# Why do you ice fish?



## fish on! (Oct 15, 2009)

The days are getting shorter, and I'm starting to dread the end of fishing season. 
I see there are some people on here who are actually looking forward to winter??????
I went ice fishing once, while in Jr. high, my buddy and I planned on going all week, and single digit temps, and high winds weren't going to stop us. My buddy's mom dropped us off, and would be back in six hours. We chipped a hole in the ice, sat on our buckets for 15 minutes, and said to heck with this. We spent the next five hours and forty five minutes bent over a small fire out of the wind, haven't given it any consideration since.
Am I missing out, what's the big attraction?


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## FISHIN 2 (Jun 22, 2005)

Ice fishin is a relaxing time of the year to me. You can walk or drive an atv or snowmobile out to wherever you want to fish, drill a couple holes, notice, no more spud bars, or chipping ice, those days are long gone. Besides the fact of vertical fishin, the fish taste sooo much better thru the ice. Seems the oil level in them is nill. A big fish is lethargic as all get-out, comes in quite easily and believe me, theres nothing better than watching a fish come to your offering on a vexilar and then , WHAM, fish -on !!! Get hooked up with a couple seasoned icers this year and you will be hooked. I am one of those that can't wait for first ice. Mike


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## HookSet Harvey (Aug 12, 2010)

Get in a nice shanty with a good buddy + a good buddy heater and haul out some nice slabs....you'll be hooked.
I took my little bro out who doesn't fish that much. We had a blast just catching gills and he's all pumped up ready to go back this year. There's just something to it that draws people in.


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## Bischoff66 (May 25, 2007)

I use to say the Bible only mention two men walking on water and my name wasn't one of them. But two years ago I gave in to a little peer pressure . "wink wink" didn't take a whole lot of fish porn to get me to go. I didn't have all the fancy stuff and still caught fish. Last year got a fish finder and shanty and I even out fished some of my more seasoned buddies. And as far as big fish go..... Hook a 28 inch steelie through ice and tell me they don't fight. That is a blast. Ice fishing is a good cure for the winter blues or just get away from the wife


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

Sure gives you something to look forward to. And an excuse to spend more money on fishing stuff during the winter months. LOL


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

because it to hard to move the boat when the water is hard . i have ice fished all my life and i will do it till i cant move anymore ..its just something to do when i cant get up after steelhead ....


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## Double J (Jan 7, 2009)

check out some of my winter posts and i'll leave that as my answer.dont give it up yet,my personal best walleye is off the ice and i fish erie year round.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

Because its a way of life.....plus you not gunna fish just because there's ice on the water??? heck no u make with what u got!!

Also your story sounds like how many others got started with ice fishing....its just they have it a second opportunity and are hooked!!

Get set up in a shanty....nice heater rolling....drink of choice....get the vex or cam setup.....first time u set the hook on a nice fish....u'll never miss a winter again....If i could i would ice fish year around!! 

Plus it seems like its when the big girls are feeding.


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## johnrude (Mar 29, 2009)

been doin it since i was a kid and i like it much more than regular fishing. and there are no mosquito's.


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## foundationfisher (May 12, 2008)

i love to hunt deer and turkeys, squirrels or whatever. fish for whateve's bitin'. if i could only pick 1 outdoor sport to participate in, it would be ice fishing. technology has come a long way in the 30 something years ago since i started. just because the weather's cold doesn't mean you have to be. a shanty, heater, vex, .... it's just like a bass boat on ice. i can't wait.


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## lovin life (Jan 2, 2010)

Where else can you get up at the crack of dawn, lean against the kitchen counter with a cup of joe and look forward to dragging about a 100 lbs. of STUFF through 6" of snow, fighting 20 mph winds.....and smile ? NE Ohio in January, thats where. 

To me , its a tri draw to ice fish. First off , of corse the fish, second its the ultra friendly people you meet on the ice, and third....on a 7 degree day i'm sitting in the shanty in a tee shirt, cooking grilled cheese and watching the vex knowing that again i've taken everything mother nature could throw at me and i've beat her again. And the differance is a very thin peice of shanty material. If you get a shanty and heater it gives you the time and patience to enjoy the winter.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

Thats one major true thing. Its HILARIOUS how you will pull an enormous amount of stuff through snow on top of the ice....risk your life being on the ice.....sweat your butt off trying to pull all this stuff and be sooooooo tired when u finally get everything set up and your holes drilled.....but as soon as you have the rod in your hand and the electronics turned on.....its GAME ON!! Makes it all worth it.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

Ice fishing in general makes one a better fisherman. Show me an excellent ice fisherman and I will show you a guy that can catch fish anywhere , anytime. That's why European fisherman can come over here and stand a chance to win. Same thing about American icefishermen can go over there and stand a chance.

Ice fishing is more democratic than open water. You can be extemely well equipped for under a 1000 for ice fishing. Try that with soft water fishing. Costs more than that just to dock a boat for the year.

Ice fishermen are more friendly. This is not an opinion its just a fact. I have shared bait and spots with complete strangers. Some at their invitation other times at mine.Never seen this on open water . I learned to ice fish on my own. My dad was an avid fisherman but hated the cold of winter. Nothing and no one could coax him out on the ice.

Once I solved the problem of my feet getting cold ( thank you Mickey Mouse boots ) I was hooked for life. Over the years I started to make my own ice tackle. Lures and rods mostly. Now it almost blends into open water fishing.

While catching large panfish is fun anytime of the year. There's just something about hauling a " chunker " through the ice on a rod that has the action of a shoelace and a reel that has a line capacity of a thimble. Brings a smile to even the biggest of grumps.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

I started Ice Fishing when I was 16 years old. Just sat on a Bucket all day freezing to death. Kept at it and got better equipped. I gave up Ice Fishing after my Divorce - and after some time - sold all of my Gear. After 12 years of not Ice Fishing, one day I am on this Site reading everyone's Posts and feeling their excitement about Ice Fishing - and this Gadget called a "Flasher". I always thought that the Flasher was just another Gimmick that I could live without. Then I bought a bunch of Gear and a Flasher. After trying out the Flasher for the first time at our OGF Mogadore Gathering, I was hooked. It was just so exciting! Now I would never want to Ice Fish without a Flasher. Even when a Cold Front shuts down the Fish, I can see them acting all goofy underneath me. I only see colored LED Lights, but it gets totally nuts underneath my Holes sometimes. My craziest night was on Mosquito Creek Lake last Season while fishing for Crappies. The Crappies acted like they were on Drugs for over 2 Hours straight. I could not get any to nibble - but it was still exciting! Don't be afraid to venture out with different people and learn all that you can. Ice Fishing is a "friendlier" kind of Fishing.


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

those are all great stories....and I have seen these guys on the ice....but really........

IT IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING YOUR BEER COLD WHILE FISHING !!!!


IT IS JUST MUCH MUCH EASIER.......


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## Full_Choke (Apr 13, 2004)

Sady dog has a great point !


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## foundationfisher (May 12, 2008)

beer slushies! i can't wait.


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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

I sat out all my stuff in my garage and set everything up haha.....i sat inside my shanty for a good 30 mins figuring out what all I can customize and do too make this year even better....im so excited lol. Did have one thing go wrong....went to throw a charge on my camera and couldnt find my charger....getting scared hahah.

We need to post a lot more pics this year of our catches!!


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## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

There's just something about getting out on the ice at your local lake and being able to do it with very little hassle. The folks you talk with out on the ice are so much friendlier and not so uptight about sharing.


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

You better find that charger!!! I love my aqua view...best thing in the world..It is like cheating  I love it.. Need to hook up with someone around erie..went out last year for first time...it was awesome seeing that sunset across the frozen tundra...


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## nick99 (Mar 8, 2010)

I started ice fishing last year and love it. I am ready to hit up erie to get some perch and eyes now threw the ice.


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

I don't even need to say anything! The people are definitely more friendly! No doubt! I started 2 years ago, and Im hooked for life, I enjoy it just as much as any other fishing, if not more!


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## hardwaterfan (Apr 6, 2004)

would you rather sit inside playing on the internet all day or going on a cool outdoors adventure? ill take the adventure, the challenge, and the fun of seeing the spring bobbers twitching


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

this just may be my reason.
[ame="http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e253/ken_e_getem_n/?action=view&current=VID00001.mp4"]VID00001.mp4 video by ken_e_getem_n - Photobucket[/ame]


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## fish master (Dec 24, 2005)

i take it as a challenge, its like not to many people but a handfull will walk out on 4'' of ice sit there for 9 hours freezing there arsh off for a couple of bites thru out the day..then wake up the next morning and do it all over again..:S


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## fishin 1st (Dec 23, 2009)

here are a few good reasons


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

Because all the rivers have completely frozen and I don't feel like driving 45 minutes to freeze my arse off At cold creek

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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

really?? this thread is like forever long ..Now I find myself in my garage sitting in my shanty (the condo) dam you people and your talk of ice in the middle of summer ....not it will never freeze !!!!


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

Definately the adventure , and of course the opportunity to test yourself against nature and see how well you do. Then theres the opportunity to test your ideas and improvements to your gear and the theories you have come up with all year. And just to be able to get outside and away from the house/family for a while. Tossing a few beers back on the ice can be fun if you are old enough and do that sort of thing. If you go alone its a peaceful quiet time to just sit and think , if you are not alone its a good time to sit and talk , tell jokes or whatever. Food in the outdoors always seems to taste better , even if you have a little fish slime or bait on your hands , crazy as that sounds. Deer hunters who spend a lot of time sitting in a blind have just as good of a time but being on the ice just seems to add a little more adventure. But you gotta have patience , and usually a lot of it.


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## peach680 (May 19, 2010)

Love pond ice fishing its like fishing in a barrel! Will do above ground res. Not much luck but it gets me out pf the house

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