# Can You Fiddle with your Gear Too Much?



## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

OK... I admit, I'm going stir crazy waiting for safe ice. 

I've spent hours on my ice fishing gear... fiddlin', adjusting, changing, altering, adding and subtracting, to the point where I'm starting wonder about my sanity of the whole sport.

Anybody else have this condition?


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## 1977 walleye guy (Mar 11, 2006)

LOL.....Maybe not that bad but close. I've been diverting my efforts as of right now into building some mini slammer tip-ups. I ordered a slammer kit a little while back during duck season. I just started a prototype for a mini slammer, (scaling down) the blueprints of the original. The original calls for a 4 1/2 ft too a 6ft rod. I'm building mine for use with 24-30" Ice rods.
Should have a working prototype in the next couple days or so.


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

nah i dont think so. the time to ice fish is too brief to have problems on the ice. better to be ready for it than get out there and have problems. good to get out there and have everything "just right". thats how i justify it anyways


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

Did I mention " NO "?


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

No way can you spend to much time on tackle.
I moved this summer and I am setting up my workshop again. When I get it done I will spend many hours tinkering and building spinner baits, jigs etc. My wife calls it my therapy room. It's not uncommon for me to spend all day at times in there. Once I start I usually make between 20-30 spinner baits at a time. I also pour at leasts 100 jigs when I get things set up. It amazes me how fast the time goes.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

no not at all, I started my tinkering around the middle of november. Since then Ive made some micro tungsten jigs. Epoxied on a spring bobber, repainted and re adjusted several lures. Put some line on a new reel. ive been experimentin with plastics at the local pond. Taken that knowledge and begin to cut my own plastics. 
Just a few days ago I came up with my best idea yet. I started dying some wedgee style plastics that I cut out of the stretchy "snap back" plastic bright red (bloodworms) Im sure they are going to be awesome, indestructable super soft for amazing action and they will always be straight because they dont get crooked in the pack like regular plastic. 

So at this point I started 2 months ago and Im running out of time!!!


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

The cool thing about ice fishing is, it is cheap and just about anything goes!


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

*Fiddlin' & Tweekin'*... 

that's about all I'm doing besides watching ice freeze!


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## rattletraprex (Sep 1, 2005)

ress said:


> The cool thing about ice fishing is, it is cheap and just about anything goes!


When did this Cheap thing happen? Vex,shanty,auger, rods,reels,jigs,bait, etc. etc.


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

Once you get all the stuff though it only take me about $40 dollars in gear a year to keep me going. That startup cost is crazy though


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

_Don't forget the cost of Gasoline these days..._


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

ress said:


> The cool thing about ice fishing is, it is cheap and just about anything goes!


are you KIDDING ME!!!LOL!!! you aint been shopping or fishing with US!!!LOL!!! cheap...i want to fish with you....show me the ropes!!!


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

I believe the main question was " Can you fiddle with gear too much ? "

I also believe an observation was made that ice fishing is cheap.

Uh ,I submit to a knowledgable jury of my peers one item. Bear in mind

this is barely one third of my panfish lures. This does not include the species 

lures. There are 144 of them in this book care to guess at the investment ?

Ice fishing cheap , maybe to normal people , not to true sickos like myself 

and some others on this site.!#


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Ahhh yes... we, ICE FISHERMAN.... 

*Joined soldiers in the asylum of the frigid!*


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

*Come to think of it, I think I've worn my ice-rods lines so much with all the fiddlin' & tweekin' that I think I'll have to install new line*!


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

What I hate is when people fiddle with their gear in public,.....come on man, cant ya atleast wait until nobodys looking ? !! Hahahahahahahah!


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## lumpyman (Sep 11, 2007)

cheap only until you go to catawba go out with the pack catch not only the biggest walleye you have ever caught but numerous other beauties then tell me about cheap . save your wallet stick to your local area. erie will ruin you.


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

I think what is meant by ice fishing being cheap is because all you really need is one rod, a jig or two and a bucket and you can go anywhere you want on the lake without a boat. In that sense it is really cheap. All the more expensive gear, extra rods, ice shanties, etc. make it a LOT better but if the fish aint biting you may as well have just a rod and a bucket. If the fish are there and biting good then the dude with just a rod and a bucket has nearly as good of a chance at catching fish as anybody else. He just gets a lot colder and has to work a lot harder. :G


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

Ok, maybe not so cheap. Just bought a new StrikeMaster Lazer Lite auger. I quess I am thinking of pulling my boat and then putting gas in it, and all the other stuff that adds up. And if I think about it, it most likely costs more per trip than summer time fishing.


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

If you fiddle with it too much you'll go blind!! At least thats what I always heard


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Guess I'll need a "seeing eye dog" when I venture onto the ice this season.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

My other three Foxboxes finally arrived and I finally got my arsenal ready to go. Please no comments on my ADDICTION. My wife does fine in that department.. This will warm the heart of any dedicated panfisherman.


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