new to it

[therealjt]

i decided this is the year to try ice fishing, i have done just about everything else from noodling to fly fishing.

a couple questions and concerns. How do i tell good ice? I have been out on lake hooper here in warren county and it seems to be about 8 inches or better. when i have been out the ice has been noisy. is this good or bad?
also cracks in the ice, is this bad?

now for gear, i picked up a frabill rod and reel at scheels and put some 6lb trilein ice line on it. i picked up a used hand auger that wont grab any ice at all, thinking it may just need new blades. i ordered a pak shack and have a cheap fish "locater" that shows the depth and if there are fish supposodely.

if you have any tips on the questions i have asked or tips on the gear let me know, and maybe if you get out south we could hit the ice.

jason

[Long Grove labs]

First off congrats on startin ice fishin it is a blast. If it's cold & the ice is making crackin noises it means it is making ice. Nothin to worry about. As far as equipment, well that can go on and on. You're started in the right direction. Your good to go til you find out if this is really some thing you want to get into. You can always up grade.

Lance

[therealjt]

just picked up a different auger from my grandfather that he used oh 45years ago. its nothing fancy but it sure cuts threw the ice. its one of the old ones that look like a shovel and thats it besides the hand crank.

i bought the strikemaster mora on craigslist for 20 dollars and it wont even grab the ice, i heard somebody say something about shims for under the blade but i cant find anything about them anywhere. any ideas?

and as far as it being something i like or not, i am happy just to have a line in the water. my

my bigggest thing is going to be getting over the noises and stuff on the ice. i have always been afraid of the ice. growing up there was a family that went threw the ice and most of them died, well i went to school with the kids and have always been afraid of the ice.

today walking on the ice the cracking noise was pretty much in sync with my walking. had a guy tell me it is just the ice shifting and its fine. but i still screamed like a girl.

jason