when did you first know you were addicted to our fine sport?

[matty23]

when i was on the ice at age 3 with my father.... now at the age of 26... my name is matt and iam an icefishingholic!!!

[3beagles]

I became addicted to ice fishing as a direct result of purchasing my Marcum LX3-tc.  Before that I could take it or leave it and prefered rabbit hunting with my beagles.  Now, it is a toss up!
Mike

[rickf]

   This year will be my 3rd year on the ice. The first year I went with my nephew that had never ice fished before and we went out 3 or 4 times and never caught a fish. I just loved being out there so I guess I was hooked before ever iceing a fish. Last year i got some better equipment and caught some nice fish. Now i am just waiting for my firt day out this year. So I guess I was hooked after my first day on the ice.

[bassinbrian_on_ice]

Although i have been open water fishing since i was very young i just never really got into the ice thing (mainly because i didn't have the right gear or knowledge for ice) a friend of mine showed me the ropes 3 years ago. I purchased a portable shanty & a flasher ... my outlook changed quick when i could stay warm and land many fish     

Most memorably was setting up my shanty just before light and it was 7 below zero 2 yrs ago to jig up lakers ... does it get any better 

Now leaving the house at 4am in single digit weather is a common practice every weekend until March. 


BB


 

[pooley]

my second time out, and first time alone. i mastered the art of making the hole small enough with an ax to lay a tip-up across it without it floating!

[major257]

36 years ago when I was 5 yo and went with the old man and his buds. I addiction has only gotten worse and more expensive. Take a kid fishing and change their life forever.

[jekross42]

around 10 years ago went with my uncle to chase flags and jig for crappies. he must have had a great time chasing 6 kids around and have us fight over flags,
then last year waking up at 5 to drive a half hour to limit out by 9
love it and cant stop now i just gotta get school out of the way so i can go till march

[northernmaddness]

last year when a buddy come up from 2 hours away to fish with me. He brought a marcum n i was stunned at how many more fish he caught. So i went out n got a vexilar. U could say i would live on the ice now if i could. Im sure im not the only one that gets the gear out a month early

[percheyes42]

When i was about 8 years old and my brothers and I stood our snow sled up to try to block the 30 mph winds. Hooked!!!!!

[topher7694]

the first time I caught a fish through the ice.....I was also hooked !

[EddieRod]

  Out of work back in the late 90's, wanted to get out of the house so grabbed a sled a couple of old rods and headed to Oneida, slick as heck, no creepers, the auger was horrible, all the wrong stuff... found a couple of, not so old holes, put down a jig with a minnow and a bobber. Got a couple of nice perch. Then it was over or is it on??!!
 The addiction was on !! Started reading, talking to people, going to stores, etc.. Found out from the girl at work about this neighbor of hers thats is a fishing freak and lives right on Lakeshore Rd. He was helpful on what to get and I bought all I could get away with... Still can't get enough, can always make improvements on gear. Still learning....

[5watchman5]

Hmmn.  Fishing with Combsey and his Vexilar fl-20 def. didn't help matters.  You know you're in trouble when you can perfectly justify a 500.00 credit card purchase for yourself just after Christmas. 

[jeffro9023]

i didnt know i had an addiction...everybody knew it but me...i started to realize i had an addiction when i started having to slam my body into my fishing room door one day and couldnt even walk into it...mind you this room is 20'x20' huts heaters tackle boxes augers flasher camera rods comin out my a$$ buckets scoopers...holy hell i can go on and on...wont part with any of it 

[Chainsaw]

I didn't know it was an addiction 'till years later but it bagan somewhere around 1953. Winter too if I remember correctly...

[mricefish]

When I found my self using 12 foot planks to get on and off the ice late in March to extend my season many years ago. 

that is what my wife said too, she also added that i am nuts for doing that as well.  That could be, but I seam to find my self having to do it every spring.  ya never know if the are biting or not unless you get out there right?? lol

[MuskyHunter]

41 years ago 

[wnyhotshot]

Found an old picture of my dad drilling a hole with a spoon auger. Late 60's maybe. I thought if he did it, it must be cool. Love fishing in the summer, why not the winter too. So 10 years later and what seems to be $10,000 worth of "stuff", I'm Obsessed..  Oh yeah spoon augers SUCK..... LOL

[s10xr]

well i could tell you when i was in junior high and all winter break all i did was fish not stop not worrying about the weather wind or conditions.  or maybe what drove me to that was the first time i had a hit and that little tunk just brought excitement.  or could it be when i would fish till i came in and couldnt unzip my coat because my hands were to numb.  I dont know i have alot of memories ice fishing and even on slow days dont have a bad one.  as long as im on the ice with a jigging pole in one hand im happy.

[mricefish]

I to can remember a day 18 years ago fished the day away on the ice and pulled gear and fish back to shore.  But my hands were so cold and stiff i had a heck of a time unlocking the truck to drive home.  ended up getting key in and using pliers to turn it because my hands would not grip the key hard enough to turn it.  But would say really learned I was addicted when we were back out there the next day to experience the exact same thing as the day before.

[Olsarge]

When I seen the look on my Son's face the first time he pulled a perch out of the hole.  It was probably the same face I had with my first fish.  It is just plain FUN!  Besides what else is there to do with you kids during the winter months?

[reeleyz]

When I was born I think.

My dad took my out on Oneida as soon as I could hold a pole. We ice fished all weekend every weekend for years.

[Cusefan78]

About 10am this morning when I caught my first fish on ice.

[fishingrip]

When I had to put the addition on the house and expand the driveway for the trailer

[miked]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 74 ,my high school pal took me and that was it.5 brothers and 7 Nephews and my son go as much as we can .Last winter I FISHED ABOUT 40 DAYS STRAIGHT.

[allfishing]

 1973 senior in high school went with my girlfriend  to lake glenida with some tipups and a spud. Caught a 16 inch rainbow. And to this day i cant wait for ice.

[iceman260]

Went first time with friends in 72 haven't stopped since.

[senecalakeice2011]

Last year when i sat on Cayuta lake with a best friend and froze my butt off in -10 windchill with no shelter. Then to later fish Otisco with a college buddy and same friend and had a blast. But i think i truly became addicted when I started thinking about ice in June.

[muskiewrangler]

When I thought the "Green Hornet" movie was about the fishing rod.