Ice Fishing Gear Storage and Maintenance for South Dakota Anglers

Ice fishing season on Lewis and Clark Lake and the Missouri River is some of the best in the Midwest. But when the ice goes out in March, all that gear needs proper storage and maintenance to be ready when things freeze up again in November. Here’s the complete guide to storing and maintaining your ice fishing equipment in southeast South Dakota.

Why Off-Season Care Matters

Ice fishing gear takes a beating. Between sub-zero temperatures, wet conditions, and the general abuse of dragging equipment across frozen lakes, your gear is only as good as how you maintain it between seasons.

Skip the off-season maintenance and you’ll find: - Auger blades dulled or rusted beyond use - Electronics with corroded battery contacts - Ice shelters with mold and mildew - Rods with seized reels and corroded guides - Heaters that won’t start - Sleds cracked from UV exposure

All of that is preventable with a few hours of work and proper storage.

Ice Shelter Storage

Your ice house, pop-up, or flip-over is probably the biggest single piece of ice fishing equipment you own — and the most likely to be damaged by bad storage.

Before Storing

1. Set it up one last time in your yard or driveway on a warm spring day. Open every flap and door.
2. Clean thoroughly. Remove fish scales, bait residue, dirt, and debris. A garden hose and mild soap work fine.
3. Dry completely. This is the critical step. Fold up a wet shelter and you’re guaranteed mold by fall. Let it dry for a full day in direct sunlight if possible.
4. Inspect the fabric for tears, worn spots, or broken stitching. Repair now while it’s set up and easy to work with. Aquaseal or tent repair tape handles most fixes.
5. Lubricate zippers with zipper wax or silicone spray. Frozen, broken zippers are the #1 in-season failure point.
6. Check the frame — look for bent poles, loose rivets, or worn hub connectors. Replace parts in the off-season when they’re in stock.

Storage Methods

Ideal: Stored in a climate-controlled or standard storage unit, off the ground, in its carry bag or a breathable cover.

Acceptable: In a dry garage or shed, elevated off the floor on shelves or a pallet.

Not acceptable: In direct sunlight (UV destroys fabric), on a damp floor, in a tightly sealed plastic bag (traps moisture), or outside under a tarp.

If you don’t have garage space, a 5x10 or 10x10 storage unit at Lock N’ Leave It Storage fits an ice shelter plus all your associated gear.

Auger Maintenance and Storage

Hand Augers

• Clean the blades — remove ice, fish slime, and debris
• Sharpen or replace blades — do this now, in spring. Replacement blades sell out by November. A sharp auger cuts clean; a dull one is an arm workout.
• Apply a light coat of oil to blade edges and any exposed metal to prevent rust
• Store with blade guards on — always. Exposed blades are dangerous and damage easily.

Gas Augers

• Run the fuel out or add fuel stabilizer and run for a few minutes to circulate treated fuel
• Clean the air filter
• Check the spark plug — replace if worn
• Oil the blades and install guards
• Store upright to prevent fuel and oil from pooling in the wrong places

Electric/Battery Augers

• Charge the battery fully before storage
• Remove the battery and store it indoors at room temperature — cold kills lithium batteries
• Clean and oil blades as above
• Store the unit in a dry location

Electronics: Flashers, Fish Finders, and Underwater Cameras

These are often the most expensive items in your ice fishing arsenal. A Vexilar or Marcum flasher represents a serious investment.

Battery Removal

Remove all batteries — every single one. Batteries left in electronics over summer will leak, corrode contacts, and destroy circuit boards. This is the #1 cause of ice fishing electronic failure, and it’s 100% preventable.

Cleaning

• Wipe down screens with a microfiber cloth
• Clean transducers — remove mineral deposits with a soft cloth and water
• Inspect cables and connectors for damage, corrosion, or fraying
• Clean battery terminals with a wire brush or contact cleaner

Storage

• Climate-controlled environment is ideal for electronics — extreme heat and cold are hard on LCD screens and internal components
• Store in padded cases or original boxes
• Keep dry — desiccant packs in the storage container
• Charge lithium batteries to 50-60% for long-term storage (not full, not empty — this extends battery life)

Rod and Reel Care

Ice fishing rods are short and specialized. Reels are small but precise.

Reels

• Back off the drag completely — compressed drag washers lose tension over time
• Clean and lubricate — a drop of reel oil on the bearings and a light grease on the gears
• Remove old line or at least back it off the spool to prevent memory set
• Store loosely — don’t keep the bail closed under tension

Rods

• Clean guides with warm water and a soft cloth — salt and mineral deposits from lake water corrode guides
• Check for tip damage — ice fishing tips break easily
• Store vertically in a rod holder or rack, or horizontally on a shelf — never leaning unsupported against a wall where they can bend

Tip-Ups and Tip-Downs

• Clean all moving parts — remove ice residue, fish slime, and any sand or grit
• Lubricate spindles and trip mechanisms — light oil prevents seizing
• Replace worn line — tip-up line is cheap; a lost fish because of rotten line is not
• Dry completely before storing in a bin or bag

Heaters

Propane Heaters (Mr. Buddy and Similar)

• Disconnect propane tanks and store tanks separately in a ventilated area (not in a sealed storage unit)
• Clean the burner — dust and spider webs cause ignition failures
• Check the hose and regulator for cracks or damage
• Store upright in a dry location
• Test before the season starts — don’t find out it’s broken when it’s -10°F on the ice

Note on Propane Storage

Most storage facilities — including ours — do not allow propane tank storage inside units due to safety regulations. Store propane tanks at home in a well-ventilated outdoor area, upright, with the valve closed.

Sleds and Transport

• Clean all mud, ice, and debris
• Store out of direct sunlight — UV makes plastic brittle over time. One more South Dakota summer of UV exposure and your sled cracks the first cold day you use it.
• Store flat or upside down — not bent or wedged, which creates permanent warps

Tackle and Terminal Gear

• Inventory your jigs, spoons, and tackle — toss anything rusted or damaged
• Organize by species and technique — walleye jigs, panfish presentations, pike setups
• Dry all tackle boxes — open them up and let them air out before closing for storage
• Restock in the off-season — buy tackle at summer clearance prices when demand is low

The Storage Unit Setup

If you’re using a storage unit for ice fishing gear, organize it for seasonal rotation:

End of Ice Season (March/April)

• Ice gear goes IN to the unit
• Open water fishing gear comes OUT

Start of Ice Season (November)

• Ice gear comes OUT of the unit
• Summer gear goes IN

A well-organized unit with shelving makes this swap quick and painless. Label bins by season and activity.

Recommended Storage Unit Sizes

• 5x5: Rods, reels, electronics, tackle, and small items only
• 5x10: All the above plus an ice shelter and auger
• 10x10: Full ice fishing setup including multiple shelters, ATV accessories, and gear for the whole family

Stay Ready for First Ice

The best anglers on Lewis and Clark Lake, the Missouri River, and local ponds aren’t just good on the ice — they’re good at maintaining their gear off the ice. Proper off-season storage means your gear is ready when that first safe ice forms, instead of scrambling to fix preventable problems.

Lock N’ Leave It Storage in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman offers the secure, dry storage your ice fishing gear needs between seasons. Contact us to reserve a unit — because first ice waits for nobody.