Minnesota guide Brian Brosdahl uses Humminbird’s MEGA 360, Humminbird MEGA Live Imaging to locate
schools of fish, helping his clients make the necessary adjustments to keep catching fish. (Photo courtesy Humminbird)
Crappie Basics: Ice Fishing Bundles
With open water in the North turning hard, many anglers are putting their boats into storage and packing the long rods away in exchange for the short rods as ice season arrives in earnest.
Recognizing the increased demand for advanced ice fishing electronics, the major companies are now marketing special equipment “bundles” for hard water anglers.
Humminbird is pushing its new HELIX ICE bundles. They say the bundle features a premium shuttle for organizing the head unit and transducer, along with a standard 15Ah lithium battery for extended use. Built-in GPS, a high-definition LCD display, and Lakemaster mapping help anglers navigate and locate prime fishing spots.
Central Minnesota guide Brad Hawthorne is a Humminbird fan. He utilizes both Humminbird’s MEGA Live Imaging and MEGA 360.
“Guiding on the ice brings new challenges every day, with no two days ever the same. The one constant is my equipment – I never leave without my HELIX units and LakeMaster VX mapping,” said Hawthorne. “I start every day where we had success the day before. The first thing I do is put my MEGA 360 in the water and use the 360 view to see what’s around me—similar to side imaging in the summer.”
Of course, Humminbird is not alone. Lowrance has an ice fishing bundle as well as Garmin. If you want to buy the bundles in their entirety, plan to spend between $1,500 and $2,000.
