If You Don't Ice Fish...You wouldn't understand

I'm all for ice safety. I'd say that all of us probably are. But so many aspects of ice fishing seem very dangerous to people who don't ice fish themselves. For example, connecting a ladder to the main ice on a lake, or wearing chest waders and hopping on the main ice shelf is not really a dangerous activity if you know the lake well enough. Especially if the water you are crossing to get to the ice is shallow and the water you are going to be fishing is shallow. Many people though, think it's crazy that I do such a thing. But, I don't think it's very risky when I'm drilling through 15 inches of ice on the main lake. The shores pulled away a little bit, but no big deal. Any other examples you can think of where If you don't ice fish, you wouldn't understand...

I totally understand your points on common sense and common courtesy. I do not like folks setting up right on top of me on the ice or in a boat. However, the boat argument is apples and oranges because you can’t leave your boat anchored in spot all summer and expect others to respectfully fish elsewhere. Just like you can’t claim a spot by leaving a stand overnight on public land. Why the laws are different for permanent shacks on the ice is a mystery to me. I appreciate your civility in our debate. I’ve seen discussion on this subject go south quickly in the past. As the law currently stands, all I can do is complain on an internet forum or try to introduce a resolution for the Spring Hearings. I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree and go enjoy the sport we all eagerly wait for during the hot months. If you don’t ice fish, you wouldn’t understand.

You also have as much right to go out there and place a permanent shack in the same location as I do. We don't even take ours out until there is at least 12 inches of ice. Our shack seems to be the first on the water anywhere near that location. I'm very friendly in helping other fisherman and showing them tricks, rigs, etc. as long as they are respectful. We have a couple groups on our lake that feel they own the lake and have broken tip ups and shoved them down holes, broken windows of vehicles, started fights. So I'm nowhere near a mean fisherman. I just demand some common sense and respect and will return the same. Maybe your comments hold validity to your body of water but I don't know where you fish. I'm just throwing out my opinion and have been on the bad end of lack of common sense by fellow fisherman.

I guess we have different perspectives. The lake I fish is fairly large for the area. Generally there is nobody fishing within 100 yards of us at any given time and you can put out a good spread of tip ups without issue. It is when there is nobody around you at all fishing and someone just comes right in and ontop of you. Do you like it in a boat when someone rolls into your honey hole when you are there? Close enough where lines get tangled? Why should it be different for hard water? And if your proposal makes sense to me it would not be a permanent shack anymore it would be a portable. Your name would not be required to be displayed on it meaning it could fall through and be nobodies responsibility. A permanent shack can be set in 1 spot for the duration of the season hence the word "permanent". If someone was fishing in my spot I would not ask them to move. I would simply put in my tip ups and setup as normal. I've never had to ask anyone to move because they are understanding and move on their own. I've actually talked to these people and they are 99% friendly and get it. What I have a problem with is drilling holes jeopardizing my shack I spent a lot of money on. That's all I mean by "my property statement". I don't own ANY part of the lake except my shack. When holes are drilled by my shack and it falls through because of it, that is the issue.

"I consider 6 feet around my shack to be my property. If you need to use that space just respect it!" Hence my beef with permanent shacks. I don't want permanent shacks to be banned, I just suggested that there should be a law stating that they have to be moved to a launch or public access when not in use. That makes things fair for everyone. I also put in the time and buy equipment to help me find the best spots. And, my license costs the same as yours too. Why should I not be able to fish a spot because you lay claim to it with your shack. Tell me this, if I would beat you to your shack and set up near it, would you ask me for permission to fish in your shack when you showed up for the day?

I should also mention it is irresponsible to use my shack as a wind break and drill multiple holes right by it weakening the ice. I've had it happen multiple times and once a hole formed under the jack stand causing the tongue to go through. Luckily it happened that day and only took about 3 hours to get it moved to a solid location. Use common sense. I consider 6 feet around my shack to be my property. If you need to use that space just respect it!

You can't make the argument for banning permanent shacks because of garbage or hogging a spot. I for one have a permanent ice shack and it is legal by law to leave it on the site I choose. I don't leave behind garbage. I spend over 200+ hours in that shack every season and that is on the low end. My friend and I spend nights out there frequently and put in the time to locate fish and structure. You can't be comfortable in a portable shack over night with 2 people let alone 1! It is not hogging a spot either. I don't have a problem with people asking to fish near me. If they invade my space without asking is when I have a problem. They see me catch fish and want to move right into my holes and soon our lines are tangled. That is disrespectful. In my opinion, setting out tip ups is considered my spread on the ice. It is similar to boat fishing with multiple lines out. Get in between my lines and my location and we have an issue. However, I do fish on a lake where there is a similar weed line around the whole lake with similar structure. I put in the work and buy equipment to help me locate the best spot to fish so why must I be forced to give it up? My fishing license cost the same as yours!

I don't condone folks leaving garbage by permanent shacks or using them as a bathroom but what's wrong with people using permanent shacks as a wind break, especially if the owner isn't there? They're on a public waterway. If permanent shack owners fault others for using their shack as a windbreak or wanting to fish the structure their shack is over when they're not there, then they obviously feel that their shack marks "their spot". Hence my beef with permanent shacks. If you don't ice fish in a permanent shack, you wouldn't understand.

So the only people that leave trash behind, are some of the guys with a permanent shanty? Yea, i don't think so. The only time I have garbage around my shanty are the days im not there. Everyone else groups up around it for the day, using it as a wind break and bathroom. Because they have nothing else, or can't stand up in the portable to take a p!$$. I have seen all sorts of people guilty of leaving a mess behind. As far as burning them down, I have had a shanty out for 20 seasons and three different lakes throughout the years, fish multiple other lakes late season and I have only seen one go down? But... I have seen multiple cars and trucks go through. The contamination that leaves behind is far more catastrophic to the fish and habitat, than a pile of wood. So ban vehicles, anything over 750 lbs, like some lakes do already. I dont understand why people are willing to giveaway ANY right we have? Unless its a danger to someone. ( If you can't beat them, join them )

I've posted this a year or two ago. Permanent ice shacks should be banned. Not because of the "spot" but because of the litter that is inherently deposited. Not all permanents are guilty of this, but I've seen more than I care to of burned shacks(can't get them out in time). Blocks of treated lumber left imbedded in the ice,empty propane tanks,garbage in general strewn around etc... In my experience, the bite moves as the season progresses anyway. In many cases, the permy's become nothing more than a party hub which I have no problem with if done RESPONSIBLY! '

I’ve fished out of a permanent shack a few times out on Lake Winnebago and Lake of the Woods and you can’t beat the comfort so I understand why people like to use them. But it seems most owners use them to mark their spot and that’s unfair. I’d like to see a law where permanent shacks are still legal but need to be moved to within a set distance from a boat launch, public access or designated spot when not occupied on inland lakes. That would level the playing field as far as I’m concerned. If you get up earlier than me and get your shack back on the structure before I get there, I’d respect that and fish elsewhere. In the past, I’ve thought about asking my uncle who is on the Conservation Congress to help me introduce a resolution for the April Hearings. What’s kept me from doing it is the pushback and arguing that I used to see on this site over the subject. I figured that there’d be enough against it that it would just be a waste of my time. I guess I could be accused of stirring the pot a little but I fully expected to get blasted when I posted my comments below a few weeks ago but that didn’t happen. Maybe the mindset is changing with the convenience and comfort of some of the portable shacks that continue to come onto the market. By the way, I’ll remember that GPS trick the next time I get reamed by a permanent shack owner who decides to get territorial with me. I’ll have to decide whether or not I let him know what I’m up to when I’m marking the coordinates or just simply smile and walk away.