Author Topic: [CONTEST] What is it about ice fishin' that is just so darned addiciting? (Read 13755 times)

Josephs Prairie · « **Reply #60 on:** Oct 12, 2004, 03:21 PM »

I love the social part of ice fishing, when I can sit back by the wood stove and sip on a hot beverage with some friends while cooking some sausage talking about the big one that got away or whatever. No boat to drive or motor running, no need to look for the net. Just relaxing and having fun waiting for the next bite to come. Able to visit and chat with other hard water fishermen and not have to worry about crossing lines or get in someones path. This is why everyone is addicted to ice fishing, some just don't think about the part of it that is so interactive.

Fishfoote · « **Reply #61 on:** Oct 13, 2004, 07:00 PM »

Tip Up said in picture what brings me back year after year - FLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAA GGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!

ice_man28 · « **Reply #62 on:** Oct 14, 2004, 07:01 PM »

I would have to say, since icefishing for a first time last winter at a trap attack, that the adrenaline you get when youre sightfishing for a bluegill and youre staring through the void and you see momma pike swim within inches of your grasp

Thats what got me hooked

Reelinrolly · « **Reply #63 on:** Oct 15, 2004, 12:19 AM »

This is my two cents: When asking why icefishing is so addictive you need to think about the people who are doing it......if they are anything like the members of this board then that is one big reason to be addicted. Another reason for addiction is the fun..................h ave you ever watched yoru buddy go to the car to get something and you rush to knock off his tip up before he can see you................the pure hilarity of your friend running like hes in the olympics....falling and slipping the whole way, yelling at you to get that flag (you pretend you can't hear him) just to get to that swaying flag............now boys.....you can't get that humor any other way................and have you ever tried playing football in a boat.....not fun.....but ont the ice you got unlimited room..........and I think the most important reason reason ice fishing is addicting would be.........the natural beer cooler all around you......its just so convenient.....I could go on for hours about why ice fishing is so addictive but I think lots of guys on here have summed it up quite well.....we are a special breed and I don't think even science can figure this question out

THERE ISN'T ANYTHING BETTER IN THE WORLD THAN THIS RIGHT HERE!!!!!

as you can see that hat is a little to small for me there guys....help me out....lol

Mongo · « **Reply #64 on:** Oct 15, 2004, 11:06 AM »

billditrite
I have to admit I saved a copy of this picture and it is now the background for my computer. People in the office think I am nuts for wanting this weather and looking so forward to ice fishing.

billditrite · « **Reply #65 on:** Oct 15, 2004, 11:26 AM »

mongo you got me there ...i did the same thing for a while but the picture is tipups he posted it as hiis answer to the question and well that about sums it up for me.its a beauty of a pic i agree.i change my background every week but that doesnt mean it wont get another turn.

Mongo · « **Reply #66 on:** Oct 15, 2004, 12:31 PM »

billditrite
You are correct in a way, I did not answer the question properly but that picture is why ice fishing is so addicting to me.

buzzbomb · « **Reply #67 on:** Oct 16, 2004, 10:48 AM »

I enjoy it for many of the same reasons stated above - the solitude, scenery, etc, companionship, challenge, but I think it used to be better. When I lived out at the lake full-time I fished whenever I wanted to...I'd just walk out and catch a fish for lunch, or spend Christmas or New Year's Eve out in the shack with a few drinks. And in the early season, I'd chop a big hole in the shack and watch the fish in 7-8 ft. of water. Learned a lot about how they bite doing that. Now I'm staying in the city and hardly get out to my trailer (which is falling into disrepair), and instead of hosting my friends, I'm going out with them, and going to other lakes to fish instead of just at home. It really makes me realize how good I had it (even though I was barely keeping body and soul together). I would stoke up the fire, turn the lamp up and console myself by thinking that over half the people in the world were having fish and rice for supper that day!

And one year when I didn't get a deer I lived pretty much all winter on fish! I'm not saying it isn't still fun......and my memories may be sugar-coated a bit. But I do want the hat

If ice fishing can run in the family I come by it honestly. These are a couple of great-uncles (Roman with the axe was my favourite), my Grandpa and Grandma.

The Clam · « **Reply #68 on:** Oct 18, 2004, 05:27 PM »

How can ice fishing not be addicting. You start the day meeting up with the buddies, have some coffee while you load the gear into the truck. Take a nice drive to the lake, each guy making his forecast for the day. Take a little (or sometimes excruciatingly long) walk out onto the ice. Set up the shanty, drill the holes and drop in the tip ups. Pop a cold one (if you haven't already) and grab a donut. Sit back and enjoy the fresh air (except for the occasional "release" inside the shanty

). Seeing old friends, and making new. The adrenalin rush when the flag pops. Practical jokes and just plain old fun during slow times. Great meals. Figuring out how you are going to get the Leatherman your wife bought you for your birthday back up through that hole.

Realize it is an hour past the time your wife expected you home to go to the inlaws for dinner...oh well...already in the crapper with momma, what's another hour or two going to hurt. Start packing up the gear and heading back to the truck. Wonder why the gear is so much heavier on the way back in than it was on the way out. Hell we drank all the beer. In the spring time scratching you head as you get close to shore...You know damned well there was ice there when you headed out this morning. Realize the truck is about a mile farther away than where you left it. Relentlessly bust on the guy that caught the least all the way home. Walking in the front door to that icy stare you know is awaiting you, and begin sucking up right away, so that she'll forgive you before next weekend. Talking about the weekends trip(s) with the guys at work, and figuring out where the next weekend will take you. Listening to the warm weather Waldo's ask how you can go out and stand on that ice, telling you you're nuts, and just look back at them they don't know what they are missing. How can you not become addicted.

LoveIce · « **Reply #69 on:** Oct 19, 2004, 05:34 AM »

As I have got older the love of ice fishing has grown deeper ,threw the eyes of my two little boys.Be for it was all about numbers and sizes of fish.Now its about slipping into my boys room be for day light watching them lay there sound a sleep so peace full ,and thinking this must have Ben how dad felt as he woke me up in the early morning to go on trips ,Dad is gone now and how I wish for another day on the ice with him

now I live that love threw my two boys.Waking them up and seeing the joy and the excitement on there little faces as there dad wants to spend they day with them instead of his friends ,I can see it in there little faces as I dress them for the cold day ahead,As I step out side the cold hits my face like fire as I put there car seats into the truck.I start my sled and the most bountiful smell drifts threw the air like clouds,yes it Will be a good day goes threw my mind .as I load the truck with all that is kneaded I look over my shoulder and see a 3 year old and 6 year old looking back at me like its XMAS morning.They see its time to go and out the door they run smiling and laghing all the way to the truck.As we head down the road In the dark and the spiting snow hits the wind shield and melts into little water drops all over it I think yes it will be a great day.The kids are all smiles as I look in my rear view mirror.On the drive donuts and hot chocolate are the breakfest of ICE FISHING CHAMPIONS

We arrive at the lake and I tell them to stay in the truck and stay warm as I get things ready.There little faces show with nothing but joy all over them.As I open the door and get out the arctic cold rushing into my lungs burns but it lets me know I am alive.And as I move to the sled trailer the sound of the snow compacting under my boats goes hand and hand with the bight on my cheeks.I can now see the pink of the sun rise in the distance as the clouds float by the orange ball of fire rizing above the tree line.The boys enjoy the cold sled ride out to the shack even thou I know they are getting cold.We pull up to the shack and I pray the Lock isn't frooze and the key will turn in the tumblers,because it is -30 bellow out this morning.As the key turns in the cold brass Lock ,I think again yes this will be a good day.As I turn the gas on in the shack the smell tells me it will be warm very soon.As it gets warm the frost melts and runs down the window and shows the sun beaming across the lake and the most beautiful music is playing in the shack ,two little boys laghing and playing with there jig sticks and ready to fish.the holes are cleaned out of the pesky ice slivers as the dance in the hole like diamonds swirling in the morning light.and again I think yes this will be a good day.I set the boys up and they are fishing ,I set back and heat up Some hot chocolate for themIm behind them now looking at them like I'm looking threw a window of time knowing I'm getting older and SO are they,will they remember this day with me. will it bring a smile to the face as the look back in the window of time and they are the ones walking into there boys room and looking down and thinking this will be a good day.And wishing there dad was stile with them so he could see there little boys go ice fishing.As I watch the little guy hook a little perch and fight it like its a blue marlin,I have to smile.Big brother is cheering him on with every turn of the real.And there is the prize splashing in the hole at last.And one more memory in my little boys minds of a day with there dad.And i think again yes this is a good day.Guys KIDS first.Its not all about the monsters that lurk out there and the beer and the guys its about are kids gods gift to us.Will your kids smile when they look into the window of time from when they where kids.Or will ice fishing die to them.

fishaholic1970 · « **Reply #70 on:** Oct 19, 2004, 11:41 AM »

It's primal instinct kicking in. You catch fish,you eat. Oh don't forget the adreneline rush.

edfalc · « **Reply #71 on:** Oct 20, 2004, 01:11 AM »

i think that the simple fact that im addicted to these answers proves that i'm also addicted to the sport

edfalc · « **Reply #72 on:** Oct 20, 2004, 01:27 AM »

if the stats are right , of the 9000 + members of this site , over 1800 have read this thread in just over 12 hours

i think that says alot abot all of us

and if i had a vote (which i don't) mine would go to tip-ups picture.........it says it all

2 dogs · « **Reply #73 on:** Oct 20, 2004, 02:09 PM »

Best things about ice fishing can take my dogs, cribbage with my buddy, donuts and hot coco, no jet skis, slooooooow pace of the day, watching my 7 year old grand daughter run for a flag and scream over a 12 inch northern like it was Jaws she just hauled in all by herself. If I gotta die I want it to be while I am ice fishing.

grumpymoe · « **Reply #74 on:** Oct 20, 2004, 02:13 PM »

Every trip out may be similar as we get our routines down, but its the memories that makes this more addicting than hardwater....no pesky bugs....the weather doesn't always shut fishing down; (unlike summertime)...we eat better....we generally fish longer....and into the night....and we have great company....http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=13553.msg109366#msg109366....Grump

MN_transplant · « **Reply #75 on:** Oct 20, 2004, 04:14 PM »

The addiction begins with the primal need to provide food for yourself and family, then it is fueled by the solitude that can only be known through the art of staring down a hole into darkness, broken only by the light of a coleman lantern at 2am. The desire to do this is fed by the knowledge that at any moment now the bobber could drop and the most basic instincts will take over as you and this behemoth of the deep lock into battle, he for his survival, and essentially, you for yours.
When the rush of victory is still fresh, the adreneline still pumping, you find a respect for the fish and who/or whatever created it and from that respect you choose to either allow this fish to live on or fill the body and soul of your family. Neither decision seems right, so you continue to go out there, on the hardwater, to make the right choice. The guilt, though subtle, is there within you so you must return day after day, night after night to appease your needs, as well as the needs of mother nature, to atone for your wrongdoings against your soul and the fish, to be baptized by the purity of nature.
This is the basis for the addiction, the reason we all fall prey to this annual rite of passage is a desire to do good by ourselves and nature, and the guilt of knowing that one or the other was wronged.

izzyfender · « **Reply #76 on:** Oct 20, 2004, 05:44 PM »

your beer always stays cold

nepa old man · « **Reply #77 on:** Oct 21, 2004, 09:46 AM »

Diddo to camo fish's

Bussman · « **Reply #78 on:** Oct 21, 2004, 05:16 PM »

The most addicive part of icefishing!

ICESHANTY.COM

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camo_fish · « **Reply #79 on:** Oct 23, 2004, 08:32 PM »

A new youth addicition to the world of icefishing.

My sons first by himself fish through the ice.

A father and sons love.

Poorboy · « **Reply #80 on:** Oct 27, 2004, 05:19 AM »

Tip-Up's photo has me fired up now...but 10 more weeks before ice fishing for me. The moment depicted by this picture is the height of optimism. At that moment, as you approach the trap, it is the trophy fish you have always dreamed of. It is not a tiny perch or a bait stealing pickerel---it is a whopper salmon (or whatever your dream is). Moments later when you have pulled it up and it turns out to be a tiny perch you reset the trap and walk away. When the next flag flies high it is the same high hopes all over again...surely this one is a lunker! At the end of the day when you pull your last trap and are tying stuff on your sled to leave you catch yourself looking up and around every 30 seconds before you realize that there is nothing to look around for now---the hope of a flag which kept you going all day is gone. Thanks for the new desktop pic, Tip-Up, and give that man a hat!

I love your site and enjoyed reading all these entries.

BIG MEAN · « **Reply #81 on:** Oct 28, 2004, 07:14 PM »

HERE IN NORTHERN OHIO ,
WE HAVE A SHORT SEASON FOR HARD H20. BUT AS MANY HAVE SAID
ITS A GREAT TIME. I LIKE TO LOOK AT THE HOME MADE SHANTYS AND THE NEAT IDEAS PEOPLE COME UP WITH. THERE ARE SOME REALLY CLEVER THINGS OUT THERE. MET A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE TOO.

Fat Boy · « **Reply #82 on:** Oct 31, 2004, 10:47 PM »

In 6 hours I’m driving North to PA with Genz man to meet some of the Iceshanty guys tomorrow morning for the inaugural PA Central Ice Rodeo at Joseph Foster Sayers Lake. The Pennsylvania reports and general boards have been very active about this topic for weeks now since the date and location was voted on. The weather hasn’t been cooperative though and there is some concern about the ice not being thick enough to accommodate a large crowd gathering on the ice. I can’t sleep. I’m cleaning and organizing my ice jigs in preparation for this event. I’ve got a crock pot full of my special venison chili that I’ll serve with cheddar cheese and corn chips to the rest of the IS members. I’ve packed plenty of spoons and bowls too. We’ve made motel reservations…we’re all set.

I try to get some shut eye and all I can think about is jigging up those Sayers crappie. So, I still can’t sleep. I get up and check all my jigging rods. I change line and rig up what I think will be the hot set up of the trip. History on this lake for me has been very favorable. I’ve caught lots of perch and crappies, mostly on the smaller side compared to my favorite lakes. But, there have been days at Sayers when we’ve caught some jumbo yellow perch and crappies too. The pumpkinseeds and bluegills are very nice size if you can locate them. I’ve rigged up my favorite set up. My favorite rig consists of three ratsos rigged in tandem six inches apart. I put this rig on my favorite rod… Hmmm, it’s funny when I think about this though. My favorite rod is not the expensive Thorne Brothers Sweet Thing nor is it an expensive St. Croix, although I’d love to own those and try them out, it’s hard for me to justify spending that kind of money given the success that I’ve had with this rod and some of my others. This favorite rod and reel combo of mine is a broken rod. Yep, it’s an HT Enterprises Ice Blue. The rod tip snapped off several years ago for some ridiculous reason. I hated to part with it so I attached one of my homemade spring bobbers on the end using rod repair thread, glue, and finished off with shrink tubing. This light wire spring has a glow bead on the end. I complete setting up the rest of my jigging rods that I intend to use, mostly Ice Blue rods that aren’t broken. One is a tight line rig with a chartreuse nymph rigged in tandem with a glow in the dark fat boy. Another rod is rigged in tandem with a size 16 orange Marmooska jig above a genz worm. Another rig consists of a tandem rig, a ratso with a size 8 demon for the night crappie bite. Demons have been very consistent during night bites on crappie for many years probably because of their excellent glow characteristics. And, my last but not least rod is rigged with a no knot fast snap and a cicada jigging blade bait. My rods and reels are now in order. Everything is packed neatly and well organized in my Fish Trap. My flasher battery is now well charged. I’m going to get some sleep now…

…I still can’t sleep. It’s 1:00 a.m. and we’re leaving in 4 hours. We’re staying 3 days but we want to make sure that we’re their on time to meet everyone. I get up and check to make sure that I didn’t forget anything. I’ve gone over my trip check list a dozen times and all seems in order. Everything looks good. I check the Fish Trap one more time.

I break out my map to make sure that I’ve got the route memorized to the lake. I envision the spots that I’d like to hit on the lake and remember from past trips. Several years ago when fishing with my buddy Jeff (Ratsotail on Iceshanty) and another buddy of mine, Glenn, we hit Sayers for the first time. We parked in a lot near the dam and walked out and caught crappie, perch and bluegills right off the bat all day long and into the night. That was a day trip for us as we drove 4 hours to get there. We are ice angling addicts. We needed ice to satisfy our fishing needs. There wasn’t any good ice in Maryland at that time. I remember Ratsotail hooking into a carp and fighting it for what seemed forever but truly was about a 15 minute fight. This carp weighed about ten pounds, but it gave Jeff quite a fight. He was using a hand jigging rod with a simple reel, so his drag was his bare hands. He expertly gave the fish line when it needed it and put the right amount of pressure on the fish when necessary. Jeff wasn’t sure how long his 2 pound test would hold up, but it did as he finally wrestled the brute carp through his 4” hole. That was a scene in itself 

Jeff moved to Illinois, but made the trip to Sayers with Glenn and I a couple years ago. I’m going to recline on the couch and revisit the rest of that day. Three hours to go before Genz man is supposed to meet me.

The lake didn’t let us down then either. We started that trip in the same area as the first time that we went there several years ago. After some searching, the area that we fished years ago wasn’t as productive as we had hoped on this trip. So, we looked for some structure, something different. The lake was quite a bit lower that second year. We noticed a big rock pile that may have extended out into the lake as a point, and there we found huge schools of fish suspended over 35 feet of water. We opened up the area with holes with our lazer hand augers. We thought that we’d found the crappie at last. I dropped my triple ratso tandem down the hole and watched my Zercom Clearwater Classic as the jigs fell to the fish. When they reached the school, I closed my bail but didn’t have much time as my line went slack. I set the hook and had a fish on immediately. Seconds later, the line felt heavier. I imagined a huge crappie but was amazed to see three medium sized yellow perch, one on each jigged. I caught a triple on my first drop! I looked around and everyone with us was catching perch one after another. This went on for several minutes. When the action slowed, I bopped from hole to hole looking for the school with my flasher until I found them and caught some more. This went on for most of the morning until the action slowed. All of us had iced 30 yellow perch each and decided to try another part of the lake and search for the crappies. I’m starting to doze off on the couch now and recalled the rest of that day in my dream. We tried another boat ramp. We searched and had a hard time locating fish while popping holes and working upstream from the ramp. Daylight was starting to run out so we decided to head back down the lake and try off the point opposite of the ramp. Jeff located a well defined creek channel and immediately found a mixed bag of crappie and yellow perch. Glenn and I struggled to find the channel and our own schools of fish and finally he gave up and joined Jeff. Together they caught a bunch of fish the rest of the evening. I headed up the lake toward the bridge and rip rap where I found a nice bend in the creek channel. The lake dropped from 8’ to 16’ and the fish were stacked in there from top to bottom. My tandem rig pulled up singles, doubles, and triples of mixed bags of crappie, yellow perch, and pumpkinseeds all evening long. I found that if I dropped my lure in the middle of the suspended fish and hooked the first fish that if I kept the fish fighting in the zone that the other fish would chase it and try to steal the lures from it and often would find either one or both of the tandem jigs. These fish weren’t huge, but the numbers of aggressive fish made this a fun trip. I finished that day with over 150 fish, a mixture of crappie, gills and perch. I recalled catching a brown bullhead too giving me one more species of variety on the day. I also tried my jigging spoon along that creek channel bend and hooked into a large fish that came free near the hole. I never saw what kind it was, but it burned drag and gave my four pound test jigging spoon rod a good fight. All I could see was a bronze color flash by the hole, so I imagined that it was either a hefty smallmouth or perhaps a chunky walleye.

Jeff and Glenn had similar numbers. We decided to give the night bite a try so we went back to our vehicles and fired up our lanterns. In the parking lot, I met another angler from the Bedford PA area named Mark. Mark joined us out on the ice. We all fished over the huge school of fish off that point and caught several crappie. Mark hadn’t seen anyone use a flasher to catch fish before, so he watched us as we explained not only why we use the flasher but how it works and how we fish while using it. We gave him turns using our sonar as he caught some crappie. It took him a while to get the hang of the technique, but he eventually learned, as many do, to take your eyes off the “TV” and watch your rod tip when you know that the fish are on your lure. We ended up becoming friends and vowed to fish together some day. What a great day of fishing the four of us had, catching nearly 500 fish total.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!
I’m slamming the top of the alarm with my fist as it shuts off. As I look at the clock I curse at myself for only allowing for 2 hours of sleep! My wife is stirring now too. I’ve got to be quiet and leave so she doesn’t lose her sleep. Bill is meeting me in 15 minutes. Shhh. Be quiet, don’t wake my family. I’ve got to get ready now. See ya on the ice!!!

Note: by the way, Mark is a fellow ice angler and Iceshanty regular whom I met again last year at the PA rodeo and have fish with several times both on and off the ice since. He’s an excellent ice angler now and fishes all over the North East. He credits me for causing him to be hopelessly addicted to this sport and for inspiring him to use electronics several years ago at Sayers. That makes me feel good. That’s why I’m so addicted and love to ice fish as well as those fun trips like the ones that I’ve shared with all of my ice fishing friends like Genz man, Jeff and Glenn. I’ve come to meet many other good friends on the ice, many of the Iceshanty members, like Bronzeback, Bean, Carl and a few other guys too. The rodeo last year was also special as I got to meet a guy that I’ve never met of fished with but have corresponded via e-mail, Iceshanty forums and instant messages, and other fishing forums, and that is JK. He had some buddies with him too that met us up there like Dave (JiggermanPA). Anyway, I can’t say enough how fun the past few years have been, not only because of guys like those, but also because of Iceshanty and the opportunities that have happened to bring folks together in this great sport.

Iceshanty · « **Reply #83 on:** Nov 01, 2004, 05:40 AM »

Wow bunch of great entries!

Cider and I will read all of them over and announce the winner soon.

-Scott

Iceshanty · « **Reply #84 on:** Nov 09, 2004, 01:36 PM »

We have a winner!

-Scott

News:

Author Topic: [CONTEST] What is it about ice fishin' that is just so darned addiciting? (Read 13755 times)

Fishfoote

ice_man28

Reelinrolly

grumpymoe

MN_transplant

camo_fish

BIG MEAN