Ice fishing can be cold and boring if you’re not on the bite, so a portable generator might be a good idea to help you power a heater, maybe an electric auger and lights, and don’t forget backup power for your camera phone when the cold zaps your battery, but you still need to back up that wild fish story with the ever-important fish photo proof!
For starters there are a couple factors you need think about when it comes to generator power and ice fishing. Noise and portability are tops on my list! Your dad, or fishing mentor, always told you to be quiet to avoid scaring fish off. Yes, this is true, but dad wasn’t just telling you to stop asking questions, as fish scare easily by vibrations, movement, and noise. So, something in the lower dBA spectrum would be best.
Portability is a key factor as well! Ice fishermen either ride sleds, hike in or move a portable ice hut around to get into the fish. So, a lightweight unit would obviously be a plus. And unless you’re in an ice fishing shack, you really don’t need a ton of power.
Checking out the picks with the team at UpIceFishing.com, a hard water guy would want to check out the gear from Jackery (Solar) and Generac (gas). Adding to that list, we’d also suggest the Goal Zero Yeti lineup and the whisper-quiet Honda.
All these units are either solar and silent or the portable smaller gas models like the Generac GP2500i at 48 pounds and 60 dBA or the Honda EU2200i at 47 pounds and around 47-55 dBA, add a little weight and sound, but are still somewhat quiet.
Don’t be scared off by the term “solar”—I know you’ve been bombarded by solar salesmen, annoying popup ads and non-stop commercials about how to get free solar, but the units from Jackery and Goal Zero can be topped off via a plug at the house the day before, so you really don’t have to have the panels to work with unless you are going to be away from civilization for days and need a recharge.
All four of these units will power your successful day on the ice. It’s never too early to start planning your next fishing trip. The bonus of these units is that they will also help power your spring, summer, and fall camping fun to. And if the power goes out at the house this winter—well, they can power a couple essentials as well. Good luck this winter and tight lines!