# Do You Ice Fish ?



## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Recent temps are making ice fast, and I suspect we will be out fishing on safe stuff within a week.
Just curious who all ice fishes, if you've been out yet and what your target species is?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I used to but been to busy for many years , my dads fishing club has a tournament in February I keep meaning to get over and see him for that.

we have had questionable ice on and off the past several years


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## bowslinger (Aug 4, 2007)

Been years since I did it but with this cold snap I'm going try


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

We do but haven't been out this year yet. The weather was warmer this year so a lot of lakes haven't been safe. This week that has changed (-36 this morning and a high of -9), we'll be heading out in the next week or so


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

We were in Louisiana for the Christmas holidays a few years back....
Took a trip the the Bass Pro Store in Bossier City La....

They do not sell ice fishing tackle...Thought that was funny


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

We haven't for several years, except for going to the annual ice-fishing contest on Gull Lake near Brainerd, MN where there is $150,000 in prizes including a new 4WD pickup.

I have a brand new Strike Master ice auger that has been sitting in the box for over five years. Never has had gasoline in it. Has never been started. i suppose I should sell it.

When we did more ice fishing, it was generally for walleye or crappies. We have about five lakes we can easily snowmobile to within 15 minutes.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Did not get out last year. Good ice was far and inbetween. I'm kind of a coward and want about 6" of good ice under me. Then again I have gone through twice. That will make your heart skip a beat.
I mostly fish small ponds that are around me for panfish. I would rather catch a couple of hundred small perch and bluegill than two or three big pike. I like the action.
My equipement is getting really old, but I have enough gift cards from Christmas to outfit myself with a few new ice rods.
I'll probably be going out with my great nephew as he has never icefished before and my son.
My old fishing buddy is turning into a miserable piece of do nothing crap. He is also my old hunting buddy and following the same course.
Weather up here has been great. Colder than hell. Ice should be good by this weekend.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

2 or 3 times in my life. Froze my tail off the first time and caught nothing. Got bored and cold the second time so left brother and cousin to man the rods and freeze there tails off while I went snowmnobileing. Third time I got to the lake with brother and cousin and just said NO I WON'T GO. Brother and cousin never caught any thing then either.

My self I would have been happy to catch any thing besides a cold.

 Al


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

It’s been too cold for the ice fishers around here for the last couple of days. Up until a couple of days ago they were popping up in every body of water that was freshly frozen. The last couple, nothing to be seen. Maybe the ice isn’t biting.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

One of the worst sunburns I ever got was when I was ice fishing. Twenty some years ago had my son and his friend fishing Ringneck pool in the swamps. 8 degrees, blue sky and no wind. With the reflection off the ice we were fishing in shirtsleeves.
Toasted my arms, face and worst of all under my chin and neck.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Ok the river by the house even though the outside Temperature is below zero the river runs 50-60 degrees year round so it never freezes.

Most people Gig Suckers at night all Winter. I use Rod and Reel. It's suppose to get around 40 degrees tomorrow so I'm thinking about fishing mostly for Suckers but might catch Goggle Eye and or Trout.

big rockpile


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Went out yesterday. All I hit were really small perch, about 6"-7" or less.
Caught 50 of them in two hours. It was a good time.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Doesn't get cold enough here for that but I would love to try it


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

My cousin from Minnesota invited me once. Two folding chairs, two poles, a tackle box an auger and cooler of beer is all we need, he tells me.
I told him my neighbor invited me over into Arkansas to do some noodling and he can come too. All we need are a change of clothes, a couple cans of Deet and a trash can.
I still only hear from him on the holidays.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Never needed a cooler for my beer while ice fishing.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Ok up North of here the Ice is 5 inches thick but why drive the 100 miles when I can drive down the hill and fish in soft water?

big rockpile


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Is that a recent photo Rock? Brown Trout?


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

gilberte said:


> Is that a recent photo Rock? Brown Trout?


It was last Saturday. All Rainbows.

Can fish for them year round long as I buy $7 permit. Most this time of year Gig Redhorse and Hog Molly Suckers down there at night.

big rockpile


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

This is the river

big rockpile










The Park where I don't fish


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I've been out 5 times this year. Had good luck the first 3 times. I have 12 pounds of pike pickling in the fridge right now.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Pike spearing or tip ups?

 Al


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

A coworker of mine was out in his Ice Castle last night and this is what he caught.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Cabin Fever said:


> A coworker of mine was out in his Ice Castle last night and this is what he caught.


Yelp ugly, slimy and Good eating.

big rockpile


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## secondhandacres (Nov 6, 2017)

Ok.... I half to ask. What is that creature, never seen anything quite like that


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

secondhandacres said:


> Ok.... I half to ask. What is that creature, never seen anything quite like that


Eelpout!


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Northern pike


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)




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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> A coworker of mine was out in his Ice Castle last night and this is what he caught.


Leech or the dead sea?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

tinknal said:


> Leech or the dead sea?


How ya doing, tinknal! Long time, no read. 

Not sure, I'll have to ask him on Tuesday. He and his Dad are guides in the Brainerd Lakes area. Last year they won $25,000 in two tournaments.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> How ya doing, tinknal! Long time, no read.
> 
> Not sure, I'll have to ask him on Tuesday. He and his Dad are guides in the Brainerd Lakes area. Last year they won $25,000 in two tournaments.


Doing well, how about you and your lovely bride?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

tinknal said:


> Doing well, how about you and your lovely bride?


She's in Texas for the birth of our 11th grandchild. Me, I'm feeding the woodstove and shoveling snow.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> She's in Texas for the birth of our 11th grandchild. Me, I'm feeding the woodstove and shoveling snow.


Good, winter was going good until yesterday when my tractor died in the woods and today my water was frozen!


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Cooked up some fresh crappie and bluegill for supper yesterday that I just pulled thru the ice.
Hard to beat fresh fish like that.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

tinknal said:


> Eelpout!


on our side of the river they are Lawyers 

official name fresh water Burbot 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbot


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Icefish? No, if we need any extra I'll stop and buy a bag at the convenience store.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> on our side of the river they are Lawyers
> 
> official name fresh water Burbot
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbot


AKA "snot rockets"


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

This is what's happening right now as I type this. About 15 miles from where I live. The largest ice fishing contest in the world! $150,000 in prizes including a new 4WD pickup truck. Every year about 10,000 contestants come out for the contest.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Tip up town at Houghton Lake Michigan is like that a two week end event.
I think once again this year the warm weather got them.


















Ice fishing contest, snowmoble races, polor plunges, ice cravings and fire works.

Stopped going in 1975, just to many people and to many drunks to deal with.


 Al


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Not my cup of tea. There was one other guy fishing on the lake I was on yesterday.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

remember your ice cleats ,the snow melted , it rained it refroze and a friends kid was at a local ice fishing contest his friend fell and got a concussion Saturday , my neighbor was telling me Saturday the ice is so clear you can see through 12 inches 

seems every year we have smooth ice I hear about someone dying to the fall they take.

most ice sports require kids wear helmets , I think it might become as common as wearing a seat belt


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Fishing is not a competitive sport.

You are competing against the fish. If you can't outsmart them what does that say about your intelligence?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

After a long day of ice-fishing, I got one to bring home. The Green Hornet strikes again!


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## HeavyHauler (Dec 21, 2017)

Thin Willow branch, 8lb test, yellow jig and frozen minnows.

Pulled many fish out of the lake with that set up, while ice fishing.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> After a long day of ice-fishing, I got one to bring home. The Green Hornet strikes again!
> View attachment 64724


I hope you didn't leave that in the sink overnight to clean in the morning


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