You look into the sled, shanty or mounted on a guy’s quad while he is out ice fishing, and what is the one thing you will see time and time again……………da bucket!
There is a wide range of uses for that ol’ 5 gallon bucket over in the corner of the garage or shed. It can hold your rods and tip ups while you walk out during the early ice season. It doubles as a seat on those sunny days while you are hole hopping. Its always a good place to put your catch once you have landed your fish. There is nothing funnier looking than a limit of walleye nose down in a bucket, with nothing but frozen tails sticking out over the top!
Besides all that, the bucket is a protection contraption as well. You’re flying over the ice on Erie and heading towards the islands in the Western Basin. Its not like you are going empty handed, you’ve got stuff and it is expensive stuff at that! Underwater cameras and flashers do not come cheap. Protect your gear, get a couple of buckets and find some foam. Line the bottom of the buckets and put a chunk on top too.
In the back of my shanty I have three buckets lined up, one is for bait, one for the Aqua Vu camera and the last for my Vexilar flasher. Sometimes I carry a short 2 and 1/2 gallon bucket for my Coleman Heater and extra propane tanks. You can also have one set up if you choose to use a lantern for both heat and light.
Most of the time you will have a couple around the house already. Maybe you know a builder or painter, the buckets are common place on a job site. If they aren’t a total wreck you might find one that way. Cabela’s and Gander Mountain both sell them now, Ace is the friendly place, right on Stuart Rd over by Big Lots has them too. Free is always the best way to go though. Restaurants and bars are good sources of both 2.5, 5 and 6 gallon buckets. They come with pepper rings or hamburger pickles smells, but a little bleach and soapy water soaking for a couple of days does wonders for that.
So remember this lil’ gem, “da bucket, don’t leave home without it.” At least when it comes to ice fishing.