Show some of your homemade equipment for ice fishing

[steelie21]

I love to see what other guys have made to help catch fish. Post some picks of your homemade equipment. Here is a couple of picks of my tip downs I made and the modified counter balanced rods I use.

[Thun]

Very nice! We target pike exclusively and to keep big bait from tripping our flags, clothespins are screwed and taped to our tilts. This is my sons tilt, mine have been commandeered by my other son. I prefer the clothespin opposite the spool side to keep the line from tangling in the clothespin but he'll have to learn the hard way!

[steelie21]

Great idea!

[Sk8man]

Inexpensive LED lights on my sled   for coming back in after dark (in addition to my headlamp).

Edited December 19, 2014 by Sk8man

[steelie21]

Nice touch.

[BCage777]

I feel this post is very well organized and is quite interesting.Seems unique idea that can open my eyes to be followed.

[final flight]

Tip downs

[Sk8man]

These tip downs are "old school" and far from "elegant" but they work and cost next to nothing to make. I can hear my buddy Admiral Byrd laughing from here as he built his to withstand a nuclear attack....but for folks on a limited budget or with limited amount of time here are basic tip downs made from boards I had sitting around, old dowels , sections of coat hanger wire, and cut pieces of imitation cork from a wine bottle. They work great for perch and panfish....but you'd have problems with a big pike

Edited December 20, 2014 by Sk8man

[wingman]

my tip downs and my ice sled

[Sk8man]

Nice job on that sled especially the runners

 

 

I don't often take my Clam shelter (usually bucket or folding chair with sled) but these are the rod holder setups (Anglers Pals from my previous boat) one folded inward position (storage) and the other is shown outward at angle. Note the taped up foam noodle section on the rope for hand comfort/protection.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Sk8man

[Sk8man]

suggestion edited and placed elsewhere in ice fishing

Edited December 26, 2014 by Sk8man

[Thun]

Love the headlights in your sled Les! I once built a sled that needed a clydesdale to pull across the ice. I put a car stereo and battery in it and the American Flag pole doubled as an antenna. My wife also made a nice shamrock windbreak for it. It was so big that it had to sit outside in the weather which eventually ruined it but it was fun while it lasted.

[steelie21]

Here's a sled I built of oak slats and youth water skis. Pulled like a dream. Sold it to upgrade to an Otter Cabin.

[Thun]

Now that's a beautiful sled steelie! Some venison sausage, homemade wine, maybe even a sunburn with all that sun reflecting off that snow and ice and maybe a fish or two. I love ice fishing!

[steelie21]

Thanks Thun. I glued and screwed it together. Stained it and polyurethaned it. This year i sold it. I pull my sleds with a deer drag harness that you wear like backpack straps and use two walking sticks to help me haul a heavy load. Easier than holding on to a rope.

[Sk8man]

Cool sled Steelie thanks for sharing.  Hey Thun I too am guilty of dragging everything but the kitchen sink out there. Years ago I had a full size insulated chest and full sized tobogan that I dragged out there....after that I went with just a bucket, jigging rods and bait for years....now I'm back midway between the two

[DJ 17]

Before I bought my clam flip over shelter, I had just an old style steel runner children's, that I used as a kid. I then just zip tied 3 milk crates to the platform and that carried everything I needed and pulled great.  The only down side was if the ice was real broken up from a previous wind and it refroze into a jumbled mess. Then the runners weren't quite far enough apart.  But if you have an old sled lying around it is a real easy way to haul gear.