Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Product sources Ice Fishing Bucket Organization Project

Wanted to post a few pics of my efforts to organize my ice bucket. Historically I put all rods in the bucket along with my tackle, gloves, etc. and would invariably end up with a tangled mess of treble hooks, line, bobbers, gloves, etc. I used 3/4" and 1" conduit clamps with 1/2" bolts/nuts and strips of 3/4" velcro on the top to keep things tight. Anyone familiar with the limits of my technical/mechanical prowess understands this might as well have been a succesful lunar landing mission.

Tackle system worked well first time out Saturday - so far, so good.

Very cool.

I sprang for the Ice Armor bag.





I can stay very mobile with this thing and it can carry all the basic essentials I need, aside from the auger. Considering we had to hike about a mile and a half yesterday to get to our spot, it came in pretty handy.

Nice. That works if you can limit yourself to a few rods...sadly I'm a habitual packrat and like to have 8 rods ready plus my scoop. I've got to simplify...

Yep. The bag is only supposed to carry two rods, but I usually squeeze another one in. I imagine you're not carrying your bucket, but letting it ride in the sled. Looks like it'd definitely keep things in order. Alex should put one of these together.

The conduit clamps are brilliant! Great idea there. I assume the velcro straps came with sticky backing? it's been my experience that when it's dang cold out, that sticky backing, super glue, hot glue, etc... get's brittle and falls off the bucket.

Well, look who it is.

So far so good on the glue...but I hear what you're saying. The velcro isn't essential - the rods are pretty secure alone in their clamps. I suppose one could use small screws to keep the velcro in place if necessary.

Another idea for you and your bucket, and my sled, and my one man flip sled, screw a flag holder into it for instant, always there, never lose rod holder.

TJ:
That's awesome. My buddy Chris has a setup that is similar. He used the velcro strips all the way around, though, to keep from drilling holes in his bucket. It allows him to use it as his bait bucket as well, and the velcro strips allow him to fit just about anything in any place.

He packs a few rods, a few tip-ups, and his scooper on his bait bucket. He keeps roaches, fatheads and whatever else he buys for the day in there, and has a pouch he made to hold his bait puck for waxies on the side of the bucket as well (until he gets to his destination and slips them inside his breast-pocket).

I dont know how much he spent in Velcro, but it is wrapped around the entire bucket in at least 4-5 parallel bands.

I've also seen similar setups on sleds. Some guys that frequent the ponds around my dad's house take their sleds very seriously. If the ice holds out until the 16th (which i doubt), I'll have the chance to get out this year, and will try to snag some pics of my dad's neighbor's setup. It is as macguyver'ed as it gets.

skinny

Omaha, how do you like that Hummingbird? I've got a Lowrance X67 right now, and it's ok, but I really want a Marcum LX-7....tough to justify though, when you only get to use it once a year.

Nice job TJ. I hear you on the tangled mess in the bucket...try adding 100' of rope in the mix too!

That's actually a picture off of iceshanty. But, ironically, I do have a Hummingbird, the 35, not the 45 pictured. I love mine. I haven't been able to use it very much, maybe five times, but from that small sample size, it's worked excellently for me. And, for the price, you almost can't beat it. I think there are versions of the Showdowns that are more affordable. One that a friend of mine has can go around your neck to make you even more mobile. He loves it.

Why a bucket and not a small sled? I haven't graduated to a shanty yet (No Cecil, that one is still in the barn.) I'll pull the sled, sling the auger over my shoulder and have a bucket hanging off the handle of the auger to put the fish in and to sit on.

TJ, I'm amazed! I gotta ask, you don't have the inside of the bucket lined with sharp pointy screws now, do you? Those are actually small machine screws that you cut to the proper length and then finished them off with acorn nuts on the inside, right?

I have a sled, aquavu 360, mag lite 2, vexi fl20, and 6 man Eskimo tent. I can carry it all but the tent has to go on my shoulders via backpack straps.

I might not be handy but I'm not stupid! Those are half inch bolts with a hex nut so they are as flush as possible. Jeesh dude give me a little credit (or the dude at lowes)!

I was hoping for the best, but had to ask.

Well, I don't blame you - I was waiting on something like this. I was walking down the aisle with some half inch "sharp pointy screws" when a Lowes dude asked if he could help me. I don't blame him, either, I was walking around with an ice rod in my hand [to make sure I had the right size conduit clamps], a bucket, and several bags of conduit clamps with, I'm certain, a rather bewildered look in my eyes...he probably couldn't resist to find out what kind of trouble I was trying to get into. He ended up pointing me in the right direction on the bolts and nuts. I'm proud to say I was able to figure out the right sized conduit clamps on my own.

If you really want to make the inside of the bucket smooth turn the screws around so the heads are inside.

I'm proud of ya! It looks great!!

Do you take all the rods off and sit on the bucket?

Find someone your own size, Scott.

I should have taken more pictures of the sleds and buckets I saw up in Minnesota for the tournament I helped with. Some creative minds of people who are serious about ice fishing. Very functional set ups. With enough time on the hardwater to learn what would be beneficial, the possibilities are endless to create cool things to save you time out there. Whatever method(s) you use out there, there's a way to keep everything within easy arm's reach.

I haven't decided if I want to be a sled guy in the future. Probably will, but our recent trip took us over mud and corn stocks. A sled would've been a bear. But typical situations would certainly call for one.

I want to give up my Clam 2000 hut for a 2-person flip-over. TJ, did you happen to handle Teeg's the other weekend. Frickin slick man. And doubles as a sled where, with the 2000, the best you can do is set your gear on it and hope it doesn't all slide off.

TJ,
Love the rig awesome set-up.. If the Velcro don't work out they sell half circle conduit holders that you could screw in there to hold your poles.

I think we're pretty close.

That's the problem that I have with my sled. I made nice rod holders but to sit on the sled I have to remove the rods. I cut pieces of PVC pipe, notched the top out so the reel foot sits down in it so the rods don't turn back and forth.

Also found out that 1/8" plexiglass doesn't work for a window when there's a coleman lantern close to it, even if you use standoffs to allow cool air to wash "up" the side of the plexiglass closest to the lantern. It gets soft and melts..... If I remember, I'll get pics tomorrow.

I'm a keep it simple stupid guy myself. I have a vexilar and other toys but they stay in the house for the most part. I've found they are mostly a distraction. Just too much weight IMHO too. I like to travel light and keep moving to find fish.

My auger is permanently stored in on the pier where a plank is missing. I use a weight to find bottom, set my stopper on the line 6 inches to a foot above the bottom and keep moving with my two man pop up. I even do this at the pond that is 200 feet from the house.

To each his own.

Of course my pond is such good fishing due to superb management I don't need all those gadgets.