Getting Antsy For Ice

How about you guys, we still have over 3 months till we get good ice, but I am getting ants already.  Maybe it is because I purchased a Ranger 900 XP this spring, and I ordered a set of Mattracks for it.  Can't wait to get this on the ice!!

Went up to Land O Lakes for a day trip on Monday/Tues. Musky fished for 4 hours and was pleasantly surprised by water temps in the mid 60's. That's a 12° drop from the week before Labor Day.

Plugged in the vex yesterday 

You guys are getting me all excited about ice season. I'm excited about hunting season too. I'm all kinds of excited. 

Someday I will move. When our younger daughter graduates, we will move. That is six years away so no use getting too fired up about it. 

"I'm considering making the switch to eskimo... am I making a mistake?"

I was in the same boat, my old 9" Jiffy was getting older and I decided to make the switch to electric, MKE and a 8" KDrill, haven't looked back since. The electrics are amazingly light, very durable and you get a heap of holes out of "small" 5 ah battery.

I'm using my Jiffy as a backup, but it hasn't seen the ice in 3 seasons now.

Fishnhunt - I went with the kdrill/drill combo last year and kept my old jiffy for they exact reason you used yours for. The drill combo can handle 50+ holes on one 5ah battery when theres <12" of ice, once you start getting above that it starts to bog down which kills the battery faster. Just need to clear the shavings out more often then. I was still getting about 15-25 holes in 30"+ of ice by the end of the season on one battery depending on the temp and how "nice" I treated the battery that day. With two 5ah batteries I never ended up using my gas auger but I definitely cut back on how many holes I was drilling once I burned through the first battery. I'm getting the 12ah battery this year so with the 3 batteries there should be no problem whether I'm by myself or with a group.

The drill combos definitely aren't without their flaws but either way, I think the drill combo with gas backup is the way to go. Especially if you have enough room in your vehicle to take the gas auger along just in case.  

Then late last year it started leaking gas.  The grommet from the fuel tank was leaking. I called eskimo and again they sent me a replacement grommet and hoses for free, even after the warranty expired. The auger still runs great.

Last year I bought a 6 Nils hand auger for early/ late ice, or anytime the ice is about 12" or less. I can't believe how fast I can cut through a foot of ice with the Nils by hand. I use the gas auger when theres more ice, which is also the coldest time of year so I know there won't be starting problems. I'm pretty happy with this setup. Someday I'd like to upgrade to a cordless drill with the Nills but it cuts so easy by hand I don't know if its worth it. I like the idea of having both a gas auger and a good hander auger or drill combo. If I go fishing with a group sometimes I drill well over 50 holes in a day. Not sure if an electric could do that much.

Longduckdong- that would be a mistake.

There are great things about where I live. No crime, tremendous job opportunities, safe schools, no traffic. Hunting and fishing are fun, but some things are more important. 

I'm looking to put my old jiffy into semi retirement. The reviews on new jiffy augers have been mixed, especially on the four strokes. The eskimo mako has more consistent reviews.  I'm considering making the switch to eskimo... am I making a mistake?

Sorry to hear that, Mr Seaguar. I could not live where you live. I only have 2-4 hours to fish usually, due to owning a business. So I live in Oconomowoc, WI. Four great Lakes literally within 5 min of my house. Anything from 10 inch gills and trout to 50 inch musky right around the corner.  Not trying to make you feel bad. Just saying some weeks I only have  a couple hours here and there to ice fish. But I can be on the ice in less than 10 min. I’m never moving from here!

Trust me when I say there is not fishable water by me, not in IA, SD or MN. A couple kids fishing ponds and 10 foot wide rivers with small catfish, but that's it. 

I have not gone to the Sandhills. That part of the world is pretty desolate. I know the Nebraska guys who fish it say that the fishing has dropped off in quality. 

I like Lacrosse because my friend from Chicago can meet me, there are restaurants and motels right there, lots of nice fish. 

I live just south of La Crosse so I don't tend to travel much for ice fishing but a trip to Bay of Green Bay for walleye and whitefish is on the short list for this upcoming year.

Seaguars- I would go to the SW Minnesota lakes before Lacross WI, if you want to make the drive, plus outa- state license. Theres gotta be great pike- walleye lakes around there. All BS aside- try the swimbaits they work good on pike, walleye, and bass. You should do good with them in Iowa also. Theres gotta be good pike- walleye lakes up there, you are not that far from Minnesota. I dont know the area for fishing, I know IL, WI, and MI, and Florida...

I have fished Clear Lake. It's ok. I would not go there if I had other options. Okoboji has great panfishing, tremendous bass fishing. Lacrosse has better panfishing and better pike fishing. Some parts of iowa have awesome deer hunting but not northwest Iowa. We have some deer but not the numbers of big deer that are in other parts. I hunt southern Iowa dream areas for deer, Wapello County, Mahaska County, Monroe County. I also shoot the first deer I see, Haha. 

Seaguar - that's disappointing to hear that about the Okajobi area, it's been on my radar to get down there someday. I heard the panfish are worth the trip. Are you sure you aren't just trying to keep us Wisconsinites out of there haha. But then again you compared it to Lacrosse which has been argued as one of the best perch factories in the Midwest.

Have you fished the Clear Lake area? They had a stand at the St. Paul ice show last year, couldn't find much info online about how good the fishing actually is but it looked like a place the wife might like to take a weekend trip to.