Ice fishing is one of our favorite Winter past times. With ice covering the lakes of most northern states by January each year, millions of fishermen carry their gear out on the ice to punch a few holes and try their luck. To get out on the ice and start reeling-in fish it doesn’t take much when you get right down to it. All you truly need is some warm winter clothes, an ice spud, a rod and reel combo, some bait and a little free time. Though, if you truly want to make it an enjoyable experience you’re going to need a shelter, some comfortable seating, a heater and a few gadgets that make life on the ice more enjoyable.

To kick-off this season we’ve partnered with some of the biggest brands in ice fishing to test out some of the best equipment on the market. Whether you’re into ice fishing already or are just getting started it can be hard to keep up with what’s new and exciting. To help you find worthwhile equipment we’ve put together the list below, featuring products we’ve testing hands-on in the field.

– SHELTER –

To say the Ambush DLX is roomy would be an understatement! This ice shanty has plenty of room for two fishermen, seats, gear, beer and more. With the addition of a third (additional purchase) seat you can even squeeze a another fisherman into the DLX – though for pure comfort sake we highly suggest sticking to the two-man setup for maximum elbow and leg room. And beyond it’s vast footprint, the Ambush DLX is amazingly simple to transport and set up in just a matter of minutes (our personal record 2.5 mins!) The entire shelter folds down into an easy to transport sled which is capable of carrying all your fishing gear, seats, auger, shovel and any other odds-n-ends you might need for a day on the ice.

Selling new for $700, the Frabill Ambush DLX is a great value for ice fishermen who are looking for a shanty that provides easy setup, spacious fishing quarters and exceedingly comfy amenities. It may sound like we’re describing a hotel stay and that’s what it feels like! Over the years our crew has had the opportunity to fish from many a ice shelter and this one from the boys at Frabill is top notch. It’s a great investment for any seasoned fisherman.

If you’re in the market for a two-man ice fishing shelter, you’d be hard pressed to find a better option than the Ambush DLX from Frabill. We took this beast to the unrelenting lakes of Northern Michigan for the better half of the winter to test its merits and in the end we were happily surprised with the results. It’s not everyday products live up to their claims, but on the criteria of comfort, durability, setup and value the Fishouflage Ambush DLX exceeded our expectations. This is an ice shelter for true ice fishermen!

Pro Tip: Remember throw snow onto the snow-skirt at the bottom of your ice shelter. This will keep frigid wind from getting in, keeping you and your fishing buddies warmer for longer.

Buy Now: $689.99 or, to learn more, go to: Frabill.com

Designed for maximum portability and quick setup, the Extreme Ice Arctic Angler Shelter from Bass Pro Shops can be toted around in a backpack and setup in less than a minute. If you’re looking to get onto the ice but out of the elements, this pop-up style ice shelter is an ideal option – without the high-end price tag.

The Extreme Ice Arctic Angler is equipped with enough space to seat three fishermen, has double doors, ventilation, windows and a license holder. Not to mention its rugged 600-denier PU coated polyester fabric was designed to block the wind and retain heat, while its heavy duty aluminum forged hubs and over sized 11mm flexible poles keep this shelter standing through ugly Winter conditions.

After spending several days on the ice with this shelter, we found it to be extremely well made and truly easy to setup. The build quality is quite nice – something we’ve come to expect from similar Bass Pro Shops products. The fact that this pop-up style shelter folds down in to a backpack is excellent. It also means you don’t need to own a truck or trailer to haul it to the lake. As far as keeping you protected, this shelter does a very good job. Don’t expect to be chilling out in a tee shirt, because after all, you are sitting on top of ice, but it’s thick outer shell does a very good job of holding back wind and holding in heat.

Pro Tip: Make sure to use the 4 included anchors to secure the shelter to the ice when the wind picks up. We’ve seen it happen before… one second your warm and cozy inside the pop-up and the next your shelter goes shooting down the ice like a tumbleweed. Don’t be that guy!

Buy Now: $199.99 or, to learn more, go to: BassPro.com

– EQUIPMENT –

The ability to set the hook and bring fish to the surface is a job for equipment you can trust. Typically, this time of year we are fishing for monster perch and jumbo bluegill – for this type of setup a 24″ to 30″ rod and reel combo is perfect attack plan. As you might have guessed by their name, Celsius Ice Fishing specializes in ice fishing equipment and ice fishing equipment ONLY. So when we were presented with the opportunity to work with them on this review we jumped at it.

For testing, our buddies at Celsius hooked us up with their Black Ice 24″ UL Combo, Boiling Point 24″ UL Combo and Blizzard Flat Line Combo. Each combo was a delight to review and proved to be the perfect setup for hauling in perch after perch. Both the Black Ice and Boiling Point Combos operate like your standard spinning real. The rods were sensitive, making it easy to set the hook. We also appreciated the reels, which were very smooth and came equipped with easy to use drag settings.

Of all the combos we tested, the Blizzard Flat Line has to be our favorite. The way the reel is setup keeps your line super straight, free of any loops. This is extremely beneficial when fishing for pan fish on ultralight tackle.

Buy Now: $20.00 – $35.00 or, to learn more, go to: CelsiusIceFishingDevelopment.com

With a little elbow grease and some strength, punching a hole in the ice is easy. Especially if you’ve got a sharp hand auger in-tow. Luckily our pals at Bass Pro Shops make a rather affordable and seriously sharp 8″ auger that really gets the job done.

Assembly is super easy. There is only three parts; the auger, crankshaft and a security pin. The crank shaft has several height settings, so no matter your height, you should be able to apply pressure and spin the auger through the ice.

Beyond the fact that this auger eats ice like crazy, it is also 8″ wide, which is wondeful. We’ve always used 6″ augers and the difference might not sound like much when you consider it’s just 2″, but when you look at the hole – it’s a big difference. An 8″ hole means more viewing area if you’re spot fishing and it also means you can land bigger fish as well. The only down side to an 8″ auger is that it can be harder to cut a hole. At the end of the day an 8″ auger is simply cutting through more ice, and that’s more work no matter how you look at it. But from our experience the extra work is totally worth it.

Buy Now: $44.99 or, to learn more, go to: BassPro.com

Delivering 8gb of on-board memory, the Aqua-Vu Micro Plus with DVR not only lets you see fish, but now you can record all the action. This tiny underwater camera is small yet mighty. The 3.5” LCD Screen is 30% brighter than previous models and has a 3x digital zoom. With infrared mode you can even see in the dark. When not in use the unit is small enough to fit in your coat pocket or tackle box.

When fishing you’re flying blind 90% of the time, this is especially true during ice fishing season. What Aqua-Vu allows you to do is drill test holes in the ice and send the camera down to see what type of vegetation might be in the area as well as see the conditions at the bottom (rocks, sand, etc…). It will also allow you to see if there are fish where your setting up. Surprisingly fish are not weary of this little camera. When we first dropped the camera into the water we thought we might see an occasional fish, but to our delight many fish haven’t the slightest worry about the Aqua-Vu. In some instances it even seems like they come over to investigate it.

We can’t tell you how great it is to know whether there are fish where you’re dropping your bait. There’s been too many fishing trips spent sending line down for hours and hours without even a bite. We could move, sure, but not knowing if we’re moving to better water – what’s the point? With the Aqua-Vu you can actaully see whats happening underwater and choose to stay or go. And with 50 feet of wire, there’s not too may fishing holes you can’t investigate.

We feel that the Aqua-Vu Micro Plus with DVR will change your ice fishing experience for the better, no questions asked. After testing it out over the past few months you won’t catch us leaving home without it.

Buy Now: $499.99 or, to learn more, go to: Aqua-Vu.com

The JawJacker is a wonderful little invention for catching fish on the ice. Once setup, the JawJacker will actually fish for you. Well, kind of… you see, the JawJacker is designed to set the hook for you – you still need to reel the fish in, but that’s the fun part anyways! To see for yourself exactly how the JawJacker works check out the embedded video below…

Pretty cool huh? What we’re really impressed us is that the JawJacker has adjustable pole angles to fit most ice fishing poles and a wing-nut tension system that allows you to dial-in the trigger mechanism for catching pan fish, walleye, trout or big northern pike. For more in-depth info on how to setup the JawJacker and some tips and tricks, head on over to JawJackerFishing.com.

Buy Now: $39.99 or, to learn more, go to: JawJackerFishing.com

Developed to convert your standard 18V 1/2″ cordless drill into powerful ice auger capable of eating through 700 inches of ice, the Clam Ice Auger Conversion Kit is a truly ingenious piece of gear. Before we go into detail about assembly and design, let’s take a look at this kit in-action on the ice. Check out the embedded video below…

If you don’t find that impressive, you don’t ice fish! For years we’ve been cutting through the ice the old fashion way. With a little bit of elbow grease and a whole lot of sweat. Which works fine when you’re dealing with less than a foot of ice. But last year in our neck of the woods the ice peaked at over 2 feet thick. I don’t know about you, but our shoulders and back weren’t built for hand-augering through that much ice!

Until recently, the only alternative for the hand auger was forking over big money to buy a gas or propane powered auger. While these augers are proven and work well, they are also cumbersome, heavy and pretty expensive. So when Clam launched their conversion kit – we were one of the first ones knocking down their door to review it. One year later we finally got the chance.

On the ice, this kit works like a charm. When mounted properly to a capable drill, it will quickly and easily cut through the ice. Making it easy to move around and look for schools, drop-offs and vegetation. We experienced no problems on the ice and always pack an extra battery for backup.

As for setup and assembly, we were very impressed. The instructions are pretty simple and easy to understand. It took us about 30 to 45 minutes to assemble our first try.  The kit comes with almost everything you need, including the mounting plate and a 6″ ice auger. All you need on your end is a 1/2″ 18V cordless drill, which almost anyone has 2 or three of laying around the garage.

Pro Tip: Use a nice drill. Make sure it has a 1/2″ chuck and is 18V. You might be able to get by with a ratty old drill, but from our experience the better the drill the more holes you can cut.

Buy Now: $169.99 or, to learn more, go to: ClamOutdoors.com

– WARMTH –

Cranking out up to 12,000 BTU per hour, the Buddy Portable Heater from Mr. Heater is a ice fishermen’s best friend when the temps drop. If you fish (like we do) in subzero conditions, you know that there is only so much layering you can do to stay warm. So when your bibs, boots, gloves, hat and jacket simply aren’t enough, a heater is the only way to stay out in your shanty and keep the frost bite at bay. With the Buddy Heater you can fire up serious heat that is silent and order-less. This heater is great for shelters like the Ambush DXL and Extreme Ice Arctic Angler pop-up shelter we talked about at the top of this article. And with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) built-in and an accidental tip-over safety shut-off, your safety is never at risk.

Pro Tip: Don’t only use your Buddy Heater for ice fishing. It’s also great for heating your hunting blind and smaller garages.

Buy Now: $139.99 or, to learn more, go to: MrHeater.com

Activated using a mini remote, ThermaCELL Heated Insoles are fully rechargeable and specifically designed to keep your feet warm, but not sweaty. This technology has been attempted in the past, but not until now has it been so easy to keep your toes warm even on the most frigid days on the lake.

The insoles themselves are super lightweight and surprisingly comfy. What makes them work is an ingenious system which contains several components: heater, batteries, control board, and antenna. These are the inner workings that provide heat to your feet. The remote works wirelessly to send signals for high heat (111 degrees), low heat (100 degrees) or no heat.

ThermaCELL Heated Insoles can provide up to 5 hours of heat and can be recharged up to 500 times. For those of you keeping count… that’s 2500 hours of toasty toes!

When using these heated insoles you’ll want to remove the current insoles from your boots if possible. Then with a pair of scissors, trim the edges to fit. Our pair of insoles fit pretty good straight out of the box, very little trimming was required. After you’ve got the fit right and a full charge, you’re ready to rock.

Throughout our testing sessions on the ice we were very happy with the performance of the heated insoles. They were warm, but not hot. The 5 hour battery life held up nicely and comfort of the insoles themselves was actually pretty impressive. Keep them dry, keep them charged, and your feet will be very happy on this ice this season!

Pro Tip: Only turn the insoles ON when your feet begin to get cold. Don’t wait too long. Also, turn them off or on low to conserve energy when your feet are warm.

Buy Now: $134.99 or, to learn more, go to: Heat.ThermaCELL.com

Ice fishing means one thing here in the north… cold temperatures – VERY COLD. One way to combat jack frost is with hand warmers. Like most fishermen we’ve always relied on those convenience store air-activated, one-time-use pouches to keep our fingers from falling off. That is until now. Recently Zippo hooked us up with their catalytic hand warmer that runs on lighter fluid.

Delivering up to 12 hours of warmth that is virtually odorless the Zippo Hand Warmer is perfect for ice fishing all day long. The hand warmer comes with a filler cup and warming bag. Small enough for any jacket pocket, this is an essential piece of gear to keep with you once winter hits.

PRO TIP: Fill and light your Zippo hand warmer before heading out. So when you need it – it will be warmed up and ready to go. Plus who needs to be messing with lighter fluid and flames when you’re catching fish like crazy? Be prepared, it will pay off!

Buy Now: $29.95 or, to learn more, go to: Zippo.com

– ODDS & ENDS –

Featuring “Freetouch” technology that works with a simple tap, the Freescape Lantern from Gerber makes lighting your ice shanty truly easy. Touch and hold the middle ring to illuminate the entire room, or use an extended touch to dim the output. An unique spring-loaded handle at the top makes the Freescape simple to suspend as well. Perfect for ice fishing in the dark!

Buy Now: $82.99 or, to learn more, go to: GerberGear.com

If you’re heading out on the lake ice fishing we highly recommend bringing a shovel. It’s a tool that can be used for a slew of tasks. At the top of the list… clearing snow.

Obviously having a shovel is key for clearing your fishing area before you plop your shanty on the ice. The shovel also works great for putting snow on the skirt of your shelter.

Unless you already have yourself a Rapala Pack Shovel, you need to bring a big sidewalk shovel or nothing at all. Neither of which is a good option. The Rapala Pack Shovel is fold-able, lightweight and easy to pack. It even comes with a handy carrying case and comes highly recommended by us!

Buy Now: $20.99 or, to learn more, go to: Rapala.com

Crafted from high-carbon steel and finished in black nickel, the Celsius Ice Tool Kit comes equipped with TPR Soft-Grip handles that are designed with moisture channeling ridges to help maintain a steady grip, even with gloves. This kit is a must have on the ice and comes with a handy sheath with locking belt strap, a carabineer with belt-loop attachment and a 20 inch adjustable lanyard for multiple carrying methods.

Buy Now: $12.50 or, to learn more, go to: CelsiusIceFishingDevelopment.com

We love these! The bait puck is a simple tool that allows you to dump your store bought wax worms, mousies, or spikes into (saw dust and all).

With a flip of the wrist the bedding (sawdust) separates from the bait, exposing your bait making it easy to grab and put on the hook. Dual top and bottom lids offer universal access. The container is both insulated and crush-proof.

Specs: 3″ diameter by 2-1/4″ deep.

Buy Now: $6.99 or, to learn more, go to: Rapala.com/Strikemaster

This sleek demon of a knife can make even the rawest rookie look like an old pro at the cutting board. The Gator Fillet is the fin-snappin epitome of masterful craftsmanship in knife-making. With a full tang stainless steel blade. And Gerber’s patented Gator Grip handle. So it feels good in your hand, whether the conditions are wet or dry.

The Gator Fillet comes complete with a hard-molded sheath and built-in ceramic sharpener, so you can do your fillet thing right there on the ice.

Buy Now: $13.99 or, to learn more, go to: GerberGear.com

A good rod holder is essential. Bass Pro Shops carries several models, but we like the freestanding model for most setups. It stands on the flat ice and holds the handle of your rod allowing you to do important things like eat, drink and check the sonar. Another great rod holder is the bucket-fit holder. It’s designed to fit on the rim of a 5-gallon bucket. If you’re heading out ice fishing this season both models are a fine choice.

Buy Now: $4.29 or, to learn more, go to: BassPro.com