You Know You're an Ice Fisherman When...

[muskiewrangler]

1. You take out your gear during the off season and set it up like you were on the ice in your backyard... caught some eyes from the neighbors. 
2. You complain that it's not cold enough during the dead of winter and everyone gives you weird looks for saying that.
3. Whenever you're fishing during the off season and mark certain spots that would be perfect to jig or set up tip-ups at.
4. You hope that you find any ice fishing gear at a garage sale
5. And just recently for me, write a Sociology essay on, "Grumpy Old Men"... which gives me an excuse to watch it a few times in a row for "research" purposes. 

Now it's your turn!

[Clear_Ice]

1. You take out your gear during the off season and set it up like you were on the ice in your backyard... caught some eyes from the neighbors. 
2. You complain that it's not cold enough during the dead of winter and everyone gives you weird looks for saying that.
3. Whenever you're fishing during the off season and mark certain spots that would be perfect to jig or set up tip-ups at.
4. You hope that you find any ice fishing gear at a garage sale
5. And just recently for me, write a Sociology essay on, "Grumpy Old Men"... which gives me an excuse to watch it a few times in a row for "research" purposes. 

Now it's your turn!

I set up my portable and my dog got excited because she loves fishing with me

Winters not far away! Woohoo!

[rags]

when its 30 deg out and people complain its cold and you say its just a bit chilly

[sgtski]

when ur outside doin da leaves and u hear dem cranes high in da sky makin all dat noise, u get excited bcuz ice season will b here soon

[masoneddie]

When you hang out here with the Grumpy Old Men....all year long!!   

[flatironfisherman]

You spend more on your shanty then you ever did with any of your wife's jewelery!

[bart]

You spend more on your shanty then you ever did with any of your wife's jewelery!

If she ever finds out... 

[thomasthepikehunter]

1. Its T shirt weather until you can actually die of hypothermia.
2. The reason you fish open water is to find ice fishing spots.

[spikes]

You spend more on your shanty then you ever did with any of your wife's jewelery!

I hope she never finds out

[muskiewrangler]

You spend more on your shanty then you ever did with any of your wife's jewelery!

Hope she doesn't check the forums... 

[jthod]

When people say it sooooo nice out, and you reply with ITS TERRIBLE.

[bowcarp]

When you live where I live and could care less less about
Pheasant season and deer season and just want the water to go
From soft to hard even if it means your 2 year old lab misses out , least
He likes time in the shack

[flatironfisherman]

If she ever finds out...  (Image removed from quote.)

Bart!!  DON'T SAY A WORD!!!!!!!  Although, you have got her off my back before!   

[Sodusitous]

You find yourself popping the heads off leftover minnows on Sunday
night then salting and stashing them in ziplock bags in the freezer.

[snelly]

 this is what I count to go to sleep 
hell with the sheep

[NEZ]

You need to add that if you use your boat to sink structure so you can Ice fish it

[Westsloper]

Dave Genz has got it down!

[muskiewrangler]

Dave Genz has got it down!

Saw this and wanted that boat right away!!!

[IceBalls]

WHEN YOU LOOK IN YOUR GARAGE AND COUNT OVER 50 TIP UPS....THEN GO OUT AND BUY A FEW MORE (BECAUSE THEY'RE "NEW ONES", OF COURSE)

I gotta get me some more of them jig boxes !!!

[king hammer]

I pack my ice rod with me 365 days a yr under my seat so when i get the itch i just stop at one of the may lake on my way to work and hammer some rainbows it helps

[Crappyfishrman]

I've been driving people nuts with all the ice fishing talk. Can't wait to get out there. And especially can't wait to try out my strikemaster honda lite! Don't even care if it's only 6" of ice!! Haha

[mr.clean]

You watch In-Fisherman ice fishing DVDs in July and August . You have more gear for ice fishing then open water fishing. You log in to Ice Shanty year round looking for new posts and reread old threads looking for tips and information.
Steve

[Sawtooth]

3. Whenever you're fishing during the off season and mark certain spots that would be perfect to jig or set up tip-ups at.

Just calling the open water season "off season"  says it all.  And I do that as well!!

[hardwater diehard]

Last year when I ordered a set of Eskimo ice anchors in August ....I froze a half gallon milk container to see how they worked .  PS one of the best purchases of last season.

Just calling the open water season "off season"  says it all.  And I do that as well!!

AGREED X3

[bean counter]

I put new backing line on my tip-ups...  In my front yard...   In August....   it was 90 degrees...     !!!

[grizzlyhackle]

....you turn your LX5 on "Demo Mode" and practice hook sets - 

[Sodusitous]

You feel the need to tell  an employee at BPS that it is time to move their inventory of Jigging Raps  from the Rapala section to the ice fishing section.

And he says "Ok"

[muskiewrangler]

Just calling the open water season "off season"  says it all.  And I do that as well!!

Because whenever I say "open water", I get depressed at the fact that it's not ice season 

[wizzard77]

.......when the owner of the sporting camp that you rent for ice fishing sends you a  card for your birthday in June.

[royjulius]

When you have a 25th Anniversary Champion bass boat that is so nice (and paid for) that it was voted into the Champion Boats calendar two years in a row and you're still praying for ice!