How's your winter going???

[hanson]

I remember back before our lakes started to freeze about a thread describing our goals for this upcoming ice fishing season.

So...How is everybody doing? Try any new lakes? Try any new techniques? Fish a new species? Hit an I.C.E. Series event? Fished with new people? Made an FM gathering? Introduced a friend to ice fishing?

Like many of you, I listed off a bunch of somewhat unattainable goals but you have to aim high, right?

So far I've:

1- New Lakes? Tried icefishing 3 new lakes so far- Winnibigoshish, Medicine, and the Horseshoe Chain with very good success.

2- New Techniques. Went early ice tip-up fishing for Pike on Devil's Lake. I've been doing a lot more deadsticking for all species. I've also been using more jigging spoons than I normally use.

3- New Species. Catfish at you guessed it. What a blast.

4- So far 2 I.C.E. Series events down and potentially 3 more to go. Burntside Bash this weekend and Cool Cats for sure. Good possibility about Rush now too.

5- I've fished with a lot of new people so far and also brought a few buddies with who have never ice fished before.

Good luck to everybody. 2 months of ice fishing left to go! More cats, lake trout, big pike, and hopefully some walleyes to come!!

[freighttrain50]

this year has been fun and interesting for me too. i have tried some new things that i have never done before like fishing with jigging spoons. i have had pretty good luck with them with craps and a couple of walleyes along with tons of perch. i have found some new lakes as well. some really good luck on a few. along with hanson i have also taken a few newbies out fishing, people i have never fished with and very much enjoyed it. i encourage everyone to broaden their horizons and try new things. They pay off sometimes and are duds other times. Whatever the outcome it is a learning experience and should teach you new techniques for catching fish as well as things about life. its amazing what you can learn from fishing. i'm only 20 and have learned sooo much and hope to learn tons more further along in life. thanks to all of you on this site for this learning experience and for sharing your knowledge with me. Thanks again!

Train

[Captain B.R.K]

I've had a pretty good season as well Hanson. Being new to the St.Cloud area has opened up some doors to new lakes. Had success walleye, lake trout, panfish and crappie fishing this year. Have had just great conditions each time out, so no problems there about the trap being ripped up!!

I finally made it to a IceLeaders event. If you don't know what I'm talking about, click on this link www.iceleaders.com to see what you have been missing out.

Looking forward to Minnetonka, Cool Cats and possibly Rush!

I even have been able to meet some new faces from the forum.

All n' All it's been a good year!

[riverrat56]

Its been a good winter for me, i built my first fish house with 2 buddies, learned how to use my Lx-3 to catch suspended fish, started jigging alot more thanks to the LX-3 and i have learned alot thanks to all you guys on FM about fish locations and how to catch certin fish at certin times.

[arbuck]

Mine has been great for the most part.

Built my first hard-sided house and got it on the lake.

Got my son out ice fishing for the first times this year.

Had pretty good luck with where I put the house.

Tried all kinds of new jigs/techniques thanks to sugestions from folks on this site.

Finally gonna make it up to Red.

On the down side.

Missed the Medicine event cuz of the weather.

Gonna miss the Tonka event cuz of a trip to Red.

All in all a great year!!!!!!

[Ryan Berger]

I have had my best year ice fishing ever, having been home and fishing constantly for the last 2 weeks has been great. I have spent way too much money this year,, tons of jigs, a new otter lodge, custom rods, and a couple new Cetus reels, I finally have everything I have ever wanted, but still want more rods, and a Marcum 560,, right good luck on that one,, anyone have a hint as to where to get one???

On the side of catching fish, I have only targeted Crappies so far and have had good luck, especially yesterday,, catching over 20 withen a half hour of setting up. I was going to go to the medicine event, but had to go to yet another coming home party,, I will definatly try to make at least one event,, missing the Tonka event due to a trip to Red,, which will be a first,, ok I rambled enough,,

[PERCHJR]

Fishing's been great as usual, but it is going WAY TO FAST!!!

[Eric Wettschreck]

It's been good for me. I've had some quality ice time on my local lakes. Just got back from LOW. It was slow there but, hey, it was LOW. Slow there is hoppin good for me. I have a trip next month to URL with my 2 sons. In the meantime it's local ice time.

[Lights]

It's been good for me and my three little boys(7,6,4). We have had some quality time ice fishing together on the Chisago area lakes. Had a trip to URL in Dec. with the oldest. On are way back we stopped by are cabin on Dead lake in Ottertail county and he got to catch his first walleye. It was 17.5 incher.

My only complaint this winter is not getting out to meet you guys at one of the I.C.E. series get togethers. I work a weekend shift Friday-Saterday 6:00am to 6:30pm. I have to save most of my vacation time for the family vacation in the summer. I have one day to use this winter. I can not decide what to do with it, go to Mille Lacs with a buddy of mine this saterday or save it for the Rush lake I.C.E series event?

Later,

Lights

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

Its been quite the winter for me! I've fished with a bunch of great guys that i'd never ice fished with before, and this weekend i'll be going for the third 'new species through the ice' of the year. Coho salmon in Chequamegon, splake up the Gunflint, and hopefully a laker at burntside to top it off. Suffice it to say that i'm eating well and i can't complain

[Tripleplay]

Since I started the 2004-2005 season thinking I was going to get 1-LOW trip and that was it I'd say my season has been a great success. I've convinced the wife that this is a sport for me since my summers are busy coaching competitive/traveling soccer--new vex and auger and some great time on the ice with my son!

Got outfished by son last weekend at the Medicine ICE event-good but kind of painful for the ribbing.

Assisted an 11 year old catch his second fish ever (3-4# northern)-very good.

Outside doing anything versus watching TV-very good.

First trip to URL-good and hopefully more to come.

Trip to LOW-very,very good.

Meeting all the great folks at the Medicine event and all of the helpful advice from other FM's-very good.

Quality time with son and hopefully daughters in the weeks to come----PRICELESS!

[hanson]

Now that the ice season is almost officially over, I had to bump this topic back to the top to see how you all faired during this years ice fishing season.

I thought I'd take a minute to look back at some of the goals I set for myself this last year and how close I came to accomplishing them, while I was setting my new goals for this summer on BDR's thread in the Open Water Forum.

I remember I wanted to fish some new lakes, fish with some new people, fish for some new species of fish, fish the I.C.E. Series events, and have a successful first winter with my sleeper ice house.

I think I came fairly close to accomplishing these goals.

New Lakes- Horseshoe Chain, Winnibigoshish, Medicine Lake, Rush Lake, Burntside Lake were all new waters for me this winter that I had success on. There are a couple other new lakes I explored also that I cannot mention though.

New People- I fished with many. Wow, did I fish with a lot of new people this winter. Some were old friends, some were new friends, many of them were you FMers (both staff and family).

New Species- Channel Catfish & Lake Trout were the 2 new species that I specifically targeted this winter. I had great luck targeting channels and enough luck on Lakers to focus more on them next winter.

Fish the I.C.E. Series- I made almost every one of them and that was definitely one of the highlights for the winter. Winni, Burntside Bash, Medicine Lake, Rush Lake, and the Cool Cats '05.

Sleeper House- This was my first winter with a permanent sleeper house. I busted my butt all last summer to get this shack together and it ended up being one of the best things I've done. The house is out of Roger's Campground on Upper Red Lake. I can't remember how many weekends I spent up there this winter- 5 or 6 perhaps?? My mom got back into ice fishing because of the house and spent a few weekends up there also. It also was a great way to get friends together for a weekend. I have many little projects & modifications to make to the house for next winter already.

I think that about sums up my winter. Did I mention that I had more FUN! I had a lot of fun and can't wait for next winter, I'm already getting some of my goals together in the back of my mind.

[RandyR]

I had fun, mixed results but enough good days to make it interesting. Mostly stuck with my winter favorite (West Rush) and other than a few ventures into deep water, fished shallow water all winter with mostly good success.

Made a serious attempt to master finesse plastics for panfish, no live bait, and found that they work great most of the time, with a few exceptions.

Landed the biggest (for me it was the biggest, even though it was a modest pike by most standards) pike I have caught at just over 11 pounds.

It is just nice to be outdoors and catching fish, it helps the winter go by.

[The Grebe]

The season started out slow and built up gradually, to the point where I ended the season on Mille Lacs, with the best cach of Perch I have ever had!

For each trip that was less then memorable, there was a good one to back it up! I got out for several trips each with my 3 sons and we had some good times, my wife and I had a blast on Rush catching Crappies, I hooked up with a couple of my friends and my nephew for a number of trips, I was able to cadge and badger my wifes nephew Andy from Big Lake, into going out a couple of times, he is always enjoyable as a fishing partner and he works to much.

I feel I learned alot of good stuff from this site over the winter and I do believe it made me a better fisherman and will continue to do so, for as long as I stay open minded!

All in all the winter was good and I expect the summer will be just as good!

[wall eyell be]

Quote:

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How's your winter going???

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Well, it's going about 250 miles north AND I'm chasin' it !!

[Jim Hudson]

Great ice season in the books on my end.... Especially for the new people I fished with... For fish numbers, it was down from last year, but I still had some good catches and the number of skunked days I had I can count on one hand... So now it is off to open water and hopefully it will be just as exciting!!!

See ya on the water...

[Matt Breuer]

Jim, I hear ya'! Good season all together, great meeting and fishing with new people, meeting more FM'ers, and having fun on the ice!

Numbers did definitely lack from last year, aside from Red, which was the best in quite a few years! Size made up for it, I got my biggest Winter 'gill and personal best crappie this Winter.

Biggest dissapointment was not hooking a single laker this year. I only fished them once all season, which was a letdown for me, usually I get out a half dozen or more times.

Bring on the soft water!

[ivegottabite]

Was a decent season for me. Basically my first full season of ice fishing. Tried basically all new lakes this year, learned new techniques to help catch fish, added gills and crappies to fishing list and got to fish with new people which built new friendships as well.

Only dissappointments were not getting out more or getting to an Iceleaders event, there's always next year though.

Like Matt said-Bring on the soft water!

[bigbucks]

Personally it was one of the poorest in a long time & I'm glad to have it over with. It was to be expected with my wife in the middle of a master's program & two small children though, so I know better ones are coming. When I did fish I either couldn't find them or get them to bite. It was a winter of "You should have been here last week or last night". I'm looking forward to open water. I did fish a few new lakes for me with limited success, but still learned a few new spots, so not a total loss.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Up and down for me. I spent a weekend in a sleeper on Lake of the Woods with some good friends. Had a blast, fishing wasn't great. Spent a weekend on URL with my 2 sons. Had a blast, didn't catch a single crappie. No complaints. Spent many weekends on my local lakes with wife and kids. Sometimes fish bit, sometimes not. Had good times and made great memories.

[SteveWilson]

It was the first time I had been out ice fishing in 30 years or so. Definately the first time for my wife ice fishing (she's from Thailand). What made it satisfying is that my kids (6&7) finally started to get the hang of using the flasher and being patient. Once they slowed down a bit they started catching fairly large numbers of fish. One day my daughter (6) out fished me by getting her limit of sunnies before I - what a hoot. Although we weren't able to get out as much as I would have liked, the times we did get out were fun and enjoyable for the whole familly.