As the temperatures begin to drop, the leaves begin to change and the snow begins to fly the excitement among ice anglers rapidly builds with each frosty morning. To many of these folks, Christmas does not fall on December 25 but rather whenever their boots set foot on the first safe ice they can find each year. Ice fishing in South Dakota is not a hobby, but rather a time-honored tradition. While the sport we love remains the same, there may be no more rapidly evolving outdoor activity than ice fishing.
When you walk into a bait shop on a cold Saturday morning, the change in the sport is inevitable. While a few anglers may still be dressed in their favorite Carhartt jacket and chore bibs, the vast majority will be featuring suits specifically designed for ice fishing. While propane tanks used to be for the heavy yet effective heater, anglers are now purchasing propane to power their augers. In fact, many may leave the local gas station with everything except gas and two-stroke oil!
Indeed, the winds of change have hit the sport of ice fishing like strong north gusts on a frigid January day. With the fishing industry bringing so many new products and advancements into the sport, is our ice fishing tradition going to be changed forever? Let’s look at the where we’ve been and where we’re going.
A New Way to Drill
Whether you have the greatest advancements in rods, reels and electronics the most important aspect of ice fishing is being able to drill your hole to reach the fish! Your auger is the most important piece of equipment on any ice fishing trip and it is not a surprise the auger is what has seen the most changes the past several years. While the reliable two-stroke engine was once a staple of every ice fishing trip, in the span of just a few short years the two-stroke engine has become nearly obsolete.
Although the augers and engines themselves of years past continue to remain reliable and effective, new models that feature propane and electric powered options now dominate the shelves at the local tackle store. These augers feature a lighter, faster and more convenient way to drill your holes. That is, as long as you remember to charge your batteries!
Specializing Your Suit
As fashion trends come and go, one that has hit the ice fishing industry with a force is the specialized ice fishing suits. Replacing the winter chore bibs/coats and the camouflage hunting attire, these suits are specifically designed for anglers who spend their time on the hard water. These suits bring heavy insulation, padding for kneeling/sitting and in many suits a layer that allows for floatation should the angler end up in the water.
While the argument can be made that quality hunting gear and work wear can certainly keep you warm in the coldest elements, the number one selling point of an ice fishing suit should be the flotation. Being submerged in frigid water with the nearest source of external warmth a considerable distance away is a dangerous situation, but it is made more dangerous when the angler also must fight just to stay above the water’s surface. Aside from a mentality of safety and your ice picks around your neck, a floatation suit is one of the best safety devices on the water.
Rods and Reels
While some anglers still break out the stick rods and a bobber, many have embraced the wide array of ice fishing rods on the market. These newer rods offer enhanced sensitivity, strength for hooksets and fighting fish and are comfortable enough to be jigged all day long. Pairing these rods with many of the smallest reels companies are now offering makes for a light set up with incredible fishing abilities.
Like longer rods used for open water fishing, fishing tackle retailers offer a wide variety of options from cheaper to more high-end rods. There is one major difference when comparing open water and ice fishing set ups and that is the price. What may be a $100 open water rod, is only a $35 ice fishing rod. This pricing has opened the door for a new trend to emerge-custom ice rods. While high-end brand names such as Fenwick, 13 and St. Croix offer quality rods, many custom rod companies have taken the industry by storm.
These custom rods do come at a price. However, the price is not what it is in the open water rod market. A custom open water rod may run between $300-400 but may only be between $80-125 for an ice fishing custom rod. These decreased prices allow many ice anglers to justify the cost, when compared to what they might be fishing out of the boat in the summer.
Electronics
As more anglers purchase high-end “jigging rods”, the rapid change in the electronics market has also put more options in-front of anglers than ever before. While some anglers still hit the ice with their trusty Vexilar FL-8, the expansion of electronics offered to anglers has turned ice fishing almost into a video game.
Graphs featuring screens the size of computers and with more dials than your car radio offer more information and complexity to anglers than ever before. The emergence of “live sights” allow anglers to view fish, their approximate size and in many situations what species they are in real time. Underwater cameras also allow anglers to positively confirm species and see the lightest of bites as they happen.
Indeed, change is certainly upon us in the ice fishing world. While many anglers still love to keep it simple, others have embraced the new trends. One thing remains certain though, whether you are looking to sit back and watch a bobber or attack the ice with the latest and greatest gadgets it is an exciting time to be an ice angler!
