What is it about Ice Fishing?

[Seamonkey84]

No heat, no bugs,  no waves and dangers from boat traffic, no drifting away from your spot (one would hope!), and I absolutely love fishing using the electronics and seeing Everything on screen. The real life fishing video game is why I ended up buying panoptix.

[Sylvanboat]

Got to agree that a lot of it is because this IS a great place to come for all sorts of stuff. Awesome site with great folks and plenty of information, sometimes too much 

I used to swear ice fishing was for crazy people. My cousin's husband, a great hunting and musky fishing pal got me out one New Years Day. I was already in my mid-20s and never been. -20F, 20 mph winds, blowing snow he showed me how to set up tipups, play cards and sip blackberry till something fun happened. He caught one puny pike but because I loved to fish I recognized this as an opportunity to fish ALL YEAR LONG  I was bound and determined to learn how to do this well. Not half bad I've amassed a pile of ice stuff and now I am prepared for virtually any scenario. Still broadening my horizons learning how to catch walleyes and panfish well. Some days I actually look like a rocket scientist instead of the village idiot.

Still like tippy fishing best. Every time a flag pops it's just like sticking my wet finger in a wall outlet. When the 'eyes and pannies are co-operating it's almost as much fun. Then there's the challenge of the elements. Not for the timid or whiners. It can be brutal. Sometimes the reward is making it through a full day of unimaginable weather. Yep, I'm hooked.

Ice fishing IS for crazy people. Now I'm one of 'em 

Ice fishermen aren't crazy. Hunters are.

[Reinert]

I'm a hardcore introvert with anxiety issues, I can hit the lake get in my shack and enjoy myself without really having to see or talk to anyone.

[Sierra57]

Not to toot my own horn, but for some unknown reason to me so far I'm a way better ice fisherman than open water. I can get where I want to without a boat maybe? Either way the addiction runs deep, Just today I bought a new walleye set up and while I was running line onto the reel with sweat running down my forehead in my 90 degree garage I realized some people might have me admitted to a certain hospital for this kind of behavior. But I wouldn't have it any other way and the ice can't come soon enough!

[Brochet]

I'm a hardcore introvert with anxiety issues, I can hit the lake get in my shack and enjoy myself without really having to see or talk to anyone.

Well said !     Except 99.99% of people who ice fish are good people to talk to and helpful, so it's always good to meet people on the ice.

Plus:
nothing feels more adventurous than walking across the ice just pulling a sled,

nothing is more thrilling than seeing a flag go up and racing towards it wondering what kind of fish is on,

its the only way I can catch a big pike or pickerel,

the solitude of the middle of a frozen lake when there's a snowstorm is just amazing

and no poison ivy, bugs, heat, or sunburn !

We just had the first frost of the fall here in the Champlain Valley yesterday, can't wait for the ice !

[SirCranksalot]

no black flies
no skiddies
no deer flies etc etc.

[slipperybob]

Ice fishing stories like this. 

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=120042.0

and finding mean muskrats....LOL

[Brochet]

Ice fishing stories like this. 

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=120042.0

and finding mean muskrats....LOL

I love the posts about the water beasts !  You are a good story teller slipperybob !  Is there a mean muskrat story too ?

[slipperybob]

I love the posts about the water beasts !  You are a good story teller slipperybob !  Is there a mean muskrat story too ?

I read about them in other people's stories.  I haven't encountered one in ice fishing.

I did have a rainbow trout come all the way up my ice hole, took one look at me and turn back down.  I was like...darn if I only had a lure down that hole.

[Iceassin]

Not to toot my own horn, but for some unknown reason to me so far I'm a way better ice fisherman than open water. I can get where I want to without a boat maybe? Either way the addiction runs deep, Just today I bought a new walleye set up and while I was running line onto the reel with sweat running down my forehead in my 90 degree garage I realized some people might have me admitted to a certain hospital for this kind of behavior. But I wouldn't have it any other way and the ice can't come soon enough!

Same here Sierra. Much better fisherman through the ice. Probably because I've spent much more time honing the craft than on the soft water and I spend my time on the golf course during the off season. And the 90* heat? Did all my pre-ice stuff in those temps as well. Only thing left is waxing the skis on my Smitty Sled. I'm ready to go.

[ran7ger]

 i think for me it's how you can go from sipping hot coffee almost in a state of meditation with your feet up and then the next second you've got a nasty, toothy 20lb critter on your line doing everything it can do to avoid having it's picture taken. 

 around here there's also more fellowship between icefishermen than there is in the summer, not sure why that is...but probably the beer.