ice fishing gear essential, trust us when we say you’re going to want a place to sit down out there. To save space in your sled, the WarBull Bucket Swivel Seat converts an already useful five-gallon bucket into a 360-degree throne, so you can monitor all of your flags.

The seat features a 1.9-inch thick EVA memory foam cushion that provides padding sans bulk, protected by a waterproof and grime-proof cover. The best feature of this handy ice fishing companion is the fact that it spins, so you can easily keep watch on all your tip-ups. Since most anglers already carry a bucket for live bait or gear storage, this seating option is a cheat code no matter how you cut it. You’ve gotta love a two-for-one combo.

If you frequently re-rig live baits and use an aerator, consider a seat that allows easy access into the bucket. The Frabill Strato Seat, for example, allows just enough bucket access to snag a new shiner without removing the lid or even standing up.

Even beginners know you can’t catch fish without a hole in the ice. While gas-powered augers are impressive, they’re overkill in most situations. Hand-powered augers or ice spuds are lighter and easier to transport, but they require some elbow grease. That being said, the more holes you have drilled, the greater your chances of finding where fish are holding, so a powered auger can be handy when it comes to covering more water.

Enter the best of both worlds: the Nordic Legend E-Drill Ice Auger. Instead of a heavy gas-powered auger, it uses an electric drill as a power source. That way, you can drill holes faster and with less strain on your body. The universal adapter is compatible with most 18V–20V drills, and the nylon flighting with an aluminum stem keeps the weight surprisingly low.

Despite its portability, it doesn’t lack power. It features three adjustable heights for thick ice and long-lasting, replaceable blades. The required battery power is notably quite modest—I’ve run this bad boy all day long on a single standard 6 Ah battery.

Nordic Legend offers both a 6-inch and an 8-inch diameter option; go with the 6-inch option if you’re targeting panfish, trout, and walleye, and the 8-inch option if you’re targeting larger species like lake trout and pike. Considering its portability, power, and convenience, this auger is a fantastic value.

While you could rig a DIY alternative, an ice skimmer is both handy and affordable—making it a no-brainer in your ice fishing gear. Its main job is to clear slush from your holes without getting your hands wet.

We like this budget option for two reasons: it’s extendable, and it contains a slightly deeper spoon. By extending up to 2.4 feet, it saves your back and knees by eliminating the need to bend over constantly to clear ice. The deeper spoon allows for more efficient clearing and doubles as a tool to lift baits out of your livewell without having to reach in there. Once again… note my affinity for dry hands.

Sure, we said owning state-of-the-art electronics isn’t necessary for ice fishing beginners, but there are some fish finders perfect for the amateur ice angler. In my experience, it’s more important to understand the depth you’re fishing at, as well as the topography and structure of the bottom, than marking fish. That way, you can draw patterns between certain depths and features of the bottom, and where/why the fish occur there. With the Deeper PRO+ 2, you can do it all.

Deeper is an innovative brand offering a handful of brilliant devices for better understanding the bodies of water you fish. Their portable fish finders are self-powered and use your smartphone as a monitor, requiring almost no setup beyond app installation. The PRO+ 2 is perfect for ice fishing due to its extended battery life, superior scanning depth, and three different sonar beam angles. Operating this handy tool is simple: turn it on, connect via Wi-Fi, and drop it into a hole to instantly see depth, temperature, and lurking fish.

With built-in GPS, the PRO+ 2 allows you to chart the entirety of a lake and really get to know your favorite fishing spots. Better yet, all of Deeper’s fish finders are castable, so it’s useful even when ice fishing season ends. A wonderfully versatile and easy-to-operate fish finder, the PRO+ 2 is without a doubt worth investing in for your first round of ice fishing gear.

Beyond your auger, tip-ups are the most important piece of ice fishing gear for actually catching fish. While tip-ups come in countless shapes, sizes, and operating methods, their role and application remain the same—it’s a tool that enables you to deploy a baited line that alerts you with a flag when a fish bites. By setting up a handful of tip-ups, you can cover a lot more water, try fishing different baits, and investigate the activity at different depths. For this reason, we suggest that aspiring ice anglers purchase at least three or four tip-ups in order to dramatically boost their odds of success—the more, the merrier!

Here’s how it works: rig your main line with bait and a weight, set the flag trigger, and drop your bait down your ice hole so that the tip-up spans across it. When a fish pulls the line, the flag pops up. Most tip-ups have sensitivity settings to avoid false triggers. Success depends on finding the right depth (perhaps using your fish finder) and setting the flag trigger upwind and to the right sensitivity to avoid chasing false flags all day. Once you’ve got your preferred settings honed, that’s when the fun starts. For me, the greatest joy of ice fishing is racing your buddies to the nearest tip-up when you notice a flag is up. Who said fishing doesn’t involve cardio?

The tip-up you go with is not terribly important; I’ve probably caught more fish on my grandfather’s ancient wooden set than I have on anything modern. That said, the Frabill Blackhawk Tip-Up is perfect for beginners. It’s easy to operate, built reliably, and affordable enough to grab a decent arsenal. It features two trip settings for light and heavy winds, plus it’s pre-lubed to ensure smooth operation (even in low temps). Its shaft-in-shaft design makes maintenance easy.

While tip-ups help cover water, don’t deny yourself the joy of a spinning setup in your ice fishing gear kit. There’s nothing more fun than dropping a bait or artificial lure down and vertically jigging. A spinning setup lets you use live bait or simple lures designed for vertical jigging (like a Swedish Pimple for targeting trout, bass, and panfish). You’ll need a rod with a fast action for high sensitivity in order to feel subtle bites and a stiff backbone for setting the hook and lifting the fish—avoid a floppy noodle at all costs.

The Ugly Stik Elite Ice Spinning Combo is a durable, budget-friendly starter setup. Featuring Ugly Stik’s signature graphite and fiberglass construction, this rod is both strong and sensitive, checking all the necessary bases. While the included reel is fine for ice fishing beginners, the real star is the bombproof rod. If you’re already an angler, go ahead and use your freshwater spinning reel on this rod—chances are you’ve got a suitable one in your gear locker already.

Here's All the Ice Fishing Gear You Need for Your First Time on the "Hard Water"

Best Ice Fishing Gear: At a Glance

Striker Ice Fishing Bib with Sureflote Flotation

Hillsound FreeSteps6 All-Purpose Traction System

KastKing IceRiver Fishing Gloves

Pelican Multi-Purpose TREK 45 Utility Sled

WarBull 5 Gallon Bucket Swivel Seat

Nordic Legend E-Drill Ice Auger & Universal Adapter

Huntury Retractable Ice Fishing Skimmer

Deeper PRO+ 2 Portable Fish Finder

Frabill Ice Fishing Tip-Ups

Ugly Stik Elite Ice Spinning Combo