Long winters are often cold and boring; here is a better way to spend them while also filling your freezer! Ice fishing.
Ice fishing is more like a hobby than a sport, as you need a lot of different things in order to start this activity. It’s not a cheap hobby, but it’s worth it when you take those cold fish home, clean them and eat them. It’s like heaven on earth, and it’s just a fact that fish caught through the cold winter ice taste better than the ones caught in summer’s warmer open water.
Ice fishing is a lot of fun, but you need to follow rules, which can vary from lake to lake. Things like targeted species, size, and catch limits can be different in each body of water you fish, so make sure before growing you read up on the rules. You also need to have a license to fish if you’re over 16, and depending on the targeted species, you might need a special “stamp” to target them (like trout or salmon).
In addition to knowing the rules, you also need to know what supplies to get! You need an auger to drill through the ice, but you don’t need an expensive one. A cheap hand auger will get the job done slowly, but it will get it done. If you can afford to upgrade to a gas or electric auger, that can make the job easier and faster.
Once you have holes drilled, you can get ready to start fishing- but what do you use to catch the fish? People either jig with a small rod (made for ice fishing) or use tip-ups to catch fish. Tip-ups are nice because you can usually get some bigger fish and they are less hands-on. Jigging for fish is more active, and usually results in catching more panfish.
Once you’ve decided on which type of fishing, you’ll need to get bait. There is a large variety of bait people use to catch fish. Some people like worms and grubs, some people use minnows, some use plastics, and many people combine those with jigs.
As avid ice fishermen, we want to help new ice-fishermen find success. Before you go out to an ice fishing spot, be sure to prepare your supplies. Here is what Rowan does to prep for a day on the ice. He stated, “I grab my 1998 Jiffy ice drill, a dozen ice poles, minnows, my sonar and the sled to hold everything. I drive out to my pike spot in my 4×4 with the sled. The area I like to fish is between 16-24 feet deep. I drill a set of four consecutive holes and set up poles with minnows and wait for the big ones to come along. It can get boring out there alone, but with a friend, you can often catch more fish and have a fun time.”
We also thought we’d ask a seasoned fisherman what he likes about ice fishing. Mr. Rubino, Lewis’ dad, said, “I really love ice fishing because of the quiet and the breeze on the lake. I also enjoy the anticipation of waiting for the fish to bite.” His strategy is going out on the lake and drilling several holes to place his tip ups. He has so many good memories from ice fishing, and said it’s a good hobby for anyone that doesn’t mind the cold.
I hope you learned a lot from his experiences and what he uses to get out and have in the winter. Hope you found this article interesting, resourceful and found a new hobby to enjoy.
