IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: Mrpike1973 on Nov 01, 2018, 05:50 PM
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For me it is the way to get beat by a little sunfish with a brain the size of a pea. The sunfish usually wins ;D
I enjoy the hunt and thrill of it.
Why do you ice fish?
For sport, food, relaxation, family?
Just curious what keeps us all sitting out on the ice?
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I just love fishing, and he fact we don’t need to deal with a boat and you get to video game fish all the time. Until I got panoptix a couple months ago, fishing from a boat I could never get my lure/jig to stay in the sonar cone for any length of time, as I only have one anchor or was using a drift sock. There are times I hit the ice and I have almost as much fun just punching holes with a drill and clam plate setup. When I see someone struggling with starting their auger, I usually go and show it off lol.
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I go because it puts the odds in favor of fish, using wimpy little rods through a 8" hole, and for the aforementioned video game aspect.
As far as putting the odds in the favor of the fish - it's kind of like using a medium light rod and 8 lb line for topwater bass in summer, which I'm more inclined to do than use a MH baitcaster outfit and just winch them in effortlessly.
Also, it is obviously more of a challenge because of the elements, and that makes it fun too.
And the fact that if you shack up all day with all the supplies, it's kind of like camping.
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I fish all the time. I can't go 3-4 days without it. I ice fish because the water is frozen.
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I do it for the fun of fishing with people I know and haven't met on the ice.
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I do it because you have to do something in the winter. It gets me out of the house and outside. I also like eating pan fish.
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Exactly what the rest have stated. It's a challenge, it gets me out instead of becoming a couch potato, and if I'm successful, a great meal. Nothing better than fish caught through the ice. ;)2 :woot: :thumbsup:
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Because, I have 2 boys who absolutely love going out as much as I do. The best memories we make are on the ice. Wife got out with us last year about a half dozen times (thanks little buddy heater) Saved all my vacation time up this year for this winter. yahoo! Tight Lines all.
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The ice is a great equalizer. I don’t have a boat and during ice season I can fish any spot on the lake. Also, the ice shelter is like a club house and I love watching the sun come up on a frozen lake.
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I fish all the time. I can't go 3-4 days without it. I ice fish because the water is frozen.
I concur. I would fish in any climate because fishing is what I do.
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The mystique of standing on the water and without being able to fan casts or get much of any horizontal action to still get bit and bring this fish up through the ice to a barren ice and snow desert and finally to watch him swim away. It never gets old!
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The ice is a great equalizer. I don’t have a boat and during ice season I can fish any spot on the lake. Also, the ice shelter is like a club house and I love watching the sun come up on a frozen lake.
I've also always said this when explaining to friends why it's so great. while panoptix may be revolutionizing the sport.? I feel like I have just as good a chance as the guy who has a 50k boat and all the goodies when it comes to hard water.
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Fresh air, nice scenery, good company, and often a meal of the freshest fish to bring home. What's not to like??
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so many, many things but for me it comes down to the dichotomy of sitting on a frozen sheet of ice in pure tranquil bliss and relaxation to all of a sudden trying to get an angry 20 lb beast up a small hole with a short pole.
nothing goes from zero to 60 quicker than ice fishing.
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For sport, food, relaxation, family. I fish because I can. ;D
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I've always liked the idea of sitting out on the lake a catching fish through a hole. My brother who loves in Florida asked me this same
question, my answer to him was "because I don't have a boat" :woot: :roflmao:
IW
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So that when people ask me "What possesses you to spend countless hours sitting on a bucket staring down a hole in sub-zero weather"?, I can give them a 30 minute oral dissertation as to why...they usually don't ask again. ;D
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Just for the fun of it. Hardly ever keep any fish. The wife doesn't eat them so I only bring home a couple every so often.
Ice fishing is my favorite way of fishing. More excitement.
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Ice fishing is my favorite , because the boat control is great, watching sonar is blast, hardly ever meet a jerk while ice fishing, spending with family and friends, whats not to like? P.S. I never ice fish unless I'm alone or with somebody.
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Adventure, peace and solitude. I've had a ton of medical problems this year that has minimized my open water fishing so I'm going all in on ice even more so than normal.
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Somebody has to, so I volunteered!
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I ice fish because in a moment of complete stupidity I sold my boat that was all set up for fishing Saginaw Bay and buying another one aint gonna happen (waaay to expensive to replace what I had) and now winter is the only time I can get out onto the water.
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Ice fishing ice my #1 passion. I love all sorts of fishing, hunting and shooting but ice fishing is where its at for me. I also enjoy the cold and the time spent with great friends and family while ice fishing. Just leave me alone if I am on a school of fish. ;D
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I do it for enjoyment of meeting different people and the plain ole fun. ;D ;D
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I like being on the water. Summer, winter... doesn't matter, I always want to be on the lake. And any excuse to keep me off the couch is a good one.
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To catch fish.
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Ice fishing is relaxing for me. I also enjoy watching and interacting with others on the ice. Lots of innovative ideas out there. Nothing better than a mid winter fish fry for a nice bonus.
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What else would I do for 5 months out of each year? Sit on the couch and watch tv. It helps keep from getting cabin fever, and supply's a couple of delicious meals per week.
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Because it's the only way to fish when the water is frozen!
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So I can say I also walk on water.
If I am not fishing I am thinking about fishing. There is not too many other ways to go fishing in the winter.
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Adding on to what I already said about not dealing with hauling and controlling the boat plus video game fishing. I prefer/love ice fishing cause I’d rather dress to be warm than sit there in the heat! No bugs! No jet skiers, tubers, speed boats, and other wake making/line cutting annoyances. I swear, people do not understand the headway speed law in this state.
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I like the bugs statement.👍
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Because in the land North of 60* winter is longer than open water season. ;D
(https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25157911_2253855554640771_4016895395121313586_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.xx&oh=b0989f2f9bdb59596ffc5e6f4871fde8&oe=5C3F4C8B)
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For sport, food, relaxation, family?
Yes.
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It's the chase that keeps me coming back! The thrill of planning, the adventure into the lake, drilling holes/checking depth, chasing the fish of a lifetime is crazy addicting!
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Adding on to what I already said about not dealing with hauling and controlling the boat plus video game fishing. I prefer/love ice fishing cause I’d rather dress to be warm than sit there in the heat! No bugs! No jet skiers, tubers, speed boats, and other wake making/line cutting annoyances. I swear, people do not understand the headway speed law in this state.
I’ll go with this and add I catch the biggest crappies through the ice. Watching them on the flasher never gets old either.
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#1.. I LOVE TO FISH
#2.. I used to snomobiel ALOT... it became expensive and I needed to be responsible as my family had started.
I needed something to do so I started ice fishing...
Now that I'm divorced I have really embraced the chase on the ice...SO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN FROM A BOAT!!!
But that makes the reward that much better
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To me it's more of a challenge than open water. I also like gizmos and there's a lot of gizmos in ice fishing.
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Winter is long here and its a good opportunity to solve problems for fun, like making setup faster or a tent more comfortable. Also... no mosquitoes or black flies!
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To me the better question would be ...... why would anyone not love ice-fishing 😁😁😁
Seriously I very rarely even fish in open water anymore , to many tourist and people flood our peninsula during the summer . I love the sound of ice making , the sight of a fish coming up through a hole in the ice and watching the Nothern Lights while out on the ice !!
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It's just been my lifelong love. Watched Grumpy Old Men at a small age and always wanted to ice fish. So when I was finally able to in my teen years, got out and landed my first fish, I knew I'd love the sport from then on. Not only that but I gained so many friends and made plenty of great memories on the ice which makes me more excited for every season to follow.
Plus, being a shore fisherman I'm limited to fishing certain areas over the off season and having that access over the winter makes fishing more enjoyable.
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It's just been my lifelong love. Watched Grumpy Old Men at a small age and always wanted to ice fish. So when I was finally able to in my teen years, got out and landed my first fish, I knew I'd love the sport from then on. Not only that but I gained so many friends and made plenty of great memories on the ice which makes me more excited for every season to follow.
Plus, being a shore fisherman I'm limited to fishing certain areas over the off season and having that access over the winter makes fishing more enjoyable.
I agree 100% , I grew up in southern Oklahoma lol so needless to say there wasn't much chances to ice fish Ha!Ha . I remember watching grumpy old men myself and wishing one day I would get the chance to try it . At the age of 38 (almost 5yrs ago) I got the chance to move to Alaska, and I jumped on it . I had know one to show me the ropes of ice-fishing so I got the fun and excitement of figuring it all out myself . There was a lot of help and advice gaven from this forum that helped me keep me and my family safe . There has been so many good memories made out there on the ice with my wife and kids 😁 ..... probably one of the best things I've done in life and not screwed up lol . So here's to another season on the ice and hope everyone stays safe 😁😁😁😁😁😁 (https://i.postimg.cc/BLYX8kW2/IMG-20151205-132904619-HDR.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BLYX8kW2)
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I have always loved fishing. It will forever hold some of my best memories. And Ice fishing comes with unlimited (mostly) access to entire lakes without a boat. Plus, no bugs and no tourists, and the only other people out there are doing the same thing as me.
I can find peace while ice fishing. I can experience that feeling only ice fisherman can understand where there is no worries about tomorrow or yesterday. Just sitting in meditation only to be brought back to the world when a see a fish swim by or that fat line blip on the flasher.
Plus it is like real world video games with the excitement of catching real fish. And one of my favorite things is sitting in a dark shanty right above the fish who are acting in their natural way in their underwater world only a few feet right below my feet without any clue of my presence. It is something i believe j will love for all of my days.
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Because life slows down in Winter and there are fewer other hobbies and chores. A little snow removal and that's about it. You can go fishing without shirking a bunch of other responsibilities.
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Because it's the most fun this side of lickin' my finger and stickin' it in a wall outlet... (and I mean that in a "fun" way as I get all charged up).
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All of the above. And I have never been able to get a top water to work once the lake freezes!
Keep it safe! JDL
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To me the better question would be ...... why would anyone not love ice-fishing 😁😁😁
Seriously I very rarely even fish in open water anymore , to many tourist and people flood our peninsula during the summer . I love the sound of ice making , the sight of a fish coming up through a hole in the ice and watching the Nothern Lights while out on the ice !!
I'm one of those tourists, though you will never see me there before September.
It's a friggin' gong show there during sammin season!!!!
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I'm one of those tourists, though you will never see me there before September.
It's a friggin' gong show there during sammin season!!!!
Smart guy Drifter lol ...... but honestly it's all the dippnetters that flood the peninsula that really puts it over the top 😠😠😠
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My greatgrandfather was a worker, a hard worker. Farmer, handyman for hire, mechanic, heavy equipment, and actual job of brickmaker. Ten-twelve hour days all week, except Sunday, that was church and fishing. When I was real young my dad bought a house and my GGF would come and work on it, then Sunday we would go fishing. One of my younger memories is tending tip-ups with him and then sitting in the car at the launch with my pap warming up. We'd sit there watching my GGF sitting on his bucket catching one after another, for hours. He passed when I was 16ish. I didn't fish for alot of years in my mid life, but at some point I saw some of his old gear and asked if I could have a rod. It sat for a few years as I open water fished, then tidying up I saw it sitting and figured why not try it. I got a cheap auger and some nightcrawlers and off I went to his honey hole. The nostalgia was amazing, I may have caught one fish that trip if I was lucky, but I was hooked. It was nice to be outside, the lack of boats, the exercise, it was my happy place. I still fish all seasons with tons of different gear, I have boats, kayaks, saltwater stuff. waders, fly gear, you name it I have, but ice fishing is my favorite. I wait all year for the pops of the ice. It reminds me of him.
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because the folks out there on the hard water are serious fisherman, no wake board boats, I can find solitude if I want or fish near a group of others and enjoy their company. I also have more time in the winter not filled up with home repairs, gardening and lawn maintenance.
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Here in Nebraska we don't have wake boards on the ice, but I have had a lot of buckets and occasional Hub shelter hauling a$$ by me.
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1. I love the outdoors
2. I love to fish (It's my meditation and church all in one)
3. I get to hang with my buddies, shoot the breeze and have some beers
4. Helps the winter be more enjoyable
5. My wife needs a break from me now and then
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I grew up in Missouri! I never heard of ice fishing. I've lived in Montana now for 35 years, and since the first time I tried it with some old school tip-down rigs back in 89 I have been addicted. I work so many hours now in the construction season, that I can't wait for ice and snow, because that's the only time we have to relax and have some fun. There's nothing that feeds my soul more than sitting in my icehouse and watching fish come in and occasionally grabbing my jig. Or watching my set of tip ups for a flag to pop up, or sitting over the spear hole waiting for the next monster to swim in and eye that decoy. It's also like the ultimate gadget sport! I love the gadgets! I try every one that comes along. I even make some when I have that great next idea. I wish ice lasted three more months! A few years ago we had such a crappy ice season that I actually had to buy an old boat just to get a little more fishing time. There's nothing better than Ice Fishing!
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I icefish because I love being outdoors , no bugs ,and most of all helps pass the time in winter
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I icefish because it is the one activity that my father, wife children and I all enjoy and time with family is cherished by me. I also prefer cold to hot for many of the reason already stated especially the bug comments.
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Because my sweet wife will not. ::)
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Most of my life I haven't had an opportunity or the time to fish open water from a boat (and/or find buddies with boats where our schedules match up), so my options have always been limited unless I'm shore fishing which isn't always the easiest. Ice fishing presented a chance to get out on different bodies of water no boat needed and hit different spots that aren't normally accessible. Plus I grew up doing it, so I've loved it since I was a little kid. :tipup:
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I like the challenge of the extreme conditions. its thrilling. I like to drink and walk home with no worries. I like to socialize with friends. I like fish houses themselves. its kind of like being in your own little cabin all cozy away from the cold. I like the solitude of it; stepping outside on a clear night and looking at the stars. its like going out of town camping but you are in the city. Sometimes I even catch fish
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To get away from the wife and get a little peace & quiet.
And to eat Lebanon baloney, American cheese & mayo on white bread sandwiches...
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The French philosopher Descartes nailed it: "Ego pisces, ergo sum".
Nothin' better! :icefish:
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I love ice fishing. Best way to get my reasons out there is probably through list form. In no particular order:
1. Vices: For some reason when I'm ice fishing the beer and cigars taste better. I'm not a big drinker (1 or 2 beers on the weekends?) and I don't smoke unless I've had a few, but when I'm ice fishing everything seems amplified. This also goes for junk food. Ever notice how a $0.99 can of ravioli cooked over a Buddy heater tastes like it's from a 4 star Michelin restaurant? :P
2. Army of One: In ice fishing you are in control of your own destiny. Nobody giving you the "back of the boat" angles for casting or difficult winds keeping you from controlling the boat. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want. Want to take a beer/smoke/stretch/nap break? Go ahead, you won't bother your fishing buddy!
3. Timing: The fact that ice fishing season falls in the middle of winter (Duh!) gives me a free pass from the wife. As it's "cruddy" weather I don't catch much flack for disappearing for a long weekend a couple of times per month during Dec/Jan/Feb.
4. Hillbilly Ingenuity: Ice fishing lends itself to Man-Projects. I'm sure we've all sat and tinkered in the garage on an ice fishing project. When I'm done I usually puff out my chest and give a couple of Tim "The Toolman" Taylor grunts.
There are a ton more, but this is a good start :)
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My best friend got me into ice fishing. I originally thought is was boring. Boy was I wrong. It’s nice knowing someone that knows what their doing. We go out on early ice and late ice and get a workout and catch fish almost every time. I love the thrill of be8ng on the ice. There is something about being in a pop up with a lantern and heater when outside the wind is blowing wind chills temps down. I remember in Rudolph when Cornelius says “it’s not fit for man nor beast outside “. There we are catching crappies, listening to music, telling jokes and sharing stories. It’s one of my few happy places. And dont even get me started on rods, reels, electronic, lures, boots, lanterns, ice suits, etc. Simply put, it’s the healthiest addiction I have.
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I fish on ice on a lake because that's where the fish are! In the winter , that is:-)
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Basically because of my business. April though October I put in 14 hour days for approximately 200 days straight. Winter is my time,hunt,fish and do anything I want to. I don't have a boat and can't go when my buddies are killing lake Erie walleye and perch. Soon I will have my own boat and hang up working. I fill the freezer with jumbo perch,slab crappie and giant " Bull" gills. What more does a man need. I've been on hard water longer than I care to admit. Ice fishing is the greatest winter game going.
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frankly , I am a better ice fisherman then a summer guy. I limit out far more
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I fish. I fish all the time. I fish from a boat yet many times not. In the summer I may fish from a bridge at times. Seems like every other time I am fishing from a bridge, somebody else shows up. 200 feet of bridge and where do they want to fish? LESS THAN a rod length away and casting over my line!
I've never had anyone cast over top my line while ice fishing. Ice fishing is my happy place. I can fish in the open if I want to be social or I can hunker down in my portable and be in my own little world.
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Bad question from the OP---question should be addressed to those who don't:: "Why don't you ice fish? What's your excuse??" (just a wimp, maybe??)
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:o Maybe he didn't think he would find any non- ice fishermen on an ice fishing forum. ;)
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maybe they would just hang out on here for the banter?? ;D
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I think you figured it out. ;D
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Just nice to get out away from all the everyday hoopla and enjoy the outdoors and unwind. Nothing like hearing the line peel out as pike runs off and the then ever soft hit from a walleye to see if you are still awake lol.