Who got you started ice fishing?

[Cold Blue]

Did you just wake up one morning and say to yourself i'm going to try ice fishing. Or did someone get you started in the sport?

[zwiggles]

My father and uncle got me into it as a kid. Lots of good memories as a kid with them ice fishing.

[SHUBA]

Back when I was a young dumb teenager, we used to drive our cars out on
Oneida just for fun, well witnessed a few old timers on the ice fishing... Thought to
myself have to try that . With a bucket, spud, old style jigging rod (no reel)…. I was hooked
Have never looked back.... Oh how the times have changed and the love for ICE FISHING
has grown stronger      STAY SAFE AND FISH HARD WATER

[got em]

  my stepfathers dad on Keuka lake when I was   around 14 . . Hooked me for life. .  . . It's been 45 yrs now. . 

[Iceassin]

Dad...a bucket, spud, nails in a rod to hold line, , 6# test line and a couple of teardrops. And a Coleman lantern for night fishing. That was it...and it was great. 

[hot tuna]

My grandfather and father were avid outdoorsman. 
I'm pretty sure I was on the ice using a ice bar to make holes and set traps when I was in kindergarten.  I'm 53 now. Back then you were allowed 15 each on any waterbody. 
Before deer season  ( opened on a Monday) I would bring a note to school saying I would not be in for a week.

I passed down these things to my kids and grandkids. 
7 of the 9 are already experienced fishers.

[bowski76]

My father started a lot of the neighborhood kids ice fishing, everyone was welcome as long as you were waiting at the end of your driveway at 5:30am! If you weren't there, he would pass right by.
Back then, 5 of us would fit in his Plymouth Fury III station wagon with all of our gear! Now, I load my big SUV with gear and have room for 1 passenger.
We always had a good size group and had a great time, I have many fond memories of ice fishing with my father.

[reeleyz]

My dad.

We used to ice fish all weekend. My hands were always tore up from perch gill plates.

Lipton cup o’ soup and hotdogs for lunch.

Good times.

[swampking89]

My dad definitely!!we used to go with all his work buds(Syr.China).we would all go to Sandy Pond ,drive the cars right on the pond!! Set up with hand lines baited with buckeyes with just hook and bobber and catch tons of perch,go to my Dads buddies house and have a big fish fry!! The best times ever!!

[bergal1]

Pop worked a 6 day work week, 13 hours a day.  But he always found the time on Sunday to take his boys fishing.  We had great times.  Miss those days way back when.  Though Pop is gone I am still fishing after my first outing with Pop over 60 years ago.

[Cold Blue]

Thank you guys . Just wanted to hear some great replies. And reading some great memories.

[tblaster123]

Dad. Would drag me out of bed at 5am and we'd be set up on the ice before the sun came up. Just about every weekend.

Now I cant get him out on the ice before 9am and it's like pulling teeth to even get him to go! Lol

[Nipissing43]

It seemed anything to do with fishing, hunting and trapping I was interested in as a kid.  I remember when I was young my friends father took us out for lakers and whitefish and we only caught a smelt.  I also remember me and a few buddies fished a small lake close to home and caught a pike once thru the ice with a pocket fisherman.

When I was 21 I joined the army and got stationed up in Northern Ontario and I was hooked big time.  I have never stopped and at 56 I got my wife and my 25 year old son hooked on ice fishing. 

This weekend I got 3 buddies coming to my place and we are going to hopefully ice a bunch of jumbo perch. 

[Jakemanges123]

My grandpa would take me out on chatauqua when I was little. Spud bar to open old holes. Some cut in half open water rods glued into some cork. And a bucket. I had a blast every time. And I now even though I have all that fancy gear and catch much more I still think those were some of my favorite trips

[mkpitt2021]

46 years ago when I was 12 my dad started taking me on weekend trips to lake Oneida, by far some of the best memories I have.

I have enjoyed ice fishing ever since.

[adkRoy]

Did you just wake up one morning and say to yourself i'm going to try ice fishing.

I did just that.   

[Big Tupper]

I got Crappie Killr from Kansas started and I created a monster!!!!! He is completely addicted

[Fifield_Outf]

I started when I was around 2 lol. My dad and his friends would take me. Than when my cousins got old enough to drive they would take me since my parents bought me all the gear for it. When I got old enough to drive I fished every snow day and winter vacation I could. Now it’s just crazy how much I go lol. The next step for me is getting kids introduced into it to pass it along!

[meandcuznalfy]

My dad and grandfather, I've been going since I was a couple months old, mom said my grandfather's friend was throwing a fit because they had the baby on the ice, I've done the same thing with my kids.

[Neil McCauley]

Woke up one day and decided to get into it. I've open water fished since toddlerhood but about 5 years ago at age 29ish got curious about hardwater. Kind of been like that with everything. My dad introduced me to things but my brothers and I were always free to discover and build on our own hobbies independently.

[numbtoes]

My father started me fishing in southern Pennsylvania at 4 years old in 1947 based on old photos. After college moved to Lake George/ Champlain area and started ice fishing on frozen water with relatives. Would go out with minnows, chisel, scoop, and hand carved jigging sticks only. Now I drag a shelter loaded with electric auger, sonar, tv, heater, gps, and three buckets full of gear that gradually came along. Will probably get the next new thing(s) to come out and hopefully keep on the ice for a few more years. Great memories then of my two daughters pulling perch up and me running around behind re baiting 45 tip ups on Champlain and good ones now with my grand kids and the electronics.

[Adironzach]

My father and grandfathers got me into fishing at a young age however none of them ever ice fished. First time ice fishing was with my Boy Scout Troop on a winter camping trip we took when i was 16. After graduating college (went to school in NC) and moving home, i met a coworker who ice fished. He let me borrow his auger and a few pan fish jigs and i was hooked. Slowly been accumulating gear and knowledge since!

[catskills]

I fished with my pops growing up a few times with a worm and bobber.  But he wasn't serious about it.  Growing up near a lake and watching saturday fishing shows on espn got me out there.  Didn't started hunting til 27yo (2 years ago) and got serious about ice fishing this season.  Addicted now. 

[geo315]

My father when I was about 10.  i'm 73 now and have been ice fishing on and off, when work did not interfere, ever since. Geo.

[Raquettedacker]

I did just that. 

   Me to, didnt have any family members or know anyone who did it. Growing up in Connecticut on LIS there wasnt much fresh water fishing going on.. Moved to NY at 12 and was amazed at people standing on the ice . Rode my bike to a small lake and walked out and talked to a guy and got a quick lesson.  Went home and got my 5ft rod rigged it with a small kastmaster and went back and fished some open holes. Didn't catch anything but that was the beginning....

[antelope76]

My grandfather on my mothers side got me into fishing and ice fishing when I was about 9-10 years old.

Been hooked for life since!

[Mtnd777]

My barber as a kid had a group of about 20 guys that went every weekend and invited us to go

[SHaRPS]

Yep. Loved fishing so much I went on a mission to find open water in January and what did I see, guys out on the ice. Drop the mic it was on since then. That has been about 10 years ago. No turning back. Now I want to move north to extend my season.

[62&done]

As a teenager a buddy and I full of Pi** & vinegar and curiosity managed to scape up some old tipups and assorted equipment complete with a shack the size of an average outhouse. It just fit in the back of my chevy el camino.
We spent a lot of time catching dink perch and picceral. occasionally we made a long trip north to where we could catch a couple small lakers.  Years went by and we found other things to occupy our time. The ice fishing gear slowly improved. Shacks became light weight and portable. Rods and reels became hi tech and dependable. Renewed interest and the ability to purchase some of  this "new stuff" brought me back out onto the ice.   WOW!!!  am I having fun!

I now have enough equipment for 5 guys and have met a  great fishing buddy.  A recent injury is keeping me house bound for now but I am dreaming of next year with a real bucket list of new lakes. I just need to mend.  That old buddy from the teen years stopped by to visit and we now have plans to fish this coming summer. I can't wait to relive the old memories from 40 years ago.
      Isn't it great to have fishing friends?

[Fishmongerlyndon]

been fishing the hardwater since i was 5 years old thanks to my father who used to take me and my sister to youth tournaments and all over the place. Now i drag him out on the ice every weekend!