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Someone has to do it every year, so I'll take my turn in the barrel this year... What new equipment have you added to your ice arsenal for this season? Any new DIY projects you're working on? Anyone else as excited about ice season as I am? Bring on the ice baby....
For me, I got the new fish finder LX-7 by Marcum and I got a rotator for my camera so it will hopefully be more useful this year... Little new tackle, that hasn't arrived yet... Got some VMC ice flies that look awesome to me, hope the fish like them as much as I do... Picked up a used Laser 8" auger I'm setting up to run on my drill and I'm going to build a Smitty to pull my Father-in-law out onto the ice... He's old enough he can't walk very well and climbing onto a snowmobile is probably harder than walking, so I'm fix'en to build a chair sled that I'll pull with the snowmobile... Hope it will work... Just have the components so far, still need to put them together, so I'll post a photo when I complete it... What you working on? Later J
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If you want a smitty I,ll give you mine. If you plan to tow your FIL remember to set him far enough behind the sled so your not throwing snow on him.
Richard J
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Hey Richard, yup you hit the big worry of pulling him behind... I was going to put my big Smitty up front and hope that pulling him behind that will have the snow knocked down so he doesn't get plastered with it... thanks for the tip, and I may have to hit you up about that Smitty if you don't use it anymore... thanks J
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I bought an IonX ice auger recently. I got tired of getting my 14 year old gas auger to work when it was cold. I couldn't get it going at all last year on the Cascade trip. The IonX is the new 10" model, so I'll be ready for the big ones.
Since I have the auger, we'll use your sled at Cascade in January. [  ]
Mike
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Yeah, I got the bug too. Can’t wait. I’m going to a battery drill auger this year. It’s kind of stressing me out. My Eskimo has had never let me down. I just can’t pack as much crap as I take- gotta lighten up some. I’ve been looking at the kdrill and nils convertible and can’t make up my mind. It’s a Chevy dodge ford argument. I have the Milwaukee fuel drill, just need the cutter. Any opinions? I want an 8” hole.
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3 years ago I went with the 20v industrial DeWalt/Clam conversion plate, and their 6" auger w/extension kit as an option....Couldn't Be Happier....I've outdrilled Nils elec. set ups and gassers in head to heads.....to date, no probs....battery is definitely the way to go....don't go less than 20v and to anyone else thinking about Nils or Clam, or any other auger, don't try powering with a "Compact", as they just aren't powerful enough and y;ou won't be a happy camper....guluk....
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Sounds like a deal, I may have my second sled running by then. Hope so. I love my electric auger. So much quieter than my gasser. So you can drill my 10" holes. Later J
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I wish when I went electric I would have gotten an 8 inch it's the best size for all around use. Lots of good ones out there, I like my Nils, but everyone likes their drill so I can't say which is best. Be interesting to see how my new used laser is. Got it fairly cheap and they say they are good drills to take electric. We'll see but I haven't gotten it yet. Kdrills and Ions are great too so good luck choosing. Later J
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I’m definitely getting the Nils convertible this year. The handle comes off so that it can be attached to a cordless drill. It also has an oversized plate at the top so that it doesn’t fall down the hole. A friend of mine had a cordless drill setup last year and we got 20 plus holes and ice spike driving out of one charge.
Think I want to replace my Coleman lantern too, chincy little carry case and handle broke the first time out.
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my Wife got me the Frabill I-Float Jacket
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There's Always Time For One More Cast
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Mike - That IonX is going to be so nice. I'm close to pulling the trigger on one myself. My Strikemaster (gasser) still works well though so I'm having a hard time giving up on it just yet. I think a new chair will be the biggest ice toy I purchase this year. I have everything else.
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I acquired a beat up old hunting blind, the pop-up kind, that I am going to convert into an ice tent. It'll be much easier and more portable than my hammered, ancient clam-shell job that digs into the snow when sledded, and takes forever to set up the big metal poles.
I invented (probably not first) some rocking-chair type rod holders that act as automatic jiggers and rock slightly with a tiny breeze, so I'll be making a lot of those and perfecting the design.
Finally, I have a wild hair to test some of the extremely cheap lures and gear you can get from China on Ebay and Amazon, so I'll be messing with some simple inline reels, weird-looking spoons, and the like.
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After not ice fishing for over 20 years, I decided this was the year to start again. I priced new power augers to replace my hand auger and was stunned at the prices. While shopping online I saw an auger to drill adapter for around $30 and decided to give it a try. I got it and an extension, which I had to modify with some conduit to fit my Jiffy 8" auger. I also got a new Uglystik ice rod combo and a sled. These are my new toys for the ice. If the auger adapter works well enough with my Porter-Cable drill, I might have to invest in a shelter. I live in Brigham, so I'm anxious for Mantua to freeze so I can try my new toy. I need to check out the fishfinders that other will be using on the ponds.
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Good fishing to all. Hue
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You'll like that Nils. I love mine. Just drilled 6 holes and pulled in a 21.5" cutty. But it's slow since. Think the group has around 10 fish iced already. That plate will save you. I had mine come loose once and would have sunk if it didn't have the plate. If you keep your battery warm you get even more holes too. Have fun this year. Later J
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Good addition this 4" ice keeps me puckering today. Stay safe with it. Later J
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Sounds like you have a fullplate. You still making lures? Think I'll do that someday. Have a great ice season. Later J
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where you at with 4 inches ??? [bobsurprised]
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There's Always Time For One More Cast
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Henry's lake in Idaho.
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Live to hunt----- Hunt to live.
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Henry's Lake in Island Park. Slow fishing for me today. Only one all day. Groups up to 20 some fish. I think couple guys got 5 today. Not very good for 18-20 guys. Later J
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Sounds like you've got a great start for getting back into it. I'm up here in Idaho with the biggest bunch of gear junkies I've ever met. Man they have some cool stuff. Anyway I was talking to Jeremy at the Logan Sportsmans Warehouse and we may get a gear demo day set up in January at Hyrum so interested folks can come see the great gear that's out there. Lots of wish list stuff. Watch for posts about it and you can try it before you buy it. Later J
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