We Went Ice Fishing

So we finally got some safe ice, and went fishing on December 31,2008 and had a ball. It was pretty cold out there but we had our ice shelter and heater. So all was good. I would say there were about 50 or 60 people out on the ice. The ice was 4 1/2 inches thick and plenty safe. We went to a lake in Morroco Indiana that we like to fish during the warm weather as well. It's called J. C. Murphey Lake or Willow Slough. Why it has 2 names is beyond me. We always call it Willow Slough. So being that we also fish this lake during the warm weather we had an idea where we wanted to fish. Willow Slough has massive amounts of lily pads which of course the fish love. The back side of the lake has the most lily pads so that's where we went. When you look at a lake that is frozen it looks so much different than in the warm weather, it's almost like you are on a different lake. However we have been ice fishing this lake for at least 20 years which helps when deciding where to drill your holes. We settled on a spot and my husband drilled the holes using an ice auger and got the shelter ready while I cleared the holes of the ice chips from the drilling and got the heater going. By this time we were more than ready to get into the shelter, out of the wind and into the warmth. The little heater we have is very old but works well and soon we were taking off our coats inside the shelter. Being warm can greatly improve the whole ice fishing experience. Hard water fishermen are a hardy bunch but everyone gets cold eventually. We fished for about 3 hours and ended up catching 4 bluegills. Not our best trip on the ice for sure but we still had fun. You won't catch fish if you don't try. And every fishermen knows that some days you just don't catch anything. We had talked to others on the ice and some did better and some did worse than us. A conservation officer came by to check fishing licenses and told us that the fishermen on the front side of the lake were doing pretty good. Figures we always seem to be in the wrong place. But we had fun and it was our first trip on the hard water so we had fun anyway. It is also great quality time spent with my husband. My girlfriend has a 14 year old son who just loves to fish. So I told him I would take him if the ice was safe during his Christmas vacation. And time was running out. So on New Years Day my husband and I took Nate out on the ice for his first time ever on the hard water. As soon as he stepped on the ice he said, " I have never walked on a lake before".  Now he had. I was pleased that I was able to give him this experience. He had a ball. The weather was brutal that day. It finally got to about 5 degrees that day but that didn't stop the ice fishermen. We were on the front end of the lake and there were at least 50 shelters out there and many more fishermen who didn't have shelters. How they lasted I will never know. The wind was howling making it even more bitter out there. After about an hour we still hadn't caught anything and I was getting anxious wanting Nate to catch his first fish out of the ice. Finally he caught the first fish of the day on his new ice fishing rod. I was thrilled and so was he. We ended up staying on the ice for about 4 hours and between us we caught 6 fish. A good day. On the way home I asked Nate if he had a good time and if he would like to try this again. I received a resounding YES. Excellent a new ice fishermen is born.

The Ice is Getting There

So today I went to check out the ice conditions on my favorite lake. I didn't have high hopes as we had warmer weather this past week as well as some rain. Nothing kills the ice like rain. I was pleasantly surprised to find 3 inches of ice on the lake. There is a thin sheet of ice over the initial sheet of ice and it gives when you walk on it so it doesn't feel to safe yet. Another good inch of ice will make me feel better. It's not a good feeling when you walk on the ice and it gives a bit. Kinda scares you. Anyway it supposed to be a tiny bit colder here during the Christmas week, so I am hoping against hope to be able to go ice fishing before the kids go back to school after New Years. My husband got the ice auger out today and the blades need shimming and sharpening. We took the auger with us to check the ice and I'm glad we did. Now we know what needs fixing. Better to know before the actual ice fishing trip because he can really work up a sweat when the auger is not sharp enough. So it was a trip well worth it. I am hoping the next time I post I can brag about all the fish I caught through the ice. Until next time, tata.

I went to one of the little spots that I like to fish yesterday. I wanted to check the ice situation. Much to my surprise I found the entire area ice over. The ice is about 2 inches thick and is almost walkable but not quite fishable yet. We need another 2 inches of ice to safely fish it. It hasn't been above freezing in a couple of days now and won't be for a couple of more. So looks like I will be ice fishing in a week or so. It's great news as I need to get some fresh fish into my diet. I hate to buy fish from the store because you just never know how fresh it really is. I rather be absolutely sure as to how fresh the fish I am eating is. Fish out of the ice is very very good. The meat is much firmer than when you get fish from warmer waters. I really enjoy ice fishing and one of the reasons is the firm fresh fish I get to eat. Just throw your catch onto the ice and you are good to go. No bringing an extra cooler full of ice to keep your catch fresh. Happy fishing all.

It's Good and Cold

I woke up this morning and the temperature was 3 degrees. It's only supposed to get to 16 today and that is good news for ice fishermen. I can't wait to get on the ice, and it's the only time I like the cold weather. Hate having to start a car in the cold but I jump at every chance I can to hit the ice. This year I will be introducing the sport of Ice Fishing to 3 teenage boys who have never gone. They are all warm weather fishermen but have never ventured onto the ice. These 3 young men are friends of my family and have been at me for a couple of years to take them. Now is the time. The weather in the Chicago area is supposed to be frigid for a least a week, so I am hoping that by the time the kids are on their Christmas vacation the ice will be safe for ice fishing. I think today I will take a ride to my favorite lake and see how the ice is forming so far. I think a good week of really really cold weather like what we are supposed to be getting will go a long ways towards getting the ice formed and thick enough for ice fishing soon. Time to check the lines on my ice fishing rods and break out the thermos and heater for the shelter. I recently bought a pair of jeans with a flannel lining which I can't wait to try and see if they keep my legs a bit warmer. Hope so.

Ice Fishing Shelters

An Ice Fishing Shelter is a wonderful addition to your ice fishing trip. When the winds are blowing and it's below freezing it's great to be able to go inside your shelter and get out of the weather. There are many kinds of shelters, I have one that fits inside a pack for easy storage and carrying. It sets up in minutes and comes with four spikes to drive into the ice at all four corners. When the wind is blowing hard these are invaluable to keep the shelter where you want it. Some shelters come already attached to a sled for easy transport and set up. There are also some shelters that have built in seats and floors with holes in the floor so you can position the shelter over the holes you have cut into the ice. There are one man shelters and 2 or more man shelters. There are shelters to meet almost any need. In the northern states they even have wooden shelters that remain on the ice the entire ice fishing season. Add a heater to the mix along with a thermos of coffee or your favorite hot chocolate and you can have a wonderful and warm trip onto the ice. Happy fishing.

Here Comes The Ice

I do believe the winter has finally come in my area. And it's about time. 2 days ago I drove past a lake in Indiana and it was open water. The very next day I drove past it again, the road I was on goes right through the middle of the lake, and the shallow end was iced over. The deeper end had some ice over along the edges. The temperature around here for the past week has been in the very low 20's overnight and a few of the days it didn't get over freezing. This is great, because I have promised a few kids I know that I would take them ice fishing and to do this over their Christmas vacation would be perfect. I used to coach and run a kids bowling league and some of the kids are fishermen as I am and I have promised to take them fishing. Not all of them are interested in ice fishing but 3 of them in particular are very interested and have never been ice fishing. I would love to give them the experience. Nothing better than to see a smile on a kids face. Oddly enough I have 2 sons who are in their late teens and basically they want nothing to do with fishing of any kind. I thought having sons would improve my chances of my kids liking the fishing, camping and hiking that myself and husband love to do. They like the hiking thing but I think we shoved fishing down their throats to much resulting in a huge dislike for the sport. Oh well what are you going to do. So needless to say I am watching the weather and ice conditions with bated breath hoping for solid ice by Christmas vacation time.

Snow on Wednesday

We are supposed to be getting some snow tomorrow, Wednesday December 2 and I can't wait. I have been waiting for the cold weather for over a month now. A lot of lakes that I like to fish have been closed due to hunting. Most of them are now done with the hunting season but don't open to fishing until the ice comes in. This is an unbearable situation for those of us who could fish every chance we get. We had a very mild summer in my part of the country, I don't believe I ran the air conditioner in the month of August at all. Very very unusual. So I was thinking that because of the mild summer we were in for a very brutal winter. I also thought winter might come early. Shows you what I know. Next to nothing when it comes to weather. But I am still hoping for a very cold winter as I can't wait to go ice fishing. We have been having below freezing temperatures overnight for the past couple of weeks, and the other morning I had a thin sheet of ice in my minnow bucket. So here's hoping for a prolonged cold snap and soon, I am getting anxious to get on the ice.