BRAINERD, MN - JANUARY 25: Dave Stecker catch...Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Fishing through the ice is a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. Unlike other Winter sports, it’s cheap to get fixed up and with just a little bit of knowledge, a Greenhorn can have an excellent chance at success their first trip onto the ice.

But what’s required to begin ice fishing? One has so many choices in fishing reels on the market now, First Timer could easily lay out hundreds of their hard earned money on ice fishing supplies and never get what they really need.

Knowing this, I sit down and made this collection of basic ice fishing tackle that a First Timer will need to start. What’s even better is that for less money than it cost for a trip to the grocery store, you should be able to nab all the fishing gear that a Beginner will need to start fishing.

Before anything else, you will need an auger meant for ice fishing to cut holes in the hard water. I recommend a 5 or 6 inch ice auger for panfish. For bigger fish like Walleye, Pike or Channel Catfish, then I recommend a 8 or 10 inch ice auger. You have two choices, power augers or the manual augers. You need to keep in mind that the manual augers are less expensive but require more effort to drill a hole. You will also need a scoop to get the ice chips out of the ice hole.

You’ll want to buy quality tip ups or ice rods. A lot of fishermen bore a lot of holes over rock piles, weed beds and other types of bottom structure and use numerous tip-ups to increase their chances of catching fish. Other fishermen prefer to ice fish with an ice fishing rod. For Beginners, I’d want a few tip ups along with a good rod so you can see which tactic catches you the most fish.

Fishing line should be designed for cold water that is associated with ice fishing. The near freezing water can make the line so stiff that it breaks easily. That’s why you’ll want to be sure and obtain line specifically designed for ice fishing. Cortland makes a product called Ice Line that is great. The line you buy for ice fishing is the most crucial part of your ice fishing supplies.

Beginners will want to get some jigs and lures designed for ice fishing. Tiny jigs are excellent for panfish like Perch, Bluegill and Crappie. Also tear drop jigs and tiny spoons will come in handy when the panfish get finicky. As for bait, panfish love mealworms and spikes while larger fish such as Walleye prefer Worms or baitfish like smelt. Be sure to talk to local fishermen to see what’s they recommend a Beginner use their first time out on the ice.

It would be wise to bring something to sit on. Many seasoned ice fishermen prefer an ordinary five gallon bucket. Some will even bring lawn chairs out on the ice, but a 5 gallon bucket will also help you haul your gear to and from the ice.

And this is all you need to to start ice fishing. Make sure you get a fishing license and read up on the regulations for the body of water you plan on going fishing at. Getting a ticket for breaking a law can put a damper on your ice fishing efforts. You’re cleared to go fishing and start drilling holes in the lake. Never forget the first rule of ice fishing, be safe and follow all the safety rules for fishing on the ice.

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