Jeff and Jason talk about  Gadgets, Gizmos and Contraptions, homemade ice fishing gear.

 

Definition

Gadget/Gizmo - Something you buy

Contraption- Something home made out of parts.

Sometimes we have grey areas, but this is how things break out.  In the hierarchy of items contraptions are always as cooler as gizmos.

Contraptions are the roots of hard water fishing.  It is only recently that you can purchase so many of the items commercially.  In many ways a real fisherman should have their own contraption to be considered a true fisherman.  Anyone can go buy stuff, contraptions take the next level of dedication.

RULE: This must be deployed or at least attempted

Jason talked about building your own ice shack from plywood and a tarp.  Here are some directions below.

http://waterandwoods.net/2009/01/build-a-portable-ice-shelter/

 

 

Home Made Sled (80s) - when I was a kid my best friend and neighbor Shawn and his dad Jim introduced me to ice fishing.  Part of this introduction was contraptions. Of course we did not call them that then. My first contraption I can remember was a wooden box with 2x4 skis on the bottom.  This was made from 2x4 and thin plywood with a handle. The top had a lid and a small bench. The lid would flip up and all your ice fishing stuff would fit in.

This was long before we had commercial sleds or Vexilars or fancy reels for ice fishing.  A hand auger and a stick would fit in the box and it had a seat and the top acted like a wind block.   For some reason I remember it being painted blue. This worked great for fishing on tanners lake. I don't really ever remember catching fish but I do remember this contraption. 

 

Connecting Shacks / Shanty town

We use to take a suitcase style shack and a flip over style shack and face the front door opening on the flip over into the suitcase 6x8 shack.  This way 4 guys could fish comfortably and hang out. One important item we don’t always talk about on the hard water show is the social aspect.   Our goal is always to catch fish. But many times the people I go fishing with only see each other a few times a year. If being separated is a way to catch fish than we will do it.  But eventually usually at night we want to get together and hang out while we catch fish.

 

Scrapbook

Sounds dumb but I love looking through our scrapbook.  History is important.

 

Some other contraptions

Tip ups

Jig up. warning do not buy this thing.

Toilet tip up 

Hole warmers

Beaver dam

Other

Mr. heater

Make your own fishing lure kit

snap-stick glow jigs 

“Jigging buddy” (2005)

Home made decoy with copper pipe and roap (2013)

Legend:  

The time when Jeff was in charge of getting the beer and we got the cheapest beer we could find, Hackenstien.  It even had an Ice version.