Howdy to all my fellow Northerners

[dcutter]

Kind of new to the board, but have been lurking a long time. Came North the summer of 2010 and there won't be any looking back. Once I got over the price of gas and houses, my wife and I settled in and won't be leaving any time soon.

I'm putting my gear back together this weekend and putting everything in order for the hard water season. Here's some questions:
When do guys normally hit the ice here in Yellowknife?
Is there any value in building a shanty? (I have been dragging my outfitter tent out)

Thanks guys and I look forward to seeing you on the ice!

[Drifter_016]

Welcome aboard!!!!
There are a couple of guys that put out permies on Yellowknife Bay and there are a couple on some of the larger lakes.
I'm hoping to get out this weekend for the first time.   
I think the best shacks for use up here are the portables.
I have a cube type and a flipover. I use my cube early in the season when I'm walking onto the ice and my flipover gets used exclusively when I can safely travel by snowmobile.

I find it pretty amazing at how few people actually do ice fish up here. 
It's pretty rare to actually see others out fishing except in a few "hot" spots.
I hit some lakes very close to town and am almost always out there alone.

November 20th 2010 -40C  in the popup.

[dcutter]

Nice! I was out quite a bit last winter, but as you said, I was hitting the popular spots. Loads of guys on Vee and Bluefish most of the times I was out. I was on Pontoon once but the weather was so crappy I didn't last long. Loads of very nice jacks, burbot and more whitefish than I could have eaten in a lifetime!

I was thinking about building a semi-portable that I can heat a little more effectively. The two women-folk in my family are definitely cold-weather-adverse, so if I can make it as comfy as possible it makes life better. Something I can throw in the back of my half-ton and handle on my own without too much azz-pain.

Happy Wife = Happy Life 

[dcutter]

Have you ever hit Grace in the winter? I've only ever seen one guy out there (we walk the dog there quite a bit), and I've canoed it with good luck in the wet season. Took a very nice crowd of whitefish out of there this summer!

[Drifter_016]

Only been there a once.   
Christmas day 2010.   
Only caught pike there the time I did go.



I have never bothered to fish it during the summer (keep meaning to). Seems I'm always out on the big lake or Prelude/Prosperous.
Have caught walleye, pike and whitefish out of Kam through the ice though. 

Have driven across Bluefish but not fished it. Too many off the beaten path lakes can be accessed from the winter road.
Nice peaceful ones with no trucks driving by.

[dcutter]

Off the beaten path would be nice, but I'm limited to truck access as I have yet to pull the trigger on a snow machine purchase.

Love your pictures Drifter! That pic on Grace makes me think we have crossed paths there? I'm a full-figured type of man, and I would have had my Missus and daughter with me, and trailing behind would have been my trained killer of a chocolate lab 

Grace is right behind my house, so it's a minute drive, or a 5 minute walk. We shall see what the season brings, but I'm sure I will poke some holes there this year!

[FellThru82]

very nice pics

[Drifter_016]

Off the beaten path would be nice, but I'm limited to truck access as I have yet to pull the trigger on a snow machine purchase.

Love your pictures Drifter! That pic on Grace makes me think we have crossed paths there? I'm a full-figured type of man, and I would have had my Missus and daughter with me, and trailing behind would have been my trained killer of a chocolate lab 

Grace is right behind my house, so it's a minute drive, or a 5 minute walk. We shall see what the season brings, but I'm sure I will poke some holes there this year!

It's 2 minutes from my place.

You can't live up here and not have a snowmobile.
I went out and got one my first year here.   

[FellThru82]

ice fishing in cali I would have never thought when people say cali I think of desert and very hot all year and not of the northern part..

[dcutter]

Just a few pics

I blinked




We took some of the Army guys and gals out on the ice after Arctic Ram in February



Here's a better one of me

[Drifter_016]

Nice!!!!
It was nice having that large group of military here.
Good for the economy and they get to see what the North is like in the dead of winter!!!   
Nothing like living in tents at -40!!!   

[FellThru82]

are you guys ice fishing NOW!!

[Drifter_016]

are you guys ice fishing NOW!!

Of course we are.
We've had safe ice for weeks.   

[FellThru82]

that's awesome to be fishing for weeks now !!   I would love to try and make that trip maybe next year or two!!

[dcutter]

Hey Drifter! I might be pulling the trigger on a sled this weekend! That is the final piece of the puzzle for Team Cutter! I had one deal fall through a few weeks ago, but this seems good. I will post pics when it is home safe and sound

[Drifter_016]

Hey Drifter! I might be pulling the trigger on a sled this weekend! That is the final piece of the puzzle for Team Cutter! I had one deal fall through a few weeks ago, but this seems good. I will post pics when it is home safe and sound

Excellent!!!!
Hope it turns out to be a good one. 

[dcutter]

Nope. Not nearly as good as he made it out to be. Older sled and needed more work than I care to tackle. Oh well. The search continues!

[Drifter_016]

Kind of difficult to find good used sleds up here as they get so much use.
There are some good ones to be found though.
Keep looking.

Good luck.

[dcutter]

I briefed the Minister of Finance and Director of Domestic Operations - If I can hold out till next fall I have permission to buy new