Ice is On!!!!
You got an apple?
Ice fishing season really begins with the first freeze of the season, regardless of the calendar dates. If there is a pond with an ice sheet on it, there will be some benighted soul out there on blades drilling a hole to measure the thickness.
The local paper was kind enough to provide a scale of thicknesses that are safe for various weights when it brought up the subject so near and dear to the hearts of ice-bound anglers everywhere.
Here it is. Memorize it, or get wet and cold and require rescue by firemen who have to go pull you out of the hole you fell through. And tell your kids to stay off it unless it’s a specific thickness.
2” OR LESS thick: STAY OFF IT!!! PERIOD!!!
4” THICK: Ice fishing begins
5” THICK; Snowmobiles and/or ATVs can indulge; this may also include ice sailboats
8” to 12” THICK: Car or small pickup. By “car”, I do not believe the IDNR is referring to your Humvee.
12” to 13” THICK: A medium-sized truck. Or maybe a Humvee.
In regard to icefishing shanties, the commercial variety are basically tents that don’t weigh a lot and can easily be dragged out to the ice, but the homebuilt shanties come in at various weights from 400 lbs. on up to nearly a ton, as indicated in this discussion board: https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=14057.0
They also have enough indoor decor to warm the heart of any dedicated fisherman.
To find out whether or not the fish are biting, check your local or state reports, or online sites. For instance, Outdoor News features reports for Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Currently, their report for Wisconsin says that the weather is going to get even better, meaning colder forecasts. https://www.outdoornews.com/wisconsin/fishing-reports/
According to what I’ve read, in many places, bluegills, several species of trout, bass, medium-sized catfish, and crappies are biting well right now.
While I do not go icefishing myself, I understand the need to get out of the cave and get into the wild areas, because I do it myself with a camera. I keep hoping I’ll see an ice floe with a polar bear on it, floating by on Lake Michigan. Most of the time, I just find pregnant deer looking for handouts.
Have fun. Stay warm and be home before the street lights come on.
And don’t make me come looking for you.
Category: Economy, Geezer Alert!
“Don’t make me come looking for you.”
We had a sixth sense when Mom came to the front door. It was time, enough said.
Miss you, Mom.
TIP-UP!!!!
Words that warms the cockles of the heart of an ice fisherman.
Beats the hell out of having cold cockles! (grin)
I just want you all to know that this is today’s contribution to toxic masculinity by me.
I will try to find more such things.
I love to fish, and I enjoy the winter outdoor stuff, but I can’t see the appeal of ice fishing. I prefer the freedom of moving about when I fish without making a hole in a hard substance to get to the water!
But we sure have fans of it here in Michigan. With this cold snap we’ll get some great ice, and they will be out, and they’ll stay out until the ice gets thin again and we’ll hear about the rescues on the news.
It can be really treacherous on the Great Lakes. A friend once told a tale of walking the shore of Lake Michigan, on the southern shore of Michgan’s upper peninsula, in the middle of a cold winter. He was with his your nephews if I remember right. There was ice way out into the lake. The boys wanted to walk out on the ice, but my friend convinced them to first walk a ways up the shoreline and back. By the time they returned, maybe 45 minutes later, the wind came up out of the northwest and all the ice was gone – pushed out into the lake. If they had been on it – well, this was before cell phones were invented.
All you ice fishing folks be careful out there….
I’ve been ice fishing in Maine, and I cracked the code. Sure, fishing is fine, but the real reason is to get out and away from women and kids, eat venison chili, and drink beer.
Nothing wrong with that.
You have to watch this.
Awesome!!!! Long live the Orcas!!!!
Since you’re our resident “Foodie” Ex-PH2, I first read your post as:
“Long live the Okras”!!
My bad. (grin)
Ah! Okra is out of season right now, but if you have frozen okra in your AO, you can stew it with tomatoes and onions. Makes a nice, warm dish in the winter, and the tomatoes soak up the okragoo.
Fried okra.
Fried squash.
Corn on the cob.
Fried deer steaks.
Mashed taters, nice and creamy.
“and a country boy can survive,.. country folks can survive” HT to HW Jr.
Gravy on the taters? Hot biscuits? Oops my bad, those should be statements, not questions.
Yes, maybe some garlic cheese toast instead of the biscuits, sometimes.
In Soviet Union, fish catches you.
3/10/MED/b is out here.
I enjoy ice fishing out here the great NW.
But there are some morons out there and one must always be alert and prepared.
It’s worse if they are figure skaters, GT.
The harder the ice, the faster they can spin. They can drill right through to the bottom!
How would you like to be ice fishing on Lake Michigan at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin when these bad boys come thru.
Check out the people & cars on the ice near the ships.
https://youtu.be/IQYj6ub1V1U
Yup, that’s Sturgeon Bay, usually after December the ice is thick enough to drive large pickups on. I used to work on the Selvick tugs as well as the Lakers. The job was so cold I got frostbit many times.
2/17 AIR CAV,
A spew warning at least, man.
Good stuff, though. Life is harsh.
Thanks. 3/10/MED/b.
When your icehole (yes, I typed “icehole) is almost a bit to small.
https://youtu.be/YO9UVtg6pI8?t=137
It’s good that you are back. Icehole.
Four chairs around a table,
Three Polar Bears around and icehole.
The name of the game is the same as the game. (grin)
Thanks to all of you @ TAH.
Depression is a bitch and it isn’t going away. I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to keep my Father alive. He is fine, for now. I am exhausted. Combat Medic to me meant tougher than everyone else.
I have been proved wrong.
I am not a SEAL or Fleet Marine Force, or better than any of you bad asses on this site. I am just trying to keep my Father alive.
Peace to all.
Remember that you are NOT alone, 3/10/MED/b.
3/10/ MED/b, there are many good shoulders and open ears here if you need them.
Meanwhile, prayers out to you, brother.
3/10/MED/b; what they said. Many of us have been there, done that. We have had starring roles in the movie you are now in.
We are here for you. He will not put on you more than you can handle. You can endeavor, you will preserver.
Prayers up for you Brother.
Thank you 5th/77th FA
“Starring roles”
There is a song in there, 5th/77FA.
Prayers lifted up for your father and you
Prayers up for you.
As you already know, the ultimate decision is not yours alone. My prayer for you is that you find peace in having done all that you could do to facilitate whatever will happen whenever it occurs.
Being a good child sometimes means simply providing comfort to your Dad, letting him know how much you appreciate the positive impact he had on you, and showing him that you will always honor his presence in your life. Being the best you that you can be each day is just about the best way to do that.
OK, enough of what is rapidly becoming a sermon – that is NOT what you need right now. Just know that you are not on this journey alone. Many of us have indeed btdt, and survived to tell about it.
It may be 8 hours later, but thank you OWB. Sermon or not, thank you.
We’re here, brother.
Thank you, ex-ph2.
Check email.
You’re welcome, 3/10/MED/b.
I live on a lake. I can see ice shacks out the window. Closest one is about 200 yds away.
Two guys been living in it for a few days.
Most around here are home made works of art on runners and towed by snowmobile. Wood stove for heat, hole in the floor for beer.
Internet, satelite dish etc.
Catch and let the trash fish freeze on the ice for awhile then fling them like shingles across the surface to the waiting Osprey.
They pick them up and take them back to the nest.
Thanks ex-PH2 for the post. Brings a smile to my face to realize how good I have it.
You’re quite welcome, Beans!
“Closest one is about 200 yds”
Just hit it with my rangefinder. 374yds.
Things look closer when you get old.
The shack is gone this morning but there are two adult Bald Eagles feeding on the scraps.
Nice to have the 101st around.
I love ice fishing. I just drive my 4-wheeler out onto the lake, drop the plow on it and clear off the snow, ice-auger through a couple feet of ice, set up my Eskimo QuickFish, and set up my buddy heater and I’m good to go. It’s peaceful out on the ice with the dog being your only company.
Ice Fishing 101, Southern Style:
Open cooler, push ice around, remove cold beer.
Repeat as needed.
Well, as far as this East Texas boy is concerned, I’ll take the winter fishing down here over that iced-over stuff some of y’all seem to like.
I need to go check the trot lines…
This how we did it in my neighborhood:
https://youtu.be/fHghFPtmy4Y
Can’t quite see going from having cabin fever in the house to an even smaller house sitting on ice being an improvement, but for those who do – have a great time.
Yeah, would guess that the beer and time away from the family would be the big attraction.
Thanks to all of you.
3/10/MED/b.