Lost season for the Warrior

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

Hello fellow hardwater enthusiasts. I read your posts this season with some envy and frustration, although I am glad that you guys are persuing the sport with such vigor as to keep me entertained with your posts. Some notable examples of dedicated fishermen that make posts that I truly enjoy reading include Adironzach and hardwaterhonkey, among others.

I only spent 4 days ice fishing this season, and none since January 9. A number of issues have derailed my season, and I will not be stepping foot an any ice for the remainder of this season. Please see below for the enumerated reasons for the sad derailment of my ice season. I will never take the opportunity to enjoy this sport for granted again, and in December 2022 I will be more motivated to go ice fishing than I have been in 20 years. Thank you in advance for your continued posts that make me envious and dreamy, and your words of encouragement that will spur me on to get back at this with great motivation in approximately 10 months.

1.) I had COVID 19 for 3 weeks in October, and spent 2 days admitted to the hospital. I was not on a ventilator. I had pretty severe pneumonia for 1 month after being cleared to return to work on November 2. That cleared up before ice season arrived, but on my limited number of days on the ice, I found that even the 30 something degree temps. bothered me and I was not comfortable being outside in this for more than 1 hour.

2.) The guys I used to fish a lot with don't care that much about going anymore. I do go with my teenage kids a lot until this season, but they are seniors in high school and have a ton of stuff going on every weekend now - lengthy homework assignments, college applications and college tours that I bring them to, etc. Those thoinhs makeit hard to justify spending entire weekends on the ice.

3.) I may have reached some level of saturation with my experiences catching fish through the ice. I have come to expect catching certain sized fish and certain quantities of fish from my go-to places now, and if that does not happen then I unfortunately let it negatively affect my satisfaction with the activity. I need to remind myself that it is called " fishing " and not " catching " and that I am not a personal failure when the fishing is less than I have come to epect.

Thank you all for reading. If I need my ass kicked instead of getting words of encouragement, please don't hesitate to do that. I want honesty from all of you. Good luck for the remainder of this ice season

[Whopper Stopper]

Sorry to read about your ice fishing derailment. First and foremost I hope you can completely recover from your setback and find the vigor to meet next season head on.

You can't turn the clock back, but you can sure wind it up again.

Best of luck on the coming months.

           WS

[meandcuznalfy]

Dam, sorry to hear about your troubles. I understand the school thing, my son just finished wrestling yesterday with state finals, we've only been able to get out just a few times a season for the last 3 years because of it, but wouldn't have it any other way, probably get out next weekend for his only trip and my second this year, so enjoy your kids while you can no matter what your doing with them, they'll be off on their own soon. Mines headed for college next year also.

[coast51]

Sorry to read about your ice fishing derailment. First and foremost I hope you can completely recover from your setback and find the vigor to meet next season head on.

You can't turn the clock back, but you can sure wind it up again.

Best of luck on the coming months.

           WS

Well Said Whopper ,  X2  Best of luck to you Warrior!

[BIGDEERHUNTER63]

Hello fellow hardwater enthusiasts. I read your posts this season with some envy and frustration, although I am glad that you guys are persuing the sport with such vigor as to keep me entertained with your posts. Some notable examples of dedicated fishermen that make posts that I truly enjoy reading include Adironzach and hardwaterhonkey, among others.

I only spent 4 days ice fishing this season, and none since January 9. A number of issues have derailed my season, and I will not be stepping foot an any ice for the remainder of this season. Please see below for the enumerated reasons for the sad derailment of my ice season. I will never take the opportunity to enjoy this sport for granted again, and in December 2022 I will be more motivated to go ice fishing than I have been in 20 years. Thank you in advance for your continued posts that make me envious and dreamy, and your words of encouragement that will spur me on to get back at this with great motivation in approximately 10 months.

1.) I had COVID 19 for 3 weeks in October, and spent 2 days admitted to the hospital. I was not on a ventilator. I had pretty severe pneumonia for 1 month after being cleared to return to work on November 2. That cleared up before ice season arrived, but on my limited number of days on the ice, I found that even the 30 something degree temps. bothered me and I was not comfortable being outside in this for more than 1 hour.

2.) The guys I used to fish a lot with don't care that much about going anymore. I do go with my teenage kids a lot until this season, but they are seniors in high school and have a ton of stuff going on every weekend now - lengthy homework assignments, college applications and college tours that I bring them to, etc. Those thoinhs makeit hard to justify spending entire weekends on the ice.

3.) I may have reached some level of saturation with my experiences catching fish through the ice. I have come to expect catching certain sized fish and certain quantities of fish from my go-to places now, and if that does not happen then I unfortunately let it negatively affect my satisfaction with the activity. I need to remind myself that it is called " fishing " and not " catching " and that I am not a personal failure when the fishing is less than I have come to epect.

Thank you all for reading. If I need my ass kicked instead of getting words of encouragement, please don't hesitate to do that. I want honesty from all of you. Good luck for the remainder of this ice season

I had pneumonia from some kind of flu in the fall of 19 (with all I see now it could have been that China flu ) it was with me all through hunting season could only walk 75 yards then I would sit on my bucket and catch my breath . Then I would continue till I got to my stand . Lost half of my wind my health problems are a long list but anyhow I got the COVID 19 in Jan. 2022 lost the first 3 weeks of ice season finally got on the ice last week of Jan. Now I'm 64 raised 4 kids all collage grads ( 2 at DREXEL  , 1 at Pittsburg  culinary ins. and ones a Registered Nurse .all have been ice fishermen my 2 sons are avid the girls not so much . You either get tough or quit ( what will it be for you ).

[trapper2000]

Hello fellow hardwater enthusiasts. I read your posts this season with some envy and frustration, although I am glad that you guys are persuing the sport with such vigor as to keep me entertained with your posts. Some notable examples of dedicated fishermen that make posts that I truly enjoy reading include Adironzach and hardwaterhonkey, among others.

I only spent 4 days ice fishing this season, and none since January 9. A number of issues have derailed my season, and I will not be stepping foot an any ice for the remainder of this season. Please see below for the enumerated reasons for the sad derailment of my ice season. I will never take the opportunity to enjoy this sport for granted again, and in December 2022 I will be more motivated to go ice fishing than I have been in 20 years. Thank you in advance for your continued posts that make me envious and dreamy, and your words of encouragement that will spur me on to get back at this with great motivation in approximately 10 months.

1.) I had COVID 19 for 3 weeks in October, and spent 2 days admitted to the hospital. I was not on a ventilator. I had pretty severe pneumonia for 1 month after being cleared to return to work on November 2. That cleared up before ice season arrived, but on my limited number of days on the ice, I found that even the 30 something degree temps. bothered me and I was not comfortable being outside in this for more than 1 hour.

2.) The guys I used to fish a lot with don't care that much about going anymore. I do go with my teenage kids a lot until this season, but they are seniors in high school and have a ton of stuff going on every weekend now - lengthy homework assignments, college applications and college tours that I bring them to, etc. Those thoinhs makeit hard to justify spending entire weekends on the ice.

3.) I may have reached some level of saturation with my experiences catching fish through the ice. I have come to expect catching certain sized fish and certain quantities of fish from my go-to places now, and if that does not happen then I unfortunately let it negatively affect my satisfaction with the activity. I need to remind myself that it is called " fishing " and not " catching " and that I am not a personal failure when the fishing is less than I have come to epect.

Thank you all for reading. If I need my ass kicked instead of getting words of encouragement, please don't hesitate to do that. I want honesty from all of you. Good luck for the remainder of this ice season

quiet yourwhining  grab a auger and a rod and go fishing ......

[Iron_Angler]

You spoke to me here bud.  I have been at mandatory 12-16 hr workdays 5-6 days a week since January 2021.  I can count the number of fishing days Jan. 2021-Jan. 2022 on both hands.  This, from someone who made a lifestyle of 2 full fishing days per week and 2 or 3 mornings before work for many years prior.  Full disclaimer, I don't have kids and at my age I won't.  I have the luxury of taking OT in either time or money, and my employer finally let us start taking days off again with the wane of the last Plague wave, so I took off the month of Feb. to fish.  So here's some words of encouragement.

When I started this block of time off I was weak, unfit, and out of shape from lack of exercise.  Just spudding 100 yards wiped me out and I hurt like h*ll the next day.  But still I went.

I forgot how to tie some knots, how to get in the mindset of finding fish, and made lots of rookie mistakes.  I forgot my tip-ups in the truck and forgot bait at home. I did not always find and catch fish.  But still I went.

Friends canceled or were no-shows so many days I fished alone, like I often have done in the past.  But still I went.

I have never more appreciated a vivid pastel winter sunset, inhaling crisp fresh air, watching the sky light up like a worn Lite Brite with all the stars, the unique chain patterns of 11" pickerel, even getting poked with a fish spine.  And for that, I am glad I went.   

Now go get after it.   

[sbuffaloice]

"Get busy living...or get busy dying...."

[hunts2long]

I went thru a period like that, but when my youngest daughter wanted to fish I started going again. I quit for good about 3 years ago. Daughter got older, I got OLD. The wife didn't care for me going alone. I don't eat fish and she only wants it once in awhile. You never know until that "first ice" of the season starts, calling....h2l

[filetandrelease]

 First I hope you get all straightened out
 , I spend as much time as I can soft and hard water , I’ve had 2 stokes due to an artery dissection, I’ll be damned if I’m going to be a home body ,
 Get back at it

[Hardwater2]

Warrior~
Don’t ever give it up! Always will be “highs and lows”. Ice fishing is special! We only in the North have the luxury of doing it. Get back out there. Here’s to better times ahead for you👍

[Yotecatcher]

"Get busy living...or get busy dying...."

This ☝️ After two spinal surgeries and then the top part of my right lung removed I keep plugging along. Enough about me now get out there and enjoy life

[prchslyr]

If you make it out just 1 more time this season. Join us for some lake trout fishing on Lake George.
We've got some catching up to do. You've got to see the kid at work jigging these days. The fishing is over. He's just catching at this point.
Your torch has been passed to yet another generation, but neither of us are dead yet.

[Iceman1899]

Better get back out there or were gonna have to start calling you princess_on_ice lol. Best fishing of the season from here on out!

[lowaccord66]

If you make it out just 1 more time this season. Join us for some lake trout fishing on Lake George.
We've got some catching up to do. You've got to see the kid at work jigging these days. The fishing is over. He's just catching at this point.
Your torch has been passed to yet another generation, but neither of us are dead yet.

Damn bro talk about a blast from the past.  Lemme know Ill bring my daughter up.

[62&done]

Hey warrior, I do not mean to make light of your misfortunes but pull your pants up, grit your teeth and go. Three christmases ago, I fell off a ladder. When I woke up in Albany med they informed me that I had broken 19 bones including a fractured skull and a puntured lung. 21 days I spent in the hospital. I lost a lot of my hearing. My memory is not great. I still hurt every day from wake-up to lights out. The going was tough and didn't get any easier for a long time. I begged to go ice fishing that spring and with help from a friend as well as my wife, got out on the last possible day before ice out.
I still have to grit my teeth to keep going but I have decided to not give up and not quit trying to do the things I like to do. I bought a new bow today even though it hurts like hell to shoot but it's something I love to do.   Ya gotta just keep on keepin on,  get mad, get up and just do it  Best of luck WARRIOR
              Do not give up!

[trapper2000]

This ☝️ After two spinal surgeries and then the top part of my right lung removed I keep plugging along. Enough about me now get out there and enjoy life

yote i have  breathing issues  myself   copd  .....but i keep going  fishing hunting trapping  ride my bicycle and  motorcycle ..... i'm slower and i usually go alone (i don't like slowing others  down) but i keep going .......  life is good  even when  suck lol  ........

[Yotecatcher]

Warrior needs to be Shanghaied and dropped off on a frozen body of water in a nice icehouse and left there until he completes the mission of catching something anything 😉

[62&done]

We're not picking on you Warrior but you do call yourself the Warrior so get on with it and if you have to go it alone at least enjoy your "me time" by yourself
We're rooting for you , go catch a fish and keep us posted

[Adironzach]

Thanks for the kind words! Until that ice is gone tho, never say never about not making it out. Some of my favorite times to fish are those warm end of season days where youre on good ice but fishing in a tshirt. Theyre the best, and well deserved after battling the conditions through the frigid winter. I drove home via the taconic the other day (26th) and saw people out on a few bodies of water so even your southern lakes still are holding on! If you can, i think youd be appreciative of even a few hours on the ice feeling that tug again.
I wish i had some pictures and stories to help keep you entertained but the past two weeks have been tough for me. Went from the two hottest weekends ive had this season to the two slowest. Just the name of the game i guess. Next weekend will be a different story tho, im already dreaming of pinning that first hookset. 

[prchslyr]

Damn bro talk about a blast from the past.  Lemme know Ill bring my daughter up.

My youngest and I are still on Lake George every weekend like church.

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

You guys are the best ! If I don't make it out again this season it does not mean that I have not taken your excellent advice, but maybe the best choice for me is to get my outlook adjusted before trying to fish again. My kids are now 17 ( 1 boy and 1 girl that are twins and both awesome ice fishermen ) and I am like a big kid that never thought I would have to face the reality of them becoming adults and getting their own lives. Now that they are dealing with college preparation, it makes me feel like I am getting old, and maybe not their hero any more, and I just want them to stay innocent and keep the uncomplicated relationship that we had for the first 16 years of their lives.

I need to work on some things - I think too much, I worry too much, and I try to control situations and people too much. Maybe this is not an appropriate forum for this revelation, but I have the most morbid thoughts when I get sleepy in the afternoon, almost every day. It is very scary and I can't stop it, nor do I have an explanation for it. When the afternoon exhaustion overtakes me, around 2 PM typically every day, I get the most negative thoughts while drifting into a nap. Will I wake up from this nap ? Will anyone care if I don't ? Is this all there is to life ? When I wake up from my hour nap, the negative thoughts are gone and I am optimistic about everything again.

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

Thanks for the kind words! Until that ice is gone tho, never say never about not making it out. Some of my favorite times to fish are those warm end of season days where youre on good ice but fishing in a tshirt. Theyre the best, and well deserved after battling the conditions through the frigid winter. I drove home via the taconic the other day (26th) and saw people out on a few bodies of water so even your southern lakes still are holding on! If you can, i think youd be appreciative of even a few hours on the ice feeling that tug again.
I wish i had some pictures and stories to help keep you entertained but the past two weeks have been tough for me. Went from the two hottest weekends ive had this season to the two slowest. Just the name of the game i guess. Next weekend will be a different story tho, im already dreaming of pinning that first hookset. 

Why were you on the Taconic if you live in Saratoga ?

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

Warrior needs to be Shanghaied and dropped off on a frozen body of water in a nice icehouse and left there until he completes the mission of catching something anything 😉

Will there be hot Swedish women in this icehouse to help me complete my " mission " ?

[62&done]

I feel that this is a good time to fess up.  During my recovery, I too experiensed some real down days. Some soul searching and a little coaxing from my wife and I was seeking help from a mental health professional. I feel no shame or embarrassment from it because at the time it was what I needed and can honestly say that I benefited from it. I've graduated from that place in my mind and feel much better now. If you feel that you may be in "that place" do it for you and your loved ones. Everyone will be better for it. Please do not delay if you need help.
     sorry if this sounds like a Deer Abby letter but we are all just human and sometimes a little help can be a big help

[badbrad2186]

Come fish with me I'll drag your gear and make sure your warm and taken care of

[Hardwaternubie53]

Hey Dan! How the heck are you? I've only been out twice this year. The second time, I got some serious frostbite on my hands. MD is talking about surgery, so I'm probably done as well.
Be safe, be well!
Neal

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

Hey warrior, I do not mean to make light of your misfortunes but pull your pants up, grit your teeth and go. Three christmases ago, I fell off a ladder. When I woke up in Albany med they informed me that I had broken 19 bones including a fractured skull and a puntured lung. 21 days I spent in the hospital. I lost a lot of my hearing. My memory is not great. I still hurt every day from wake-up to lights out. The going was tough and didn't get any easier for a long time. I begged to go ice fishing that spring and with help from a friend as well as my wife, got out on the last possible day before ice out.
I still have to grit my teeth to keep going but I have decided to not give up and not quit trying to do the things I like to do. I bought a new bow today even though it hurts like hell to shoot but it's something I love to do.   Ya gotta just keep on keepin on,  get mad, get up and just do it  Best of luck WARRIOR
              Do not give up!

Hey man, thanks for the tough love. I had no idea that you had such a terrible injury from a ladder accident. I have no physical reason to stop fishing. I would like to meet you, preferably on the ice in December 2022 at a place that you could educate me on - like Sacandaga. Let me know and I will buy you dinner after our day on the ice. I enjoy your posts, and you are very helpful for guys wanting to know about Sacandaga. I appreciate your words of encouragement.

[hardwaterhonkey]

sorry for the tough season warrior I'm glad out of everyone on this board I was the one you enjoyed reading hahah guess we are similar as fisherman keep in touch next season well get you out a few times on the ice with us well drag your crap out even if need be!

[62&done]

Warrior we can do that when you are ready    It will be on Saratoga as I do not visit the Dead Sea (Sacandaga) any more
Keep your chin up  There is more to life than dwelling on issues that we can fix if we want to