I might be banned for saying this...

[fishuhalik]

but I'm kinda liking this lack of ice this year. Every day that there isn't enough ice for every yahoo with a truck to get out is alot of fish still swimming, not to mention having most any lake in the area to myself, especially during the week. Alot of the lakes in the metro here can really use this break in the fishing pressure. I imagine the next couple years might have a little better fishing than we're use to.

[fishersofmen]

Not me. I'm tired of dragging my house around! I really enjoy the convenience of driving.

[hamms-scooter]

I might look for a wheeler again but the lakes I fish i can access my spots from a few landings. I like the light traffic out there and small amout of perm houses. Makes us think more efficient for sure.

[EBass]

Heard a perm went through on Cooks Bay yesterday on Tonka.

[toughguy]

I'm with you on this. I love being on the lake with only a handfull of other people. I hate it when people put their perms right on top of a good spot on my GPS and they leave it there all winter. A lot less garbage on the ice too. It won't last all winter but it's been good for me.

[DTro]

I would prefer to see 7" of ice all season with a few inches of snow.

I kind of like getting around to places with the portable and sled without having trucks and wheelhouses everywhere.

[BartmanMN]

Good year for everyone with Big heavy portables to snap up deals on the one man shacks.

[jwmiller33]

I enjoy putting in the extra effort in dragging my portable out onto the lake/to my spot. It is great exercise and I enjoy getting the good workout and I'm sure most of you are like me and could really benefit from a few more burned calories each day. Also, there aren't nearly as many people out there because (I assume) they don't want to go thru all the work of walking out and pulling all their gear. I think it seperates the die-hards from the weekend warriors. Last but not least, fishing pressure is way down as a result of this which is another good thing. All positives! We still will have 2 good months of drivable ice for the last part of the winter, so it's not like its the end of the world.

[reinhard1]

last winter wasn't exactly the best for driving trucks out on lakes that i fished with the heavy snow and slush. other people drive my wheeler more than me. i still am able to pull my portable around to spots i go but having a wheeler sure is nice to have along with a snowmobile [which i dont have]. for those that love to pull a portable i could direct you to some lakes you wish you had a wheeler or snowmobile. we had to take a six wheeler a few times to some of the places we wanted to fish.

i guess it depends on age and energy for some lakes. i guess most of us would want the lake to ourself or little traffic as possible. seldom get that here in the metro. something you have to expect around here. i dont have a problem with people taking their trucks or cars out on a lake if it's safe. heck, i have driven my truck for years on lakes. guess we take our trucks on open water as well draging a boat around to various landings and filling up the parking lots, thus more boats on the body of water.

the only way to escape this is to go to places that are not easily accessed. other than that, i guess you have to hope for a mild winter as we have at this time, keeping the traffic lower. or hoping for heavy snow, only leaving it up to snowmobiles and wheelers with chains to get around in. guess things cant always be perfect. i'll get out there one way or another. good luck.

[amateurfishing]

I enjoy putting in the extra effort in dragging my portable out onto the lake/to my spot. It is great exercise and I enjoy getting the good workout and I'm sure most of you are like me and could really benefit from a few more burned calories each day. Also, there aren't nearly as many people out there because (I assume) they don't want to go thru all the work of walking out and pulling all their gear. I think it seperates the die-hards from the weekend warriors. Last but not least, fishing pressure is way down as a result of this which is another good thing. All positives! We still will have 2 good months of drivable ice for the last part of the winter, so it's not like its the end of the world.

+1

[Bigslugger]

I like the fact that I am the first to touch many of the spots this year on big lakes because of the fact of long walks.

[ClownColor]

opposite here...love to fish and could care less who or how many other people are out fishing with me. I actuall enjoy some company with people who enjoy the sport as much as I do. but most importantly, I love the security of a good 2 feet of ice and no worries of where i travel on the lake. I hate driving my vehicle on the lake regardless so not an issue.

[blue_healer_guy]

How dare anyone have a permmy!

[BigDogRob]

It's no worse than when you have a perm out and some yahoo in a porty shows up and drills holes next to your door 2 ft away. Those guys are the laziest people who only show up after others do the work.

[toughguy]

So because you park your permy there you own that spot for 10 weeks?

[KNIGHT]

I would prefer to see 7" of ice all season with a few inches of snow.

I kind of like getting around to places with the portable and sled without having trucks and wheelhouses everywhere.

+1

[mww24]

what if those guys bigdog are the ones who have been walking out to that spot for the previous three weeks before the perm showed up and took their spot. Just saying. with GPS and the internet there is very few honey holes left on any lake.

[BigDogRob]

Nope I would never do that! Besides if I'm on your spot then stop in, I'll probably have a couple extra holes for ya and a pre-heated seat to sit on.

[blue_healer_guy]

You have choices, take that spot daily with your portable for 10 weeks, get a permanant and sit there for 10 weeks or stop in and have a beer like he said!

[BigDogRob]

Lol, we never have beer in a perm house...hahaha. That would never happen {giggle} Ok I might have a spare one of those too.

[Cyberfish]

I saw a sunken shanty on Parkers lake, with a fire truck at the landing and guys in their rubber suits standing on the ice, hope there wasan't someone in there!

[Fowlmouth]

How dare anyone have a permmy!

+1 Better not put it on that guys gps cords! That would just be wrong! lmao

[hawkeye43]

Does that mean you giving yours away??? It takes a 2" ball right

[Zelmsdawg]

I love this time of year too, becasue I have lakes more to myself. That said, its not exactly that hard of a pull even up to half a mile or a mile when its all glare

[20lbSloughShark]

I love this time of year too, becasue I have lakes more to myself. That said, its not exactly that hard of a pull even up to half a mile or a mile when its all glare

I agree, and being 17, energy is no issue. Its kind of strange though. Lakes that I have only ever seen two other people during the boat season (one being a resident on the lake), suddenly have 20 or more. I never like glare ice that much, then I discovered ice cleats.