Todays' technology and mentality lets us comment and complain instantly about....everything.   But besides putting out to everyone our two cents it changes nothing.  If you make the best of the situation or the worst you are still probably in that same spot/predicament.  The following drivel is my three cents on such...(found a penny in the parking lot just now...tails up..but oh well)  Phone call from fellow ice wisher/fisherman.....somebodys' out on Dexterville...dat you?  What?  72 years of practice and now I'm getting slow on the draw.....Multitasking plan goes into effect...funeral wake for motorcycle club friend/pickup turkey blind deer hunting/not seeing shelter and take along a bit of ice gear just in case there is actually fishable ice there.  Funeral services turn out to be one week later and while sitting in the goodbye house parking lot  figured out mileage wise/daylight driving time it would make more sense to go check out ice first then pick up blind...less darkness/blinding lights reminder my eyes aren't what they used to be....Arrive at old boat landing...one Clam shack on the ice...kinda iffy looking...another hopeful soul just venturing out for a look with spud bar....I'm still putzing changing into ice clothes...he returns...3-4 by shore...2 further out.  3-4 sounds good...2 nope.  Equipment check: Sled, bucket, Ice cleats, safety ice picks, cross country ski poles marked to check ice depth through holes/fish size, 5 poles, fresh waxworms from Cantina/gas station across from park, 6 inch hand auger, ice scoop and no flasher,,,?  Yup, built in excuse if no bites...you know, just went to look, good to get out in fresh air...no sense jinxing a possible first ice for me fishing excursion by seeming to prepared and anxious.  Drill 6 random holes, check ice thickness, a good 3, not 4 that works.  Set up one pole waxie, assume the bucket position, jig away looking for that subtle out of synch jiggle in the spring bobber....looking like skunk a coming......oops/just a wrong pause/set hook/feels like leaf or weed/ approaches ice....nope perch...7 inch looking pretty grubby.  Skunk averted.  Light bulb moment a bit later...3 pole limit in wisconsin...fish one deadstick...two poles at a time off bucket...more action but kinda cluster f setting hook on both poles when you get a bite, back up to pull fish out...worked.  6 fish total/nothing big/nothing kept.  Met some new fishing idiots (wifes description of anyone who does this) and some guys just out for a ride that just happened to stop by.  Got the lowdown on other somewhat nearby fishing places so far...sounds like good places to try...if we get better weather/ice.  Be safe out there.  Woody Eckes