Original Tip-Up
4.7(1,680)4.7 out of 5 stars, 1,680 reviews, on Amazon at the time this was writtenThe wooden tip-up that has been catching Great Lakes pike since the 1940s, with a sealed underwater spool that does not freeze up at fifteen below.
StrikeMaster
StrikeMaster · Ice Fishing
Lithium 40v Ice Auger
4.5(980)4.5 out of 5 stars, 980 reviews, on Amazon at the time this was writtenA cordless auger that cuts forty-plus holes in Saginaw Bay ice on one battery and never asks you to carry gas onto the lake.
Check price on Amazon$549— Lithium 40v Ice AugerPrice shown was accurate on 2026-09-01. Amazon sets the live price.
What's good
- Starts every time in single digits, which a pull-start gas auger does not
- Quiet enough that you can drill a second hole without pushing perch off the first
- No fuel, no fumes, no oil mix inside a heated shelter
What isn't
- Battery capacity falls off sharply below about 10°F — plan on a spare battery kept inside your coat for any full day
We list the drawbacks because a recommendation with no downside is a sales pitch. If a cheaper item does the job on your water, the write-up says so.
Also worth a look
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4.7(1,420)4.7 out of 5 stars, 1,420 reviews, on Amazon at the time this was writtenA rotomolded hauling sled built thick enough to drag a shelter, auger, and heater across pressure ridges without splitting.
Ice Safety Picks
4.6(2,900)4.6 out of 5 stars, 2,900 reviews, on Amazon at the time this was writtenTwo steel awls on a cord around your neck. The cheapest piece of gear that has ever saved a Great Lakes angler's life, and the most commonly skipped.
X300 Thermal Hub Shelter
4.6(1,150)4.6 out of 5 stars, 1,150 reviews, on Amazon at the time this was writtenAn insulated hub that holds heat well enough to fish Saginaw Bay in February in a sweatshirt, which is a real and specific thing this shelter does.