Hi, My name is Grump and......

[Uncle Grump]

I am addicted to ice fishing. I didn't think it would get me. I tryed ice fishing years ago - I went, I fished, I walked away from it. No problems - no flash backs. Piece of cake. For a long time, I never even went ice fishing. I was in good shape.

Looking back, I can see now that it was in 1998, that my addiction began. It was the day after Christmas. It was -10F, and I was with my wife's brothers. The shack was warm and the walleyes were biting. Its
been a sad, sad down hill spiral since.

Oh sure, I thought I could control this - this - urge! I mean, at first anyway. But a week after that Christmas walleye trip, I took a hit - that used, homemade shack was only a $100. I ignored SWMBO's warnings entirely - after all - what did she know?

I scrounged among my summer camping gear, and my open water tackle - and came up with a heater, a lantern, and a rod and reel or two. I made do with the gear I had. I thought I was still "in charge" - I could control this urge.

But then the fish came, I mean - we clobbered the panfish that year - I know now it was beginners luck, but it only drew me deeper into the dark side of this nefarious addiction.

New gear began to sprout - every trip to
Fleet Farm, Gander Mountain and Cabelas was
a rush nearly as good as that of being on the ice. The rods, reels, lures, the Vex, the hand auger, then the power auger.

More and more trips - more lakes, more species of fish! Off season, I mope around, surfing the web for ice fishing web sites, ice fishing books, magazines, and videos.

I tryed to fight it - to be - well, normal, you know - a regular fisherman. I bought a boat, and then I got a second one - I traded that first ice shack to my son for his little 12'er! I tryed fishing open water when ever I could - but I was deluding myself - that ice - it just keeps its cold, hard grip on me.

I can't think of a prettier sight the screen of my Vex - glowing with flashing red blips. Theres no finer feeling that the 'tink' of a crappie hitting my jig on on 2# test and a ultra-light rod.

Last year, it was a new shack, and now, this summer, a second one. It's getting worse. I need help folks.

UG

[Grabs]

I'll try and help,..I have the ultimate fish house for sale in the used gear forum. You can easily cure your addiction once you fish in this house. TV, VCR, Vex underwater camera, stereo, you can do it all in this house!! You think your addicted now,..it only gets worse man!

[Perchpapa]

Hey, maybe the forum need a help hotline for ice fisherman. IFA(Ice Fever Anonymous). Good Luck.

[mjhowe]

UG,

You are NOT alone, your sentiments are mine exactly!! What is it with us anyway!!!!

Cant wait, some of my best times last year were on the ice with my buddy, my wife, my Dad, my daughter.........

Something about a frozen lake, "if I have to explain it, you wouldnt understand".....

------------------
Mike
Kalispell, MT
<<><<
"LOOK ALIVE, MAGGOT!"
(Not you Pal, I was talking to my bait)

[Guest]

UG.....There was a song back in the 60's. Something about New York being a lonely town when you're the only surfer around or something like that. Just like an ice head in summer eh? Every time I go out into the garage, I see my Lazermag hanging on the wall right next to my hand auger and my portable shelter seats. Then I gaze up a little further and see the boxes of stored equipment like tip-ups, 1# coffee cans I use to shade the dial on my Vex, the ice skimmers, spare propane tanks, a few rods and all of that. Then, on the other wall are my heaters. In the center of the back of the garage is my portable neatly tucked away with it's gouged bottom crying out to have skiis attached. I tell ya, it's darn hard to even go in the garage at this time of year. Then I go into the kitchen and see my rod rack in the back hall with nine ice rods in it. It brings tears to my eyes. There's a funny story there about that rod rack. I keep it hanging in the back of my Tahoe all winter with the rods in it. One day, I gave a couple of my partners a ride downtown to a meeting and one of them remarked that I was a little crazy to need nine different rods to ice fish. I asked him if he golfed. He said yes. I asked him if he golfed with just one club. The discussion was over.........T

[hawkeye43]

tbone i wanted to thank you for the plans for the butt bridge. it is assume seat. i got my done a couple of weeks ago. everyone that sees them loves the way they feel and want one built, so i hope you dont mind if i pass on the plan.

[vikingtom]

Uncle Grump, I got that same fever. Ice or no ice. That is the question? I'm shaking at thought of ice. Gotta go. Flash backs of fishing before.

[Seabass77]

I thought I was the only one! I just got back from Thorne bros. tonight..they still have an ice rod display in the back of the store. And I have already been shopping for a new portable...man I can't wait. Only 4 months to go!

Trying to decide between the light weight features of the traps vs. the strength and luxury of the otters.

Leaning towards the otters right now. What do you guys think?

[Guest]

Looks like there's a few die-hard ice heads out there on such a hot nite. I can feel the love in here.....
Seabass77.....The portable shanty market is now flooded with choices. I used to have an older fishtrap which began to make me feel claustrophobic. (can you believe I spelled that!) It was a one man unit with the original Genz bottom tub (I should have kept it!) Then I went shopping for a replacement 'cuz I needed more room. I settled on a Shoremaster. The price was right and I loved the perfectly square tub top. I'm really looking forward to my third winter in that baby.........Check 'em out.

Hawkeye 43.......Glad to hear you finally built some Butt Bridges. Your butt and back will thank you. Go ahead and pass along the plans. I hope you got the plans that added the back support and the lengthened bottom. That was the ticket for sure. I modified mine half way through the winter last year. Like an easy chair now........T

[Sinker]

I'm with you guys.I think about ice fishing all of the time.This time of year is too **** busy to get any fishing done,in my case anyway.Good to hear that others have this same "problem".Take it easy.Think Ice!

[Uncle Grump]

TBone

How about the song "Constant Craving" by K.D. Lang as a ice fishing addict anthem?

"..... Craving, uh huh, Constant Craving..."

Sums it up for me.

UG

[WallEYES]

UG
I'm getting the itch myself. I am an iceoholic. T-BONE and myself are getting together for some deep fried LOW Sabaskong Bay crappies tonight that were pulled in March of this year. Oh what memories.

[Guest]

Hey guys, I feel the same way, summer is just not as fun as winter fishing.

The other day, I had my Otter meduim cabin set up in the garage, I was sitting on a bucket, jigstick in my hand, watching the vex run for a while (I was going to give the battery a top off, i swear) and well just daydreaming about icefishing.

My otter is going on four years now, and it is still everybit as good as new. The canvas is a little dull in spots, but still plenty strong and no holes, The canvas requires a little care, but I really am happy with the otter shelter system as a whole. The sled is bombproof, nary a scratch on the runners, there is a little surface rust on some of the hardware, all in all it is in very good condition, seeing all the wind, water, and snow it has seen, I would recommend the Otter products to any serious ice angler. Not much heavier, not much more expensive, performs excellent in wind. But don't neglect the canvas, allow it to dry and air out once in a while, and it is a good shelter system, should serve for many years in the hardest of use.

[Seabass77]

coldone, what types of seats do you have in your house?

[Guest]

I use a pair of those folding camp chairs, metal frame and nylon seats, they sell them everywhere nowdays, they fold up into a tube shaped storage bag. Works fine for me, but if you have a dog or keep alot of gear in your sled it wouldn't be as convenient.

[Guest]

Thanks for the suggestion WALLEYES, but the camp chair system has been working great for me for this long, plus when the weather is nice and I leave the otter to jig outside, the chair goes with easily. I find them to be more comfortable than a bench, and versitile, I just mentioned what I used because Seabass77 asked.

[This message has been edited by coldone (edited 07-31-2003).]

[WallEYES]

COLDONE
Your as sick as I am when it comes to ice fishing. I agree with you on the otter system, very durable units that take a licking a keep on ticking. Try to get yourself some Butt Bridge plans from T-BONE or others in here. They are comfortable and contour your back so it's not in the tingling stage after a couple of hours.

[barebackjack]

And here I thought I just enjoyed ice water because it was so freakin hot out there, oh no, I understand now why a taller than life glass of ice water makes me feel so good!

[FishandFowl]

Nothing better than watching your bobber slowly move from one side of the hole to the other then slowly submerge. Or on the up swing of the jigging motion having the rod just stop and the drag just GO!!!!. Not to mention FLAG-UP!! All good things.

It brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

Well 130 days and counting.

[Steve Foss]

I took the Trap II down off the garage wall and sat in it for half an hour the other day.

Don't tell my wife.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Sinker]

I'm guilty of similar behavior.I often stare at the portable shack stored up in the garage rafters and once in a while I'll turn on the Vexilar in the spare room in the basement just to hear and see it.Unfortunately, the cure is months away yet!!!Take it easy.

[Guest]

Been thinking about tip ups and walleyes. Got hooked last winter. I don't think I can buy much more gear, but decided why not build myself a permanent. Went to Home Depot and started staring at wood. Also saw a new product in a fishing magazine that makes your rod vibrate. Looks like I'll have to get one of them when they come out. It says it was invented by the same guy who did the Aqua Vu.

[IceJohn]

Tbone what is this buttbridge?Achair or what?I am on the Iowa forum, but I read them all Ithink ICE FISHING 24 7. FISH ON ICE JOHN

[ATM]

I used to say i ice fish just to kill time between summer fishing and hunting seasons. After a few good ice fishing trips and all this new technology that makes it so enjoyable I can not wait for icefishing to start. I never thought I would look forward to winter. Adam

[Dave]

Well, I charged both Vex batteries the other day. Guess I'm catchin' "the fever" too.