Favorite Things About IceFishing

[The_Duckslayer]

I think that I like the smell of the old days better than the smells of today. The wet plywood, the canvas, the charcoal, the burning wood. Trying to figure out how you were going to get the heater out of the portable so that you could dump it on the ice and put out the fire. Not having any gadgets to tell you where the fish were, you either lucked out or you didn't. Most of the time it was just easier to walk out and not pull that dang suitcase out behind ya unless the wind and the cold were just brutal! Armed only with a bucket, some worms that you got from the crock in the basement, and a jiggle stick. Just two pegs on it to wrap the line around, a hook and a cork. Real cork! Getting a spoon hand auger and getting through the ice "so much faster" that you could with a spud! Wearing the WW2 pilot hat with the genuine rabbit fur ear flaps and never having your ears get cold. Pack mittens that would fly off when ya got a bite so that you could hand over hand the line up out of the hole. I am much older now, almost a half century older. I can not do that so much as I used to. Now there is a gas auger to make that hole even faster. A Vex to look for fish activity. A GPS to find a spot to put the Vex in. A flip over lightweight fish house. A propane lantern. A Mr Heater Big Buddy for instant on and off heat. I guess maybe the good old days were not all that great but I tell ya what, it sure makes one appreciate all this new fangled stuff a whole lot more. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[mvanotterloo]

There are way to many things to list on favorites but a few:

*Wife catch her first ever fish through the ice

*Seeing the Red come up to the Green on the vex is priceless

*Wife trying to drill a hole with the hand lazer auger

*Sitting out and realize this is the life and never wanting to leave

[mrth0201]

I would have to say my favorite thing about ice fishing is enjoying a day of catching sunfish with a small ultra light rod, equiped with 1 pound test and a #12 fatboy jig tipped with a few euro larve. Suddenly, your fighting a 22" inch walleye and praying that some how you can bring it through that 4 inch hole . Now that's an exciting day on the ice!

[bassislife]

Watching fish hit your lure on the vexilar. There's nothin better!

[brittlab]

I enjoy the challenge of finding and catching fish. I also like the solitude of early morning fishing after work. It seems to be more fun than open water fishing when you get together with some of your buddies

[slipperybob]

using a fishing rod that's length equivalent to a four year old kid.

[lookincalifornia]

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I am missing my first year of ice fishing since I got hooked on the local river when I was 12. I have recently moved to Arizona but my mind and heart are still in Northern Minnesota. I enjoyed all of the other posts! You are all exactly right. The thing I miss the most is standing outside the tent and not hearing or seeing anyone, and feeling the cool, clean air. I'll miss it, but I'll be back!

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i feel your pain. i moved to california 5 years ago, and all i have are a couple of forum sites to help keep me sane

evry now and then, when is acctually gets "cold"(low 40's). some one will light up a menthal, and the combo of cold air and menthol cigarette smoke instantly transports me to the ice on the iowa great lakes. i can see the jumbos comming in 15 at a time! suddenly they are gone only to be replaced by a huge northern i recall being in a small homemade portable one cold night making ice so loud and shakey, i couldn't take it.

you guys are too lucky, drill an extra hole for me

[fishinJohn]

-just having a reason to enjoy winter like I did when I was a kid

-adventure

-enjoying winter's beauty and having it all to yourself

-scaring a big fish and being able to see it below your feet

-access to the whole lake

-walking out

-nils

-fish on the vex

-having something fun to think about all year

[CNCMike]

The sound of snow falling around me after dark, that quiet slow hiss it makes while I breathe in the smell of woodsmoke from the nearest houses chimney and realize that I am the only person on the lake. The feeling of time standing still, of peace and calm and solitude. Interrupted only by the sound of the crappie flopping in the bucket and the slight ticking of the locater and my own hushed laughter caused by the joy of knowing that I get to live my life this way.

[Red_Eye]

The sound of the rattle reel moving. Music to wake up to.

[Glockwinger]

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The sound of the rattle reel moving. Music to wake up to.

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I love hearing that sound in the middle of the night! Click........click...........click........then nothing. CLIIIIIIIIIIIIIICKKKKKKKKKKKK FISH ON!

I love that I generally have much better luck fishing through ice than open water.

[TMauer14]

Hearing the sound of the tip-up when it just goes wild.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. haha

[Moose]

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Taking people on the ice by truck for the first time, and taking a minute at the access to tell them to unbuckle their seatbelts and crack the windows a bit, and the resulting look of terror in their eyes"

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I love that look it even scares some seasoned icefisherman. The only problem is now the kids REMIND ME when I forget to do it.

I also love the first flag of the season and watching a northern coming through a spudchipped hole on 3" of clear ice on Thanksgiving.

[Fishing_Rookie_123_]

I was out checking the ice yesterday and the lazer-battle sounds of ice forming were music to my ears.

[WTN4ICE]

Everything!!! Cold fresh air filling my lungs.The sound of crackink ice rolling across the lake like thunder,the hiss of a coleman lantern,another auger in the distance,crappies flopping in a bucket.The sound of having a lake all to yourself.Looking up at zillions of stars.A gentile evening snowfall.Crunching snow at-20."Bogies" on the vex.Felling the "tug".Watching the ice buster goin down,a slab comin up!Anything grilled on the ice tastes better than anywhere else on the planet.Wood smoke from an "ole boys" house.A little nip of pep.Laughter of children building forts.Watching a father passing on a tradition to his kids.Soon passing my love of winter to my grandchildren.Every year about the end of Nov a voice says to me,"Go forth and walk upon the water for thine harvest shall be bountiful".Is it God ,Mother Nature,Old Man Winter,I don't know.I just do what the "voice" says.

[Walterwontfalter]

Laying on the bunk at night and feeling the ice move the house like you are laying on the bottom of your boat.

reaching for a beer with your left hand while a fish bites the line on the jigstick in your right hand and the bobber on your deadstick starts going down the hole next to you.

Having to reel up both of your lines on Lake of the Woods just so you have time to cram a sandwich into your mouth and put a fresh chew in.

Watching grandpa jig across the house from me hand-over-handing a nice walleye.

Waking up in the dark at 2am, throwing your sleeping bag open and the sweat on your body freezing into little ice crystals because one of your propane cylinders went empty while you were sleeping.

Going to the bathroom in a plastic garbage bag over a 5 gallon bucket because the fishing is too good to run into shore.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Got to love it all!

Catching fish longer than your rod.

The jokes you can play on your buddies.

Gotta love those peaceful snowy days when you are alone on the ice and can almost hear the snow falling.

[wayne123]

I like it when it is quiet with the snow falling and you can hear natures sounds all around you. It best when you can see some of the things making the sound too. Catching fish helps too but at times like above it does not really matter.

[afishrmn]

It's got to be the thrill of the hunt and the piecefulness.

It also nice to get the friends together, grill a few pounds of meat, and just catch up with everyone.

[HarryG]

There are several things I like about Ice Fishing.

No Bugs

No Sunburn

The gadgets are cooler!

But mostly because it is more challenging, and I have had many a good night sleep in my drop down after a long day on the ice. Nothing feels as good like a good meal and an early bedtime after a long day hauling gear around a frozen pond.

Also, the sunrises seem to be better as well.

[anyfishaldo]

I have two-

1. We are not a pretentious bunch.. yes we will not tell you where to find 17" crappie but we will give each other advice on strategy and basic skill essentials so we can go do the work of figuring it out like all facets of life should be.

2. The underbelly flash of a large fish under the hole before you figure out what you have on the line... 3" perch not included

[The Donk]

Favorite things? The chatter about where to fish while driving to the lake at 6am, trying to convince your buddy "your" spot is a better option to start than "his"; Hearing the story when you come back from checking the outside holes about the big one just caught; toasting a beer to the first fish of the day; and I really like the once a year fishing trip with the boys to Red lake!