Ice Fishing
If You Don't Ice Fish...You wouldn't understand
I made a stupid mistake on thin ice new years day 2015 and ended up going through the ice on my snowmobile I made it out of the water ok . Later my buddy and I walked out to retrieve the ice fishing gear that some how didn't go thru with me . Long story short we set up and fished that evening and killed the eyes and perch if you don't ice fish you wouldn't understand!
On how to dress and how not to. The pic of cars on the ice that PHAT sent. : I was there that day for the ice sculpturing and saw a woman drive out and when she got out she was decked out in a mink fur coat and was wearing stilleto heels. We’ll, she took 3-4 steps and slipped and cracked her head on the ice,badly, as there was blood. Luckily there were EMTs on hand. CARPIO
When you do your summer recon runs in Chicagoland and luckily find a place that isn't posted No Trespassing...
You see a defined weed edge at this place that's only a short distance from shore...
You patiently wait for safe ice and sure enough you start catching 8"+ gills and a few bass...
Having friends that don't ice fish poking fun at you for sitting on the ice staring into a hole...
If you don't ice fish...
It's funny how every year around this time I start to think about ice fishing and get kinda excited. Then when it gets here all I can think about is how much easier it is to be in a boat and cast to any water I can reach with ease. Grass is always greener on the other side I guess. I do enjoy sight fishing gills, and sitting in the truck watching tip-ups where the coffee is warm and I can fish in jeans and a hoodie.
It's loads of fun to get a large group together on a weekday when you have the lake to yourself. A few cold ones, some venison sandwiches with horseradish mayo. Everyone yelling when a flag goes up. Letting the kiddos ice the fish. Yep. That's as good as it gets. Hard to find people who have weekdays off, so that is almost non-existent now. Soon I'll be retired, and can be really choosy about when I go.