There was so much new ice gear this year, we weren’t able to fit it all between the pages of the December/January issue of North American Fisherman. Here’s even more great stuff for hard water!
Super Baits
Berkley
The vibrating, swimming action of the PowerBait Ripple Shad is now available in a 2-inch portion ($3.99), complete with trademark 3D red eyes and scent-dispersing material. It’s available in seven patterns.
Berkley’s 1½-inch PowerBait Atomic Pulse Tube ($3.99) features ribbed body for soft texture and easy hooksets. Twenty patterns make matching the hatch easy.
In Gulp! news, the amazing biodegradable, scent-dispersing properties have been integrated into the Gulp! 2-inch Floating Pinched Crawler ($3.99), which has a curved profile for great action when twitched or shaken. A Gulp! Alive! version ($5.95) basted in Gulp! juice is also new this winter.
Berkley: (800) 237-5539; berkley-fishing.com
Custom Jigs & Spins
The round-headed, wide-gapped Majmun ($1.99), a tough-bite cracker perfect for tipping with tiny softbaits; comes in 10 colors and four sizes. All feature high-quality Owner hooks.
Custom Jigs and Spins: (800) 831-5535; customjigs.com
JB Lures
JB debuts a new
Spin Drop Teardrop in size 6, 8 and 10 ($1.19). The jig’s slotted propeller adds strike-triggering attraction for all panfish.
JB Lures: (507) 647-5696; jblures.com
Northland Fishing Tackle
Built for aggressive predatory presentations, the
Live-Forage Rippin’ Shad ($6.49 - $7.49) combines realistic HD Fish-Photo-Image stylings with a shad profile. Available in 1 ½-, 2- and 2 ½-inch sizes and eight patterns (including three glow), the lipless hardbait rattles violently on the lift, then swims lazily on random courses on the fall.
On the softer side, Northland launches new
Impulse Reactionary Baits ($2.99). Available in lifelike Waxy, Mayfly, Mini Smelt and Tapeworm shapes in a bevy of colors, the supple softbaits are infused with Impulse scent formula for added appeal.
Also new, the
Quick-Strike Predator Rig’s ($5.49) Y-yoke harness and pair of cone-cut, blood-red VMC trebles are perfect for impaling suckers, shiners and other baitfish. The rig’s 45-pound-test, Surflon nylon-coated, stainless steel wire and 90-pound crane swivel stand up to the largest predators, while holographic Baitfish-Image blades add flash to the package. Available in four blade colors and three hooks sizes (4, 2 and 1/0).
Northland Tackle: (800) 786-3474; northlandtackle.com
PK Lures
Rapala
Though built for open water, the new
Rippin’ Rap ($6.99) has icy applications as well. Available in 2-, 2 ½- and 2 ¾-inch sizes and 12 patterns, it shakes, rattles and rolls on the rip, then flutters seductively on the fall. Give it a whirl when hungry ’eyes, pike or trout are on the prowl.
Winter Wear
Frabill
Frabill follows last winter’s smash hit, the
extreme-weather Icesuit ($349.99), with a lighter, layerable jacket and bibs combo—the
Frabill Suit ($299.99). The form-fitting duds sport a waterproof, windproof, breathable shell of 300 denier nylon with double-stitched, sealed seams to lock out cold and moisture. Meanwhile, 3M Scotchlite reflective material makes the jacket for safer fishing after dark, while cavernous external cargo pockets and interior mesh storage sweeten the deal. The bibs also have padded knees and seat, plus full-length leg zippers, adjustable shoulder straps, and easy-access hand-warming pockets.
Also new is
Frabill’s FXE Windproof Fleece Jacket ($129.99). Smart features include full wind protection—thanks to a special laminate and an extra-tall collar to cut crisp crosswinds—plus multiple zippered pockets, underarm zipper vents, pre-curved elbows for better fit and function, and water-resistant cuffs to keep your arms dry.
Frabill also added the
Ice Bib ($199.99), sewn from rugged 500 denier oxford nylon shell that’s waterproof, windproof and breathable. Features include double-stitched sealed seams, zoned insulation, reinforced knees and cuffs, ample pockets, and classic black styling that matches any jacket.
Accessorize
Clam
Clam came out swinging last winter with a host of handy accessories, and builds on the momentum with a
Spill Proof Bait Well ($24.99) and
Bait Buckets ($15.99- $32.99), perfect for keeping bait lively. Designed with a screw top and gasket to keep your bait where it belongs.
The Clam Bait Well mounts on the lip of all
Clam Fish Trap shelters, as well as most other brands, where it keeps your bait close to the action. For its part, the Bait Keeper is available in 2-, 1 ¼- and .6-gallon sizes, each with an adjustable shoulder strap, carry handle and insulated carry bag.
Clam also unveiled
Clam Sled Lights ($29.99), a trio of super-bright LED lights that can be hard-mounted anywhere and come with a complete hardware kit including wire and alligator clips for connecting to a battery.
Frabill
Gone is the need to carry a gun case to protect rods from the rigors of life on ice. Frabill’s
hard-sided Rod Safe ($59.99) cradles up to eight combos inside a molded ABS shell lined with two-sided, egg-carton-style foam padding that secures rods up to 36 inches long.
Tip-up visibility reaches new heights with
Frabill’s Extendable Flag ($5.99). Towering a full 20 inches above the ice, a tripped flag is easy to spot above snowdrifts or other visual impediments on the ice.
In other accessories,
Frabill’s new Ice Chisels ($19.99-$49.99) are equally adept at testing fresh ice and reopening frozen holes. Heavy in weight, with a machined, stair-stepped cutting surfaces, they’re available in four models—Standard Ice Chisel (53 inches, 5.5 pounds); 1-Piece Ice Chisel (60 inches, 10 pounds); 2-Piece Ice Chisel (64 inches, 12 pounds); and Short Chisel (26 inches, 4.5 pounds)
Rapala
Last year’s debut of the
Charge ’N Glow gave anglers a great option for lighting up glow lures. Now the new
Mini Charge ’N Glow ($14.99) extends that performance in a compact package perfect for packing in a pocket or tackle bag. Four ultraviolet LED bulbs (powered by a single AAA battery) bring tiny teardrops and beefy jigging spoons alike back to life. Plus, the spring-loaded design lets you charge baits with one hand and jig with the other.
When the fishing’s done, nothing caps the day like a fish fry—and
Rapala’s new Lithium Ion Cordless Fillet knife ($89.99) slices and dices your catch with ease. A lithium-ion battery keeps the 7-inch reciprocating blade going for 80 minutes of full-power fish-cleaning. Other amenities include a 110V plug-in charger capable of recharging a completely drained battery in under two hours.
Take Shelter
Clam
Clam’s lightweight
Twin Hub I ($129.99) and
Twin Hub II ($149.99) shelters are perfect for running and gunning or hiking into remote fisheries. Weighing in at 13 pounds, the Twin Hub I is light yet offers 25 square feet of fishing room, with a zippered access door and four windows. At 15 pounds, the Twin Hub II doubles that footprint, making it perfect for a pair of anglers and their gear.
Rods And Reels
Frabill
Frabill acknowledges the demands of big-water ice gear with the
Great Lakes Premium Wood Tip-Up ($34.99). Features include a high-grade hardwood base, machined-aluminum spool, and sturdy yet smooth-spinning shaft coated with the company’s Sub-Zero lubricant. Also new, the
Dawg Bone ($7.99) and
Ice Spider ($12.99) tip-ups encourage mobility with quick deployment and portability. Both boast durable polymer bodies and pre-greased Ultra-Glide shafts.
Also new are a forest of traditional wooden tip-ups, ranging from the
1720 Stick Tip-Up ($6.99) up to the
Lake Champlain Premium Stick Tip-Up ($29.99), which sports a premium hardwood plank, built-in ruler, stainless steel and aluminum components, and the ready-to-fish package with line, line markers and depth finder.
Frabill: (800) 558-1005; frabill.com
Pflueger
New Microspin Ice Combos ($34.99) pair a Pflueger 4410 spinning reel, complete with titanium-coated line roller and aluminum spool, with a cork-handled, 24-, 26-, 28- or 30-inch, graphite-composite ice rod in actions from ultra-light to medium.
Great Lines
Northland Fishing Tackle
Bionic Ice Braid ($7.99) is spun from stronger-than-steel strands of micro-fibers using Northland’s Balanced Braid Technology to create extremely tough yet limp, manageable superline that handles well, even on small-diameter spools. Available in 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, and 8-pound breakstrengths (in corresponding diameters from ½- to 2 pounds) in AquaFlage Blue Camo or Ice Grey colorations.
Northland Tackle: (800) 786-3474;
northlandtackle.com
Sufix
Tip-up watchers have another reason to cheer—the introduction of
Performance Tip-Up Ice Braid ($5.99). Spun from polyester using a Hydro Fusion process that ensures fast sink-rates, low memory and exceptional behavior in cold-weather, it’s available in the same 15- to 50-pound tests.
Also of note,
Sufix Performance Ice Braid ($10.99) is now available in 4- and 8-pound tests, in Glacier Blue and Neon Fire.
Sufix: sufix.com