Ice Fishing Trip Checklist

An ice fishing day goes well when the safety gear is packed first and everything else second. Ice picks, a spud, a life jacket and a charged phone weigh little and matter most. After that it is about staying warm, keeping holes open and finding fish.

Source: Michigan DNR: Ice Safety, checked October 24, 2026.

Work through this list the night before. Start with safety gear, then shelter and heat if you are bringing a shelter, then tackle and clothing. Check the license and rules section once you know which state and which water you are fishing, and use the last section before you walk off the ice. Cross out what does not apply: a walk-out day with a bucket and a hand auger needs far less than a weekend in a heated shanty.

Rules on licenses, shanties and shelters change, so the items that cite a rule link to the agency or the law. Check them before every season.

Source: Michigan DNR: Fishing regulations, checked October 24, 2026.

For the bigger picture, read our Michigan ice fishing guide for where to go and how a trip works, the ice shanties and shelters guide for heaters, ventilation and carbon monoxide, and the ice safety guide for thickness guidelines, vehicles and self-rescue. The general packing list covers travel basics.