Ice IFishing 2010-2011


RTF

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I usually wait until shortly after gun deer season to start getting ready. Otherwise I just have too much stuff littered all over the house and garage. I didn't get out too much last year so I'm quite anxious to start. Usually can get out on some ice around Christmas. My favorite lake over the years has turned into a circus so I'm going to try to find some lakes that aren't so busy this year.

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Seems as though old man winter is tightening his grip on us here and probably won't loosen up until spring. I'm guessing by early to mid-December the die hards will be out on the ice which means by Christmas I should be good to go. I see Walmart has replaced their hunting stuff with ice fishing so I'm going to go restock my supplies this weekend.

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On waters I know I'm good with 3 inches if I'm walking, 6 inches for a 4 wheeler or snowmobile. 12 inches for a vehicle. Gotta be careful with areas you don't know, there could be 3 FEET of ice in one spot and 2 inches 50 yards away if there's current, beaver activity or underwater spring.

I always say that the only thing predictable about the ice is its unpredictability! I usually haunt the same 2 or 3 bodies of water every year for that reason. Don't you love how the ice sings to you when the temps change?! I wonder how many different words for lake ice the Inuit have?

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The sound of the ice cracking is amazing. My grandma lives right on a good sized lake (7 miles long 4 miles wide at widest point) There is no current in this lake so it usually freezes between 30 and 40 inches of ice on average. Temps dip down close to -40 sometimes, and man when the ice cracks it sounds like thunder, sometimes if it shifts enough it rattles the dishes in the cupboards. :D Been out in the fish shack when some big pressure cracks go and it shakes the shack like an earthquake. Sure wakes you up if you're dozing off from the heat of the fire. :jaw::D

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I went out fishing yesterday morning with my dad. We managed to bring in 10 crappies/bluegill. There was about 4-5 inches of ice and with the cold spell we are in it will be 6+ by the weekend. Turned out to be an expensive day for him though. He was in the process of setting his second pole when something dragged his first one into the hole. It was funny seeing him dive for it. Then the bolt on the auger broke and the blade fell in. After a few choice words all we could do was laugh. He had an excuse to go by a new one though.

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Gettn' ready

I hadn't been ice fishing for a long time when my son talked me into going last year. We had a ball. I even caught a few fish between beers.

We just bought a new Jiffy ice auger 3500 STX Pro and a Frabill Guardian shelter. We did this jointly. Marc ordered and I paid! I also bought a new jigging rod.

Last year Marc bought everything from the Frabill Hub shelter to the sled, heater, rods and everything else.

We use his truck to haul his trailer and his 4-wheeler to tow the sleds out onto the ice. Guess I'm not too bad off.

I think I have overcome the not so fond memories I had when I used to go. Being the youngest, I had the duties of setting everything up and taking it down.

Now I am the oldest! Funny how things change.

Good luck to all. Be safe!

Lynn

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