Ice Fishing - High Tech Gear - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Ice Fishing - High Tech Gear

Last night we headed out on the ice for a look into Ice Fishing in North Dakota.

Tonight Shaun Sipma continues his series looking at some of the gadgets and comforts that are available while still being able to get a line wet in the middle of winter.

With the Ice Castle in place and the holes drilled it was time to check just how deep the water is where we were set up.

State Game and Fish Outreach Biologist Greg Gullickson says there are plenty of ways to do that from tying off a weight and dropping it to the bottom to some high tech gadgets.

That actually can start with pairing a GPS with maps on the Game and Fish website before you ever leave the your house.

(Greg Gullickson, ND Game & Fish Outreach Biologist) "With Depth contours, I can be driving over the spot and know that we're in ten feet of water right now."

There's also hand held sonor that can be shot through the ice or through the hole.

(Greg Gullickson, ND Game & Fish Outreach Biologist) "Stick it down --edit-- and we're in 15 feet."

We know the depth, now the rigging.

Gregs ice house has rattled reels installed near each hole, as a person can legally have four lines out at one time.

(Greg Gullickson, ND Game & Fish Outreach Biologist) "For those of us who like the spend the night or get caught up in a TV program or cooking sausage when a fish takes this it's making noise."

There's also tip-ups that can be used outisde, and then there's traditional ice fishing rod and reels, giving an angler a good chance to fight with a big fish should it take the bait.

(Greg Gullickson, ND Game & Fish Outreach Biologist) "These are wild caught minnows too, you can trap your own bait in North Dakota."

We also brought along some tasty treats that fish love, called wax worm.

If they look like maggots, that's because they are.

Hooks, just like fish, come in all shapes and sizes.

(Greg Gullickson, ND Game & Fish Outreach Biologist) "Larger ones for Walleyes, smaller ones for perch, rubber baits work, plain hooks."

Now a person could sit and wonder if there's fish below, but today we've got that covered too.

A fish finder that's been adapted from a boat now works just as well in an ice house, or a flasher that will indicate when a fish is below.

Or we can just watch them with an underwater camera.

(Greg Gullickson, ND Game & Fish Outreach Biologist) "One of the things that I like to do is you already got a TV on here, you might as well as watch it on there."

And in a matter of moments, Perch....

Lots of Perch......

The fish this day were hungry, and as fast as we cough bait the hook we were landing a fish..

But catching fish isn't all there is to ice fishing believe it or not.

We'll reel in the reason and experience tomorrow.

Shaun Sipma KX News.