Who got you started icefishing

[finn]

My dad did not ice fish but took me fishing in high school with his job's fishing club. Lots of people willing to share information (hmmmmmmm iceshanty.com), I got out of it for a long time and then married a very understanding women  who let me pursue ice fishing again. Lots of time reading, research, and on the water experience and a few hundred dollars later, I am back and loving getting outdoors in the winter again.
What's your experience?

[Mr.G]

It was kind of a combination of my dad and my brother.  The first times I can remember ice fishing were with my dad and my brother and then later on in high school my brother really got me in the sport - taking me out and getting me on some fish.  Gotta give both of em credit.

[Mad_Ital]

My older brothers friends when I was about 17 years old.
They said they wanted a new guy to catch some fish. They made me use worms. Im guessing they didnt want me to catch anything at all. I caught a bucket load of perch.
They started using my worms and got skunked.
The laugh was on them huh...

[billditrite]

good old dad the best fishing partner a guy could have...my best friend too!!



someday my son will say the same!!

[hali-man]

That's awesome, Scott!
I had my dad out on the ice again today, let's see if I can find that pic... 

[wyogator]

Actually, I got into it myself. When I was a little kid, my friend and I would go bluegill fishing on the neighborhood lake. One day we discovered it was frozen. So, we checked to see if it was safe, went home and got an axe and came back and fished. I don't remember if we caught fish that day or not, but I was hooked! we brought the axe all winter. The ice never got more than 3 or 4 inches thick in VA, so we never needed an auger. Later I moved to FL and spent the better part of ten years saltwater fishing. I moved out west a couple of years ago and i'm hooked again

[hali-man]

[vancouvercanuck]

My ol buddy Steve Rickerfrikerbriker.

[MikeThePike]

My dad used to take me & my bro (Pike Popper) out on a lake by our house in PA when we were younger but back then neither of us really did much more than have snow ball fights. Fast forward about 10 years and a friend of ours got him into it and then the 2 of them got me into it again. Still trying to remember how I preoccupied myself during the winter back then. 

Still enjoy going out on the ice with dad but due to our much different work schedules that option doesn't come around too often.

[Thriller]

Well, sort of myself last year...I also have a work colleague who I went out with the first time I went ice fishing...took my two oldest kids (7 and 5 at the time) with us.  I've had a lot of encouragement and some fishing partners from an online community in Manitoba...Walleye Warriors...a number of whom are here as well, including Grumpymoe.

It's been a blast and I'm looking forward to Grump teaching me more stuff in a couple of weeks on the ice 

[TJG]

I would go out with my dad and our neighbor first when I was 7. All day on the ice with a fire going, lots of food and hot chocolate. We tried to take the family a few times, mom, sis and little bro, but they were just to freaked out on the ice. Ever time we would break through the top crust, everyone would scream and start crying and my dad would be yelling...! Anyways, I stopped fishing for years because of life, then my friends got me started again about 10 years ago and going strong ever since. I like to go out with my dad now and we have the same fun together as when I was a kid.

[iceman480]

I pretty much got myself  ice fishing. I was loking for something to pass the time in the winter between hunting and open water so I just bought the stuff and went. But it wasn't much fun til I got my Vex.  Now I also have an aqua vu. I 've read a lot of articles got tips from everyone on the shanty. I'm having a blast now. I wish we could ice fish all year long.

[fishuhalik]

  Well, I guess good ol' pops is to blame for the addiction.  Well, I don't know if I would call it an addiction or an obsession.  Anybody out there know which one you are?

[smitty]

My co-worker Pete. Thanks for introducing me to an awesome sport!!!!

smitty

[adkRoy]

My First year I tried it my self but Luckily my neighbor was an experienced outdoorsman and he showed my brother and I the ins and outs of the second best outdoor sport in the world!!!!!!!

[crappie rob]

My buddy Greg Popp, 1978, juniors in high school. Went to willow slough in Indiana, sitting on 5 gallon buckets, had an old spoon auger, filled 2 buckets with monster gills, it was that easy!!! I've been sickly addicted since!! Thanks ole boy!!  Have a crappie day. Crappie Rob

[BlackIce]

My brother about 5 years ago.  I was lured by the prospect of beer drinking and cooking some venison.  I somehow managed to catch a legal walleye on my tipup that night.  I was hooked the first time.  The first year was rough as we tipup fished and din't get many fish.  The year after I bought a vex, my trap pro and I've mainly jigged since.  I am really glad he got me into ice fishing because winter used to depress me with nothing to do.  Just wish he'd get out more.

[cityfishin]

A buddy I worked with took me ice fishing about 8 years ago.  Freaked me out and I had to stand outside the shack every so often because of the "kachunk" of the ice shifting. But a few beers and a few fish and I was hooked. Until I got my own shack, I was relying on him and only got out about 2 times a year. Now I'm telling him where to find 'em. But I owe my introduction to him.

[hali-man]

the second best outdoor sport in the world!!!!!!!

What's the first?

[Gator-Bait]

Who got me started? The fish on the other side of the ice of course 8)   GatoRrrr

[icecold mike]

 my dad got me started ice fishing .he's been going for years but this is my first and ive been out 3 times and cant wait till the next time as long as it aint too cooold,i dont even mind when he makes me pull his ice fish trap out on the lake but i get tired when my uncle has me drilll all the holes fer his tipups

[chuckt]

Dad got me hooked on fishing when I was about 4 years old.  Started tagging along ice fishing at age 7.  Got lucky because we lived on a small private lake in Michigan when I was a kid.  We used to fish about every day, but dad got where he couldn't sit in the boat anymore.  But I have always fished. I would do anything to be in that boat with my dad again.

[shrub]

My dad, grandfather and uncle started taking me out when i was two and a half! that was 11 years ago and im hookd

[olds-Pa]

The person that got me started ice fishing was a game warden 35 years ago. He would drive down to the lake near where I lived and set up his tip ups for the time he had for lunch. Being curious, I asked him about what he was doing, and he explained the sport to me. I saw him catch a northern pike, and was hooked from that day on. He is gone now, but I owe all this fun to Bill Lee. Thanks Bill

[R.J.]

My dad.  He hated fishing, expecially ice fishing.  I loved fishing from the moment I put my first line in the water.  He grew up so poor in a family with 11 kids they fished the Mississippi in SE Minn to survive.  I begged him to take me ice fishing when I was five, and he did.  He said the MOMENT I said I was cold we were done and would never go again.  We fished from 8:00 am til dark.  I only ice fished with dad about four times total, froze my axx off every time, and NEVER said I was cold!

[wkules]

My Dad, Grandfather, and a couple of uncles used to take my brother, my cousins, and I out from the time we were about five years old. We were also allowed to bring our hockey skates, sticks and a shovel so when the youngsters got bored we went 100 feet or so away from everyone and played hockey. Add hot chocolate and a grilled lunch and dinner and we never got bored even on days we stayed from dawn till dusk. I must admit I quit bringing the hockey stuff by the time I was 7. I wasn't using it at all by then. I got "hooked" early into many outdoor sports, hard and soft water fishing, hunting, camping to name a few. My family's the best we have all grown up tight, and loving the outdoors. I am not sure which is the cause of which, but then again who cares.

[toguebuster]

myself ,i wish it was my dad,but he didnt like the cold,but he gave me my firt pole a flyrod!!!! i can see the mayflies dipping now!!!

[bigbrown46]

mr .waterhouse did around 14 years ago first lake GRANBY RES. GRANBY COLORADO
       TYANK YOU LYNN

[rayfish]

I bought my own gear and went out last year for the first time!! Now I'm addicted to the sport and love my time on the lake! All the knowledge I needed was from helpful fisherman on my local lakes of CNY, great guys, and the SHANTY too!

[archbishop]

im with you ray i went and got my own gear last year and learned on the go from other anglers on the ice and this site but im in wny lol