PROS CHOICE

Matt is an accomplished fishing guide who hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and chases big fish of all species. You’ll oftentimes see him hoisting giant “greenback” walleyes from the famous waters of Lake Winnipeg.

PRO’S CHOICE

Brandon is a professional guide who knows what big walleyes look like. He spends most of his time on the Bay of Quinte where he enjoys providing others with that “once in a lifetime” experience of landing a truly monster walleye.

Rob “RJ” Jackson is a prolific multi-species angling expert and guide. He regularly targets everything that his home area of Eastern Ontario has to offer including panfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, pike, muskie, carp, gar, various trout and salmon. www.rjnbirdeesoutdooradventures.ca

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU CAN’T LEAVE AT HOME.

Ryan Salemi - WI

One item I won’t leave home without is my Rise Suit float suit from Ice Armor by Clam.

Terry Tuma – MN

My Vexilar. Hands-down.

Tony Mariotti – MN

Won’t leave home without my flasher. I don’t care what type of sonar you are using, once I get set up I rely on my flasher to show me the mood of the fish and it’s reaction to my techniques.

Craig Oyler – SD

Vexilar, don’t want to waste time fishing in an area where there aren’t any fish. A Vexilar will tell me that.

Ross Robertson – OH

Would not be without my electronics.

Jason Mitchell – ND

If there is one item I don’t want to leave behind, that would be a Vexilar. I can hope to borrow a rod or tackle but have a real hard time fishing without being able to see my presentation and how fish respond.

Chris Granrud – MN

I’d say the one thing I would struggle leaving behind is my electronics. From contour map reading to my eyes underwater, electronics are the single most valuable tool in the chest.

James Vladyka – VT

Can’t leave home without the electronics. That just makes for a long day of fishing with a blindfold on.

Dennis Kassube – SD

My Vexilar for sure. As Dave Genz would say I won’t leave home without it! I always have an extra one in my side by side or pickup just in case. Although more than once I’ve had people borrow the extra, never have I ever had one of my Vexilar’s not work.

Brandon Ouellette – ON

One thing to always have is a compass. Electronics fail, fuses blow, batteries die, and squalls can block GPS.

Pat Kalmerton – WI

Hands-down my Blackfish Gear Gale soft shell. Allows warmth, comfort, and flexibility for an extended day on the ice.

Jason Durham – MN

The one thing I never leave at home when heading ice fishing is an extra pair of gloves or mitts. Both are notorious for disappearing without a trace, so having extras in a pocket or even in the vehicle can be the difference between “comfortable” and “miserable”.

Mark Martin – MI

My Ice Armor by Clam suit is my second shanty as I walk around teaching students on the ice, a must have.

Bret Alexander – WI

The one thing I wouldn’t leave home without would be a positive fish catching attitude!!

Jim Kusuda – WI

The one piece of equipment that is with me is my Clam Drill Plate with the extension. I like the way the curved blades of the conversion kit shave the ice quickly and smooth!

Matt Breuer – MN

Comfortable, warm clothes and accessories. There’s nothing worse than forgetting gloves and having frozen hands. I won’t leave home unless I know that I’ll be comfortable on the ice.

Kevan Paul – IA

Besides all the stuff that you must have like good gear and electronics, I will not leave home without my Ice Armor Gloves. I’m not getting any under and my fingers need to work to catch fish. Make sure you own good gloves. They will help you fill your bucket.

Scott Brauer – NY

The one thing I won’t leave home without, is information. Do your research on where you are going and what you are fishing for. Look for reports on what is biting, what the fish are eating and where they are at that time of the year.

Jean-Paul Tessier – MN/ON

My 32” Dead Meat rod... it’s sensitive tip allows to detect the most scuttle bites, yet it’s backbone holds up to the mightiest fish Lake of the Woods has to offer.

Tim Moore – NH

There are several things I don’t leave home without when heading out to go ice fishing, but near the top of that list is my Ascent or Rise suit. Staying comfortable keeps me efficient and allows me to be more mobile.

Jeff Andersen – MN

GPS for me is a tool that is something that I use every single time I’m fishing. Map contours and history of locations allows me to truly understand structure and fish positioning. n