Author Topic: [CONTEST] What is it about ice fishin' that is just so darned addiciting? (Read 13754 times)

Iceshanty · « **on:** Aug 19, 2004, 10:46 AM »

A post by Cider @ MFF got me to thinking this would be a good question for iceshanty.com.

What is it about ice fishin' that is just so darned addiciting?

The post that Cider and I deem to be the best answer will recieve a Team Icshanty Stocking Cap. I'll let it run until NOv 1st 2004.

-Scott

camo_fish · « **Reply #1 on:** Aug 19, 2004, 09:09 PM »

Being able to access your favorite fishing spots with the power of your own two feet. No more bank fishing or having to find a buddy with a boat. Just get on your warm clothes, sled to pull all your crap out on the ice, auger, tipups, ice rods, and bait. Nothing is made any easier to fish live bait any where on the ice you want. You don't have to worry about casting, your bobbers drifting away, just put a hole in the ice and drop your bait down and wait and enjoy the winter wonderland around ya.
And of course there is nothing like pulling in those big fishys with a hand line, man what a rush.
I can't wait for the ice.
Flag up!

Fish on!

billditrite · « **Reply #2 on:** Aug 19, 2004, 10:20 PM »

at first i thought what a great question. i better not answer too hastily if i want to win that hat

i will think about it and get back to it later. its later and now i realize WHAT A GREAT QUESTION!
well on my drive home from my sisters house tonight, i was really on a roll! I had a whole outline in my head, 1. easier access to the lakes and ponds that are usually so busy in warmer months.2the crisp cold air. 3 the beautiful,tranquil,colorful sunrises and sunsets with the mystical wintry backgrounds

i could really go on and on! and when i was halfway home i realized there are really so many things that i absolutely LOVE about icefishing!!but that doesnt really explain the addiction.
so i said to myself, Self, you are gonna have to dig a little deeper if you want to win that hat.

and then it hit me

its the same thing that makes this site so addicting !!its the people!! I have so many great memories with all of my closest friends out on the ice.and thanks to www.iceshanty.com i have made so many more!!but is that really the answer

then it really hit me, but not until i was halfway through the previous paragraph and a large cup of dunkin donuts coffee,there is no answer !!its not a great question , its a TRICK question!IT'S AN ADDICTION!!WE DONT KNOW WHY WE DO IT WE JUST HAVE TO!!IT CALLS US! IT DRAWS US BACK!an addiction is when you have to do something that you really shouldnt love doing,BUT YOU HAVE TO DO IT!!it's not for everybody,it takes a special breed to be as dedicated as most of us are!and the rest think that we are out of our frozen minds!!
to make a short story long , i will sum it up with three little words ,for the iceshanty stocking cap which i would wear with pride and it would be my new lucky fishin hat cuz my ol lucky fishin cap must be all used up cuz it dont work no more and i really need a new one too and the answer to the "what makes ice fishing so darned addictive"question
is...

I DONT KNOW $:-\$

Little Brown Dog · « **Reply #3 on:** Aug 20, 2004, 08:13 AM »

Well... What else are you going to do all winter in the north country!

richstick · « **Reply #4 on:** Aug 20, 2004, 11:27 AM »

Ever been on a frozen sheet of glass at nightfall? Mother Nature's icy grip begins to take hold. A scant 4 inches of new formed ice is the window that separates you from the underwater world. The sun tucks behind the towering red pines on the horizon as you scan your tipup set, eager for the first flag of the year. Steam rises from your coffee cup, warming your lips as you gaze intently at the rotating dial of your flasher. The gentle hum of the sonar, and the whispering breeze are the only sounds on this crisp clear evening. You feel it before you see it, the spindle turns, the flag arches into the air with authority. Hardly able to contain yourself, you force your feet to take it slowly to the tipup. The spindle turns, slowly, steadily. Kneeling down, you contemplate the biggest mystery in all of the angling world. Walleye? Pike? Even a jumbo perch or burbot is a possibility on this rocky ledge. Like a father with his newborn child, you remove the tipup from the hole, smoothly grasp the braided dacron line, and feel for the weight of the fish. A quick snap - fish on! A silent battle ensues as you ease your quarry towards the hole. The fish makes a final run, pulling line back down into the depths. A few seconds later, you finally catch a glimpse. Walleye. A good one. Your heart is pounding, and a silent prayer goes out: Please Lord, let me land this one, she's beautiful. You hear your father's voice in your ear - "gently son, that's it - ease her head into the hole" Then, she is on the ice. A healthy specimen, nature at it's finest. This fish must go 25,26 inches. You ease the treble hook from her mouth, pause a second to admire the golden green, shimmering in the rapidly failing sunlight. You slip her head into the water, and she smoothly takes flight, down back into the watery world to which she belongs. You stare after her, feeling the momentary regret of having let that fish go, but the deeper knowledge of just how precious a resource she is quickly reasons, settling your soul. You look around, there is not another soul in sight. The rest of the night, and the rest of the season await. Surely, hopefully, there are many more fish to come.

Mr.Seaguar · « **Reply #5 on:** Aug 20, 2004, 04:11 PM »

Summer fishing is full of negatives. Bugs, bullheads, jetskis, lines at the ramp...it goes on. Ice fishing only has one negative, you can only do it in the winter.

flagrunner · « **Reply #6 on:** Aug 20, 2004, 04:45 PM »

All i know is that if i had a choice i would ice fish all year,i love everything about it.

Chucker · « **Reply #7 on:** Aug 20, 2004, 04:51 PM »

The sheer joy of leaving work just before dusk, knowing I'll be popping a hole in a pond in the park in less than 20 minutes. And then being completely satisfied with only one 4" bluegill in 90 minutes.

ShackLife · « **Reply #8 on:** Aug 20, 2004, 07:32 PM »

The fear of falling in. I get my cheap thrills on the bad ice $:-\$

TimC1086 · « **Reply #9 on:** Aug 20, 2004, 10:14 PM »

The cold, the snow, the way you can't look anywhere without being blinded by ice. The way you realized you've never breathed as well as when it's 22 degrees out with an 18 mph wind. The peppermint hot chocolate. The exhilaration of getting through 26 inches of ice with a chisel (my friends and I are teenagers, it's all we've got). The race to get to the tip-up as the flag springs up. The nervous disdain from my mother as she repeatedly asks how I know the ice is safe. The impromptu hockey games while waiting for a strike. The feeling that 90% of people wouldn't be dumb enough to be out in these conditions. The alternative to skiing. The surprising comfortability of an overturned white bucket. The crunch of the snow, the cracks of the ice that you can use to scare the first-timers. The way I can finally get out on the water since we can't afford a boat. The anticipation as you wonder what it was that just ate your shiner. The ice.

Who cares about the hat, I just want to share.

John_Boy · « **Reply #10 on:** Aug 21, 2004, 06:17 AM »

The solitude........

rgfixit · « **Reply #11 on:** Aug 21, 2004, 07:24 AM »

Ice fishing is just full of simple pleasures
The solitude of fishing alone
The companionship and friendly competition of fishing with others
The childlike magic of pulling a fish through a hole on a frozen lake
The sunrise and sunset of a cold winter's day
A warm cup of soup
Napping in your shanty when the fishing is slow and the sun is warm
Jumbo perch from Keuka Lake
1 lb. Bluegills from Honeoye Lake
Walleye from Oneida Lake
Crappies from my secret spot
Having a secret spot
Inventing stuff that actually works for icefishing
Buying all the stuff you can't invent
Jigs...shiney, colorful jigs...boxes full of them
Watching kids catching fish
Watching your partner NOT catching fish

In the end , Icefishing keeps me fishing all year round. That alone is enough for me. The rest is but a bonus!
RG

TroutFishingBear · « **Reply #12 on:** Aug 21, 2004, 05:48 PM »

Imagine this... the anticipation as you drive to the lake. You first step out of your vehicle right before sunset and everything around you is either a cool blue or white. You feel the bite of the wind around your face, and realize you should put a ski-mask on. You get out your sled with all of your geer in it, much of it hand made. You get out your gps and look for the spot to go to on it. You start pulling the sled and you first drop onto the lake by stepping over the lip that is created when the hill meets the water. Oh the first joys of walking on water!

You are starting to anticipate more as you see previous holes drilled, but know from your expertise that the good spot is on the other side of the lake. After you have been walking a few minutes, you aren't cold anymore and throw your ski-mask in the sled. You finally reach the spot a few minutes later, and as you stop to look around you see that the sun is rising in the east, and you see all of the colors, the reds, the yellows, the maroons. The first rays of sunlight catch your breath, and carry up.

You get out the power auger, and while drilling the holes you are watching the sunset all the while, progressing now with the sun just starting to pick over the ridge, and you realize the mighty power of mother nature, that you have no power at all over the sunrising, or the lake itself.

You get out your sonar, and immediately see a laker suspended 5 ft. off of the bottom. You run to the sled and get your pole with a tube jig on it. You drop it in the water and watch the tentacles fluttering down into the depths, and all the while you know the lake trout is going to suck the bait in, and it will be a fight. You watch as your jig approaches the lake trout on your sonar, and you see the mark that is the fish move up to your lure. You feel a slight tap. You set the hook and immediately your pole bends over in an arc, and you here your drag buzzing. You finally tire him out, and when you first see him in the water about 10 feet below the ice, seeming to be swimming in the darkness of space, you know how amazing icefishing really is and you know you couldn't quit it no matter the consequences.

Out4Trout · « **Reply #13 on:** Aug 21, 2004, 07:58 PM »

I just finished resetting one of my traps and jumped on the sled to head back to the shanty when the flag on my furthest trap out goes up.

When I get there the water is bubbling and my real is spinning like crazy. I pull up the trap, give the line a yank and ...oooohhhhh....it feels like a good one. By now I've got a couple of guys that have caught up to me and are staring down the hole with eyes wide open.

As I get the fish closer it turns and the line starts squeeking through my fingers. I look at one of my buddies and we are boh just grinning from ear to ear.

That moment right there can not be beat and once you get that fever, it's with you forever. This is ice fishin'.

malves354 · « **Reply #14 on:** Aug 21, 2004, 09:08 PM »

I just started ice fishing two years ago and im hooked. the reason that I feel ice fishing is so addicting is friendship. there is nothin like being on the ice with a couple of your buddys havin a drink tellin some lies. these are the things that make gettin up in the AM to head to the ice a little easier.

reubenpa · « **Reply #15 on:** Aug 22, 2004, 07:20 AM »

HMMM

The shear thrill of pulling a fish out of a hole. I love seeing that sight!!! Here in the finger lakes we can watch the fish on the bottom of 20 FOW and the thrill of watching the jig disappear and see the perch being pullied to the surface. I saw a 30+ inch Pike swim right under me one time, and I don't get to see that in soft water. Being able to brave the weather and fish for anything on a field of glass and snow is absolutely amazing

And about the most awesome thrill that I have ever had was a

.... When one of those things popps up and starts flying, the adreniline is overpowering!!! Now seeing the line peel off the reel from a nice laker is cool, but the FLAG is better

In other words, everything about ice fishing is addictive!!!!

cold_feet · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 22, 2004, 08:41 AM »

The thrill of walking on water
If it wasnt for ice fishing some area fisherman and their family won't be able to reach their favorite fishing grounds due to not owning a boat. There are many reasons why ice fishing is popular It is cheaper, very simple you DONT need all the gadgets to catch fish although they are nice to have. Most kids love to do it because they arent stuck on a boat they have the chance to walk around. It breaks up the cabin fever you get from the winter blues. You don't have to contend with Sea Doos. And the best is nothing tastes better than a nice bunch of fresh fish through the ice. Man I cann't wait for the water ot freeze.
Cold Feet

Fishinfreak · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 22, 2004, 08:07 PM »

I would have to say because it is so cooooool.

wny angler · « **Reply #18 on:** Aug 22, 2004, 10:17 PM »

1.the leg cramps from dragging my fishtrap 4 miles trough the slush and snow .
2.the aching arms and shoulders from drilling over 50 holes in 12" plus ice with a hand auger
3.sore back and stiff neck from sightfishing from dawn till dusk
4.frozen fingers because my gloves fell in the minnow bucket
5.chasing my fishtrap across the lake in 40 mph winds
6.the bone chilling experience of falling through the ice
7.having to clean a big pile of perch or crappie when your dead tired
i can't wait till ice season,i love it all

fishfearme · « **Reply #19 on:** Aug 23, 2004, 10:39 PM »

it never stops amazing me that i fish with with my bass boat all over the lake and catch a fish here and there.but drill a 6" hole and catch fish all day. ???and the guys you see on the ice are there to fish.(i have also never had a warm beer on the ice)

Thriller · « **Reply #20 on:** Aug 24, 2004, 07:47 PM »

Well, last winter was my first one on the ice.

It is a blast. For me, it is a reason to get outside and get some fresh air. My wife isn't really interested in the cold, so it either means time alone, with some fishing buddies, or quality time with my kid(s) (depending how many decide to come out). Tea or hot chocolate from a thermos. Yellow perch. The entire experience.

There have been a lot of great replies on this thread...brought me smiles and laughs. I think I'm gonna like it here....

Derek
http://www.mts.net/~dthille/fishing.html

Thriller · « **Reply #21 on:** Aug 24, 2004, 10:26 PM »

Yup, I'm over there...grumpymoe prodded me to come over here...at least he didn't use an electric stock prod

big walleye · « **Reply #22 on:** Aug 28, 2004, 12:32 PM »

I have no idea why it is addicting but I sure cannot get enough of it!!!

rgfixit · « **Reply #23 on:** Aug 29, 2004, 05:15 AM »

Punishment?

That rose under your nose needs another sniff. I must be the eternal child....it's still a lot of plain fun for me.

Then there's those jigs....pretty, shiny jigs........aaarrggggg hhhhhhhh

RG

billditrite · « **Reply #24 on:** Aug 29, 2004, 07:18 AM »

well we know what RG is addicted to ...JIGS!!is that the same as being addicted ti icefishing or does he fish bacause he loves them hypnoti dancing jigs!!!

salmotrutta · « **Reply #25 on:** Aug 29, 2004, 08:41 AM »

SOLITUDE
SURVIVING THE ELEMENTS(-10 DEGRESS WITH A 20 MPH WIND WON'T STOP ME)
5:00 AM STAR LIT MORNINGS WHERE YOU CAN HEAR NOTHING BUT YOUR OWN FOOTSTEPS AND IF IT IS SNOWING YOU SWEAR YOU CAN HERE THE SNOWFLAKES HIT THE ICE.
THE ORANGE FLAG
THE SOUND OF AN ICE AUGER FAR OFF IN THE DISTANCE.
MY BOB HOUSE.IT'S THE ONLY TIME I CAN ACTUALLY OWN A PLACE ON A LAKE.
BIG BROWNS

Bobman · « **Reply #26 on:** Aug 31, 2004, 09:18 AM »

I've been thinking about this for a while and for me I would have to say it has nothing to do with the fishing or the environment or any of the physical things mentioned here. It's all about the camaraderie and fun from meeting and talking with different people from all over. I haven't been ice fishing seriously since I was a kid. My father, uncles, cousins and myself used to go to Conesus all the time for buckets of perch and when the perch fishing began to slow down we stopped going all together. I've gone a few times myself in the past and I was looking for some info on where to go last year when I found this website. I never did get to go ice fishing last year and never posted anything on this site (I was just a lurker last year), but it lead me to MFF and MHF where I've gotten to basically shoot the sh*t with people I would never have had a chance to talk with before. I'm hoping to get out to do some ice fishing this year (I always have to go alone since my friends and family won't go anymore) and maybe meet some of the people from this web sites face to face. I'd have to say that I'm more addicted to the people in ice fishing (and all my outdoor persuits) than the fishing itself.

Mongo · « **Reply #27 on:** Aug 31, 2004, 11:44 AM »

peace and quiet

Tip-Up · « **Reply #28 on:** Aug 31, 2004, 04:51 PM »

billditrite · « **Reply #29 on:** Aug 31, 2004, 05:19 PM »

a picture is worth a thousand words tipup NICE FLAG MAN!!

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Author Topic: [CONTEST] What is it about ice fishin' that is just so darned addiciting? (Read 13754 times)

camo_fish

malves354

Fishinfreak