The lakes haven’t frozen, but ice fishing season is already calling. Do you know where your batteries are? Does your shelter still have all its parts? And how much gear did you buy last year that you’ve completely forgotten about?
In this episode of the Hard Water Fishing Show, Jeff and Jason share 10 things to do now to get ready for ice fishing season. The goal: spend less time scrambling for gear and more time fishing when the ice arrives.
Along the way, we talk snacks, shopping, a fishing line lesson learned the hard way, and a classic ice fishing legend from the season one archives.
In This Episode
Our top 10 ways to prepare before the lakes freeze
Sorting gear and selling what you don’t use
Shopping for new and used ice fishing equipment
Ice fishing shows, seminars, and preseason inspiration
Scouting fishing spots before winter
Checking safety equipment, batteries, and electronics
Refreshing fishing line and solving a slippery braid problem
Inspecting shelters and heaters
Snacks, beverages, and a season one throwback
10 Things to Do Now to Get Ready for Ice Fishing
1. Listen to the Hard Water Fishing Show
We start with a completely unbiased recommendation: listen to the Hard Water Fishing Show.
Catch up on episodes, revisit ideas you wanted to try, and get excited about the season ahead. If you’re listening to this episode, you’ve already checked off the first item.
2. Pull Out Your Gear and Sell What You Don’t Use
Before you buy anything, find out what you already own.
Dig through the bins, pull out the equipment, and take inventory. That auger bit you never use or shelter you’ve outgrown might help fund something you’ll actually take fishing.
3. Shop for Gear, New and Used
Once you know what’s missing, start looking.
We discuss used shelters, rod storage, and the difference between a bargain and a project. A cheap shelter can get expensive fast if it still needs accessories, repairs, and a hitch.
4. Go to an Ice Fishing Show
Check out equipment, talk fishing, and sit in on a seminar.
We admit that sitting still for the learning part isn’t always our strongest skill. But a good seminar can leave you with an idea you’ll use for years.
5. Do Some Preseason Homework
Watch fishing videos, read articles, and explore ideas for the coming season.
Sometimes you find a new technique. Sometimes you discover why something you’ve been doing for years hasn’t been working quite right. Jeff’s fishing line revelation is a good example.
6. Go Fall Fishing and Scout Winter Spots
There’s still time to fish open water while thinking about hard water.
Find structure, mark spots, and start planning your first outings. Locating a drop-off from the boat beats drilling a bunch of holes to find it later.
And check that your destination still has water. Jason has arrived at enough drained lakes to make that part of his planning routine.
7. Find Your Ice Safety Equipment
Locate your spud bar, ice picks, and other safety equipment now.
This is a good time to check its condition and replace missing items, before the excitement of first ice turns into a last-minute search through the garage.
8. Test Batteries, Augers, and Electronics
Charge your batteries, turn on your electronics, and check the connections.
Now is the time to discover a battery that won’t hold a charge or a loose wire on your flasher. We also talk about auger blades and remembering how well or badly they cut on that last trip.
9. Refresh Your Fishing Line
Jeff shares a lesson about braided line slipping on the spool and why mono backing finally made sense after some frustrating missed fish.
Jason offers his own line-changing strategy: hand the reels to a sporting goods store and browse the tackle while someone else handles it.
Both approaches give us something to talk about.
10. Check Your Shelter and Heater
Set up the shelter before you need it.
Look for damage, missing parts, and evidence that something furry spent the summer making itself at home. Check your heater, too, so your first cold outing doesn’t come with an unpleasant surprise.
Snacks, Drinks, and the Usual Detours
Preparation takes fuel, apparently.
Jeff shares stories from a trip to the Mississippi River area, including a brewery stop and an unsuccessful search for beef jerky. Jason brings a caffeinated beverage, and the snack conversation includes protein bars and peanut butter crackers.
We eventually get back to fishing. Usually.
A Classic Legend From Season One
We head back to the archives for an ice fishing story that still comes up when the group gets together.
It involves bitter cold, dogs on the ice, and an unfortunate lesson about where to sit. Longtime listeners may remember this one. New listeners are about to find out why we’re still telling it.
Get Ready Now. Fish More Later.
You don’t need frozen lakes to make progress toward your next ice fishing trip.
Sort a bin. Test a battery. Check your shelter. Give yourself a few fewer problems to solve when it’s finally time to load up and go.
And if you need something to listen to while you work, we’ve got you covered.
Follow the Hard Water Fishing Show
Email: hardwatershow@gmail.com
Catch up on the previous episode: The Ultimate Ice Fishing Trip: 10 Things You Need to Plan
