PreSeason projects???

[BojiHawk]

To stave off calendar watching and long rage almanac weather predictions, I have immersed myself in multiple pre-season projects and have gone nuts but buying stuff.  Biggest endeavor has been the Cabelas 2-man portable kit.  Awsome!  Almost finished.  They sold them out and I can see why.  I did read some negative comments on them and, other than the pole bag being to small, I can understand why.  I did more modifications than direction following.  It is a spin off of the suitcase style shelter but you make the trifold floor (really a bifold, but there is a 4" center strip piece to allow it to "clam").  I added some wood / stainless steel runners to be able to transport it either assembled or folded up.  Also, some nice big hook latches to keep it tightly closed for higher speed pulling and added 4 bungee "cross members" to give is some added rigidity.  Then, carpeted the floors.  I watersealed the wood to the Nth degree so this one should last.  Amazingly it is very light and easy to handle when locked up in the folded position.

The next few weeks, I'll be heading to some area lakes to use my new AquaView and GPS to map out structure and brush pile.  The lake I fish is incredibly clear (hard to believe) and I wasn't expecting the view distance I had this last saturday.  So I'm going to spend a day just drifting over points and drop offs looking for features that have fish-holding possibilities and making waypoints.

Other than that, I've just been buying and stringing up some new combos, modifying some lures to dropper rigs, shopping and/or booking December trips, studying some high def. countour maps, and reading as many articles as I can.

How far off is first ice....??  I'll never make it....

[sperrin]

I have a few pre-season things to get done as well..

Im building a new wood stove for the shack, along with new stove pipe. A couple minor repairs to the shack itself.

I have to find and buy a new or good used ice auger...and then I also really want to find an Aqua Vu camera to try using this winter!

Stevo.....bring on the ice!

[icefisher-45]

Just finished my new sled, now all I need is Ice.

[phesant]

Just finished putting poly strips on my ice sleds.....patched holes in QF III ....Now I know I'm foregetting something.....

[Flash_King]

have plans for a new sled,finished making up 2 doz quik strike rigs,checked all lines(need to replace),auger needs tune-up,need to replace side pole on portable   It will be a busy fall

[fish_finder]

School and up coming hunting season have kept me pretty busy, plan to maybe build a nice hardside this year instead of relying entirely on the portable

[FishingNewEngland]

I'm putting together a new sled this week. Other than that, I'm bored as hell waiting for the ice.

[BojiHawk]

Still need to get the garage cleaned up...hut it still set up in there and the wife comes home, scowls at me, and heads for the basement and I don't see her all night.


...I ordered 5 more kits...should get me silence through the holidays....

[baboosicfisherman]

Just Finished replacing the on/off switch on my jiffy auger.  Bought a clam 6800 at the end of last season and want to do some interior mods to make is more enjoyable (plywood floor, hooks for gear, fan to blow out moisture, etc.)  I also put the last coat of enamel on my gear sled, should work perfectly for the amount of crap i usually bring on the ice with me.

[Mainedog]

To stave off calendar watching and long rage almanac weather predictions, I have immersed myself in multiple pre-season projects and have gone nuts but buying stuff.  Biggest endeavor has been the Cabelas 2-man portable kit.  Awsome!  Almost finished.  They sold them out and I can see why.  I did read some negative comments on them and, other than the pole bag being to small, I can understand why.  I did more modifications than direction following.  It is a spin off of the suitcase style shelter but you make the trifold floor (really a bifold, but there is a 4" center strip piece to allow it to "clam").  I added some wood / stainless steel runners to be able to transport it either assembled or folded up.  Also, some nice big hook latches to keep it tightly closed for higher speed pulling and added 4 bungee "cross members" to give is some added rigidity.  Then, carpeted the floors.  I watersealed the wood to the Nth degree so this one should last.  Amazingly it is very light and easy to handle when locked up in the folded position.

Please post some pictures of this enhanced Cabelas tent kit!

[J_Jaacks]

Took the blade off the auger to get it sharpened.  Ran it for 2 or 3 seasons on the original blade.  I was going to be ordering some more jigs right now, but a cast for the youngest boy and a sax for the oldest has those plans pushed out for a few weeks.  I still need to get a plug for the auger, now that you guys mention it.  I haven't pulled out the portable, but have checked on it and it is still there and waiting to be used.  I also still need to re-string the rods, but that will have to wait until the stores get the string stocked.  I think that there isn't much to do.  I want to get a fall trip in the boat under the belt too.  But I am really wanting to walk on water and soon.

[timberdoodle]

Most of the way done on my new box for the back of my ranger. Still need to tidy it up a bit but almost there. Still trying to figure out a bait bucket of some sort. I'm putting in a 12volt battery to run a light and a pump. Should be a great way to transport the gear. My portable shanty will go right on top when I head out on the ice, and with the tracks on it will go about anywhere. Not quite finished with the paint yet either. Trying to come up with a catchy saying to put on the sides. Hopefully you guys will see lots more pics with the buggy on the ice and me with lots of fish.

[Mainehazmt]

sweet

[pikeking]

What do you need a shanty for when you can get the cab enclosure for that thing. You can even get a heater for it. Cut a hole in the shelf big enough for your bait bucket to fit into, and place a piece of ply wood on the other side so you can slide it over to cover the hole when you don't need it. Just trying to help.

                                                              

[timberdoodle]

That's not a bad idea about the bait bucket. Still deciding on which cab to get for the buggy, they are all wicked expensive. Come to think of it, everything is for that Ranger...lol. Probably just go with a soft cab for now. Actually the engine is under the seat so the heat from that keeps it pretty comfortable in there. I'm getting pretty itchy for ice now that I have been working on the box.

[Mainedog]

Trying to come up with a catchy saying to put on the sides.

Why not put an Ice Shanty Militia sticker on one side? Paint the Ice Shanty Logo on another?


My preseason projects (have been):

Disconnect the mercury switch from my Mr. Buddy (done).
Build a folding floor for use in my Shapell 6000 (done).
Build an auger rack to bolt onto my two-up's basket (in progress).
Replace the line on most of my jig rod reels/traps (todo).
Re-paint the coroplast shack floor (if it's warm enough next trip to camp).
Check the condition of my Rover (repair as necessary).

I am sure there will other projects that come up before the season....

[vermonner]

Fired up the auger and got a few things organized.  Possible hardside update--I've had a few ideas since I built it 2 years ago--it needs a little attn anyway since digging it out of the ice dinged it minorly   --bowhunting is nearly upon us, so I don't have a clear sense of when, but hopefully soon.

[Swift]

Organize/simplify. Accumulated vast quantities of stuff over the years, assess what I "really" use and what I don't.

[billditrite]

well i need to replace the seat on my arctic cat...won an auction of it on ebay with gas tank still attached so it will be an easy swap...then the regular changing line on the jigrods and reversing backing on my tipups. ready to go other than that!

[jrelaxin]

find my gear where I put so I wouldn't forget it............

[SkeeterJeff]

I need to figure out how to rig some kind of sled for hand pulling that will haul my gear and my two person Frabill Outback.  Any/all suggestions welcome.

I just started ice fishing in January, so my gear is all ready to go.  Didn't fish enough to need to re-string the reels or worry about a dull auger.  I'll set the Outback up in a few weeks to air it out a bit.  Maybe add to my small jig collection.

Oh... and order some Chubby Darters.

Jeff

[Swift]

Time and/or any heat/sun will kill light line.

[miket.]

i need to set up the fish trap so it can get aired out, it smells musty like the basement from the flooding.any suggestions would be appreciated. smells like mold.

[BojiHawk]

i need to set up the fish trap so it can get aired out, it smells musty like the basement from the flooding.any suggestions would be appreciated. smells like mold.

Try putting a bag of charcoal briquettes in it and zip it up..or some cookie sheets layered with arm n hammer...maybe some of that shower stuff..handful of christmas tree air freshners>??   I found a chub from last year in my tip-up bucket....amazingly, it never really smelled. Looked kind of freeze dried.

[Mainehazmt]

open her up  crack a few beers  knock one overwith your foot  like ya just got the bite of a lifetime

[SkeeterJeff]

Time and/or any heat/sun will kill light line.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but being a newbie, I have some questions concerning the above response.

I purchased my Ice rods/reels and spooled them in January.  Fished through the end of Feb. then our ice went away.  Stored everything away in the garage in plastic storage bins, out of the light, and max temp was probaby 85 degrees this summer.  I know line is cheap, but is it necessary to change out after about five uses in this time frame?

Thanks in advance,
Jeff

[Mainehazmt]

naw   just gotta have an excuse for the big one that got away!  lol

[BojiHawk]

I think it depends on the line.  I've found that mono is more likely to get "memory" from being stored and the cheaper the line, the more it will coil.  Coiling really hurst success..as does a spinning jig.  A good reel (with a roller bearing in the bail) and professionally strung spool will help.  The Cajun Red line is a very limp and low-memory line I like in the mono...and the Firelin Crystal 4 pound is a good choice when water or light conditions allow.  I use the Cajun for daytime sight fishing gills and break out the crystal for stained water or dusk fishing.  I think the point to remember is that the only piece of equipment you have between you and the fish is your line.  If there is any doubt...replace it.  Additionally, the spool size on your reel is a factor.  Some of these micro-light reels have teeny spool diameters which compound the problem when they are left to sit for long periods un-used.

One money saving tip I can give you it to use a mono-backing.  Meaning, fill about half your spool (or whateevr you feel comforable with) with mono.  I never fish much deeper than 30 feet...so I have 100 feet of my good line.  I feel bad tearing off all that spendy line each year - mostly, stuff that never even got wet.  Not to mention the fact that super lines require some backing or it will spin on your spool when it dries out or gets cold....use a blood knot to attach your premium line to the backing.  It's supposed to be the best, but to be honest, I've never been spooled to the point of getting into the backing....unfortunate lty...:-)

[Swift]

Never really understood peoples hesitating to address their line. Hard, even in open water, fishing people have no problem dropping big bucks on rods, reels & tons of asst. accessories to catch a fish. But take line and its care for granted as nothing overly special. It's the only thing in actual contact with the bait/fish and more than likely the least expensive item you'll use everytime out. Sorry, just don't get it.

[Tomhusker]

I picked up a couple of pairs of skis last week (thrift shop special $3.98 per pair). Today I started working on a sled for when I am going out without the Fish Trap Guide. Nothing drawn up, just kinda wingin' it. One pair of skis for that, the other is getting fastened to the Guide.... somehow.