First Mate XT Ice Tripod

The First Mate XT ice tripod is a three leg stand that sets the pole over a hole and holds it there, so you are not bending down to adjust it every time the fish move. Set your depth once, tap the foot pedal or the fob to swing the transducer, and keep both hands free to jig. It folds down for the sled and it handles sub zero temperatures. $25.

What the ice tripod does

On open water the XT lives on a rail or a trolling motor. On the ice there is nothing to clamp to, so the tripod becomes the mount. It locks onto the XT pole, spreads three legs on the ice, and puts the transducer down the hole at whatever depth you set. From there the pole does what it does on the boat: the motorized head turns the transducer just past 360 degrees, the speed dial runs from a dead stop to 12 RPM, and the wireless pedal and fobs let you scan a whole flat without walking back to the hole.

• Locks directly onto the First Mate XT pole.
• Three legs sit flat on the ice over any standard hole.
• Hands free: set it, then jig, check tip ups, or watch the screen.
• Folds up for the sled, the bucket, or the ice shuttle.
• Built for sub zero temperatures and wind.

Running live sonar on the ice tripod

Forward facing sonar on the ice is where a motorized pole earns its keep, because you scan sideways under the ice instead of straight down. With a manual pole you kneel at the hole and turn it by hand. With the XT on the ice tripod you stand up, tap the pedal, and the beam sweeps around you. It works with any current live sonar transducer on the XT’s round post: Garmin LiveScope, Humminbird MEGA Live, and Lowrance ActiveTarget all ride on it. The live sonar techniques page covers how to read what you see.

Because there is no boat battery on the ice, pair the tripod with the transducer pole battery box. It clips a compact 12V pack to the pole, and the XT draws so little current that customers report two to three days per charge.

Where the ice tripod came from

The first First Mate pole was built for ice fishing in Iowa, and this tripod is the piece that made it work out there. The pole has since become a boat tool first, but the tripod is still how the same First Mate XT that ran your bow all summer goes over a fresh hole in February. No second pole, no second sonar, just a $25 stand. The about page has the story, and the rest of the XT mounts and accessories are here.

Ice tripod specs

Ice tripod questions

Which XT length works on the ice?

Any of the three. The short Dagger is the easiest to carry in a sled, but the tripod holds all three sizes.

Does it work with a manual pole?

It is built to lock onto the First Mate XT. Other 1 1/8 inch poles may fit, but the point of the tripod is to let the motorized head do the turning while you fish.

How do I power the pole on the ice?

With the battery box and a compact 12V pack. The XT also has a 12V cable if you fish out of a shack with power.

Will it blow over?

Three legs spread flat on the ice keep it planted in wind. If you are fishing a bare, wind blown lake, set the legs wide and keep the pole low.