So Excited to be Fishing on the Ice again. Yippie!!!!

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

Cute picks of the kids out fishing!

We got about 5 to 6 inches of snow, we were right on the edge of the storm, it was more south and east thank goodness!

Yesterday went out for the late bite, the furnace just wasn't kicking enough heat, came back home to watch the viking lose.

Might have to adjust the regulator or maybe I've worn out my heater. It was new last year. Hope hubby can look at it for me, he's always got the touch with the heaters.

[Lisa Almquist]

Diana, you are so fortunate to get out there! All your friends up in Bemidji must be so jealous-I know I am!

ULT, those are some cute grandkids you got there! Did one of them catch that northern?

[UdeLakeTom]

I think Daddy helped a lot.

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

Lisa, I know I'm lucky to be on the ice before Christmas this year. Can't wait for it to warm up a bit and have the fish moving again. Pretty slow where I'm at right now. 26' or there about.

Wish the heater was working better, I like to just go out, put the rattle reel down, kick back in the recliner and take a snooze till the rattler says come get this fish on your line. Not the most aggressive way to fish but it tells me there are fish down there and drop another line in.

Hope you get out soon.

Diana

[Lisa Almquist]

I just wished I lived closer to you so I could kick back with you!! Such is life!

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

There's this guy that fishes by me, his daughter used to be my babysitter, so we've become good friends on the ice. We usually plow him a spot on our plowed road. Well, he hadn't gotten one fish since he's been in his new spot, someone fishing with him one time got a walleye by jigging.

Last night he finally got a nice size northern, then he comes back and he caught a 17" walleye! I was so happy for him, I didn't even care if I got one, was glad he did. He was getting ready to move out of the area. Don't blame him there.

I had a few bites but nothing that would hold on, two small perch is all I caught, threw them back in for another day.

Now with the warm up of the weather I'm hoping to catch something decent to report.

Lisa, I'd be chomping at the bit to go out and fish. I can't believe at this time you still can't get out there. Hope it's soon.

And yes that recliner is great when you just want to kick back, it is the kind that doesn't need any clearance against the wall, and it lays flat. Love that!

Happy fishing for those that can.

Diana

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

Worked on taxes yesterday, still got some fishing time in. Didn't catch much, I was thinking the bite might be ON because of the warm up of weather. Went out at 2:30pm, just caught a perch. Just when they should of started biting the guy that has a house close to me showed up, he's about the noisiest person I've ever met on the lake. Snow mobiles that backfires, slamming doors, you name it. There is three people that come and go at that house. I can't count the times I've had a nibble and they show up, then nothing happens with my bait. Sigh. I left at 5pm. sad story I know. lol

Might get something this morning, who knows. Diana

[Lisa Almquist]

I've been working on taxes too today. I still can't believe this is my last year of self employed taxes. I'm more than a little bit happy that I won't have this rigmarole next year!

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

Well Lisa, I did catch a few perchies yesterday morn. Kept two good size ones.

It's cold out again this morning, -10below, and it's usually colder in town at the lake, so I don't think the morning bite will be good this morning. Plus when it's this cold out my heater can't make enough heat at the floor for me keep warm enough.

Might just have to stay home, finish up the taxes and do some laundry. Now doesn't that sound like fun. lol

I loved your siggy this morning, 'If you don't talk to your cat about catnip who will?' Good one!lol

I grew some catnip here and boy does it spred, I used to freeze it in a bag in the freezer. The cat I used to have just loved it. So spendy to buy and cheap to grow.

Didn't go fishing for the late bite yesterday either. Spent a spa day at home with my daughter that is home from college till next week. Facials, nails, soaked our feet and did paraffin wax treatments on our feet and hands. She loves doing that with me. So it was nice. My hands were so dry from fishing it looks like I should do them again this morning, but I won't, takes 90min.s

to melt the wax. Have you ever tried it? It's really nice stuff.

The kind of wax I use is citrus peach.

Hope you have a nice day. Diana

[Lisa Almquist]

Hi Diana! I've never done the paraffin was dip thing but my hands are just trashed from washing my hands so much at work and that Purell stuff! I sure wish they were chapped because of a fun reason!! Where does your daughter go to school?

3 out of 4 of my cats go crazy for catnip!!

No fishing for me AGAIN this weekend (sorry girls! ) because I have to work on Saturday and my twin nieces turn 7 on Sunday!

[Gary Crichton]

Lady Lisa you are starting to sound like me. I have not been out yet on the big lake, and for that matter anywhere yet. Between work and other issues, something always gets in the way.

Well this weekend, I think I am going up and fish the south side, with a buddy of mine staying at his place.

Will try and check out the cabin on Sunday, to see how snowed in it is.

Good Luck to me.

G.C.

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

Lisa, there should be a law against birthday's during fishing season. lol

I bought that paraffin wax appliance at a rummage sale, I knew the lady and she used it once, got it for two bucks! It had everything with it. Love it!

Daughter goes to UMD (Duluth) She loves it there.

And if your cats love catnip, I would get some seeds and plant some where you won't mind if it spreads. I dug some up for a friend that has cats, put the plant in a big bucket and she was going to save it over winter in her porch, this stuff is pretty hardy. I bet she had to bring it in her house when it's -25degrees out though. lol I dried some in one of those dehydrators, but it was just as good to them to strip the leaves off the plant and freeze it, my cat loved it either way. I couldn't believe how much it cost in the stores to buy! What a rip when it grows like crazy.

At 4pm I caught a small perch, let that one go, then I caught a 10" perch, that I kept. Then between 5 and 5:30pm....

I finally caught a 15"walleye, had to dive for it, it came off the hook at the top of the hole, I trapped it with my hand on ice by the hole. I didn't have my fish elevator in because the hole has gotten too small for it to fit.

Just before I caught that walleye, I had something heavy on my line and my line caught on a piece of ice around the hole, it got away. Do you think I was bummed? Oh, Yeah, but then I did catch the next one. I figured the flurry might of brought them in to my area.

It was so great to finally catch something decent again, it's been since before the beginning of year I believe. NICE!

I think I'll go back out this morning, even if it's cold, because at least the temps have been steady cold, it's when the pressure goes up past 30 they don't feel hungry. That is what I go by.

Good luck to you Gary on that Big Lake. Hope you get your limit!!!

Soon you'll be out there Lisa, I hope you don't have any more birthday's coming up.

Happy fishing to all,Diana

[UdeLakeTom]

For ice-fishing-in-your-sleep, you don't sleep very late in the morning!!!

[glenn57]

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

I didn't get up till 7am today, then I saw this post. lol. I usually do get up early, but also go to sleep early too.

I stubbed my toe on Friday morning. I was trying to get the dogs in so I could go fishing for the morning bite, they were taking forever to find a good spot if you know what I mean. Finally after everything I do in the morning was finished, I was hurrying to get to my house before first light, and WHAM I stubbed my big toe on the right foot into a block of Ice. I don't know yet if it's broken or jammed or dislocated. But I do know it still hurts! What a bummer. Still went fishing though. Didn't stop me, I kicked back in my recliner and watched my lines from there.

I caught a few perch yesterday and at the evening bite I caught a 15 1/2" walleye! Whoo hoo!!!! Nice size eater.

I didn't go fishing on Saturday at all, the toe was banging really good that day, besides I heard from my hubby that our area was packed with portables. I probably wouldn't of caught much with all those lines down anyway.

Had fun yesterday, all was quiet, just my hubby and me out there for the most part.

Happy fishing, Diana

[Lisa Almquist]

As I was chasing my sister's dog a couple years ago, I kicked her ottoman and broke my 2nd in line toe. Oh Mama! It hurt for a couple months, I'm sorry to say Diana! I just taped it up to the other toe and hoped for the best.

But on a brighter note, you still got on the ice AND caught fish! Now that's dedication! Today will be the last "warm-ish" day we are all going to have this week. It's not supposed to get above zero at all and the lows are double digits below zero all week also!! COLD AND WINDY! Well, we do live in MN, right girls? Hopefully this week will take care of some of that slush on our lakes!!

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

Hey, Lisa, I can move the toe slightly, it's still swollen underneath, and from the knuckle to the foot part. The outside tip of the nail bed got jammed into the rest of the toe. The base of the nail bed is a perdy color, the underside is a perdy color too. When I try to just put weight on the foot, I can feel it's still swollen, now that I walk with a gimp it's affecting the alignment of my back. Yeah! Memories!

I took all the minnow buckets, anything that contained batteries, my deep cycle battery and anything else that I didn't want to freeze out of my house last night. I'm not going back till it warms up a bit, we haven't had much problem with the slush here, it's been really cold out.

Next weekend is the 'Hard Water Classic' Ice Fishing tournament, my hubby's house that is just out past mine is going to be the headquarters, I'm going to stay in his house all night Friday night to keep an eye on things.

A girl friend is going to see if she can go into work a little late Saturday and stay with me. Should be fun....If it warms up! Hubby has a wheeled house with forced air.

Were planing on fishing the evening bite, the night bite with rattlers and the morning bite. Will have a 33cup coffee maker filled with fresh hot coffee for the tournament works early Saturday morning. I'm sure they will love to gulp some of that down.

I hope my toe is doing better by then. It helps to cool it off for about 15min. soak it in a cool epsom salt bath and elevate the foot. Might have to take good care of it for this next weekends adventure.

Hope you get out to fish soon Lisa! And catch something too, not just go out.

Happy fishing,Diana

[glenn57]

it looks like its gonna be a chilly start to youe tournament! looks like the following week could be a heat wave.

[Gary Crichton]

I don't think I would want to be out there, even though it was nice outside this weekend, and the temps never reached double digits for very long if at all.

G.C.

[I_icefish_in_my_sleep]

Actually the weather is suppose to start warming up late Friday, I'm concerned that Saturday could be sloppy out on the Ice. Hopefully the weather people got it right this time.

[Lisa Almquist]

It is supposed to be 9 degrees on Saturday and 26 on Sunday in Bemidji this weekend!! That's hot!

[Gary Crichton]

A tropical heat wave. The wind is the key. Not windy perfect.

G.C.

[glenn57]

time to start gettin the summer rods and boat ready?

[Iambjm]

-38 in Bigfork right now.

[glenn57]

if theres a positive side to that barb, it should stiffen up all that slush or the most of it, we would hope.