Clothing....obviously, warm and dry. I fished for many years wearing insulated coveralls, and most of the time they worked fine. Where they came up short however, was when it rained. Which happens more frequently than you might think when you're on the ice. I fished in the rain while ice fishing today, matter-of-fact.
So, a few years ago I purchased an extreme weather suit, designed for just this kind of thing. It consists of an insulated set of bibs, along with heavy, insulated jacket with hood. I won't say that is essential for ice fishing, but having used it for some time now, I would hate to go back to the coveralls. I have never been wet, or even cold while wearing it. Plus, it has pockets and compartments galore, AND features padded knees.....you tend to spend a LOT of time kneeling over a hole.....I've had my knees freeze into the ice numerous times, but unlike those old coveralls, these keep me dry while doing it. Few things harder to explain than frostbitten kneecaps.
AND, as I mentioned previously, some of these suits offer flotation capability. Sounding better all the time, eh?
Gloves and boots. I don't care how warm the rest of you may be, if your fingers and toes are cold you will be flat out miserable. You will need an insulated, waterproof boot. Lots of really good choices, but keep in mind that warmth equates to bulk....many popular boots worn while ice fishing are heavy, and some make it durn near impossible to operate a vehicle while wearing them. Not to mention that you will need to fit a pair of cleats OVER them. Keep these things in mind while shopping.
Socks....I don't have much info here, other than to say I wear multiple pairs...cotton underneath, with wool over those.
As far as gloves go, I've almost given up. Ice fishermen need a glove that keeps them warm and dry, while still allowing maximum dexterity.....you try sticking a size 16 hook through a wriggling spike's butt while wearing mittens. It ain't easy.
I've finally settled on a few pairs of plain, wool gloves, in both half finger and full finger configurations. They do a tolerable job of keeping my fingers warm, even when wet, and they allow me the flexibility I need to get the job done.....in most cases.
Remember those cleats I mentioned? Get a good pair. After spending a few days fishing with Alex at the incredible Herman Bros. facilities a few weeks ago, I can say with absolute certainty that a pair of Kahtoola Microspikes will be on my feet next season. Unbelievable.
Headgear. Personally, I prefer to wear an insulated, hooded sweatshirt under my bibs, which provides protection for my ever-increasing bald spot. If it's really cold, or raining, I'll use the hood on the extreme weather jacket also. That does the trick for me, although there are many other choices out there.
If it's cold, say in the single digits, I will sometimes wear thermals under my clothing. That doesn't happen very often however, as it's easy to become too warm and begin sweating, especially when you're moving constantly and cutting lots of new holes. That's bad news.
