Too old smart?? An icemans saga

[Gamalot]

It all began many years ago as a kid who loved fishing and the hard water was a favorite pastime when there was nothing else to do. Back in the early 1960s we shoveled snow for bait money and cheap tip ups and a spud and my mom would drop us at the lake on her way to work and pick us up on the way home. Man did we learn how to deal with the elements and stay warm by a fire with no other shelter except maybe a blue tarp. As worrisome as mom was I still can't believe she left us out there all day long in the bitter cold we had back in those early days. No ice was almost never an issue and instead we often had 18-24 inches to pond through with our spuds. We survived. Fast forward about 60 years and my how things have changed. I like to think I now have it all, except of course, safe ice. I guess this is a natural progression and as I got older and better financially set and still love the ice I kept adding to my collection of the latest and greatest gear. Just 3 years ago the Snowdog machines hit the US market and I had to be the first one on my block to ever have one, $4,000. Cool machine and a very capable tow mule. That opened the floodgate for even more cool stuff like a 2 man clam pop up, $600, to tow behind the snowdog plus a buddy heater, fancy cold weather clothes and expensive boots and electronics. I thought I was all set until reality hit. I couldn't fit it all in my truck. No problem, I went out and bought a new enclosed V nose 12X7 trailer, $5500 and set out to get it all ready for the next season. The dog slides right in alongside of my pop up and the sleds so all was great. Great except I now have room for more stuff and I have my hunting buddies getting into ice fishing with me. With 5 or 6 of us going my 2 man pop up didn't cut it anymore so I went out and bought the biggest pop up tow behind Otter made, think it's called the extreme resort thermal resort, $1500, and it fits 4-5 guys easily. I had to redesign the interior of my new trailer to now fit the big shanty plus the little 2 man so I went up with a platform for the 2 man on top of the 4 man. Boy was this set up the coolest plus it gave me safe storage during the off season where no mice or critters could eat my canvas and it all stayed safe and dry. I think I have at least 20 tip ups and half a dozen jig rods plus all the other stuff that goes with it but then reality bit me again. We had some ice 3 years ago and I did get out twice with the snowdog and sleds and pop ups all being towed. It worked fabulous and we had some great memories. There was no isafe ice last year here in the southern catskills, at least not enough for me to drag all this stuff out. Now again this year it is half way through February and still not enough safe ice again. My snowdog might have about 5 hours of run time on it since new and my trailer might have 100 miles in total and my big shanty has been used once and all this great stuff just hangs out in limbo with no ice but ready to go. Too bad at age 72 father time is catching up with me and I need a new knee and probably a hip replacement pretty soon and walking on glare ice is out of the question. I am not even sad about the no ice because I would not go anyway. Too old smart or was it just too late. After this winter I plan to get all this gear all set up on my lawn for some photos so I can get it all sold on Craigslist to someone who hopefully will be younger and will will wear it all out. The moral of my saga is, Don't wait until you are too old to enjoy the stuff you can afford. I will attach a few pictures of what I consider to be a rolling ice gear set up with all the bells and whistles to do it right and in complete comfort.
 

[Fishinmt]

Nice set up.  I agree fish while you can.  Especially with your kids they grow up to fast

[Gamalot]

That will be my hope fishinmt, next fall when I decide to sell I plan to put it up near the north mountains and hope a young family with kids grabs it all. We just don't get the ice down south here like we used to years ago.

[Jack978]

I started a little later than you did but I know what you are saying.  In the early 70's things were a lot simpler and sometimes simple is better.  I never got mechanized and still walk out and back.  It may be a slow walk with a lot of breaks, but it means I don't have a weight issue so can get where others don't go.   I'm just about to be 67 if I can make it through the end of the week.  I led a hard physical life, and a lot of parts don't work as well as they used to but I'm afraid if I slow down something will seize up and cease to function.  The ice situation around me has changed since the old days and have had to settle for smaller water bodies that freeze sufficiently instead of the old standbys that have too much open water. 

The other thing I did was take on a couple of apprentices.  I met a couple at a fishing club who wanted to learn and most of the guys didn't have time for newcomers, so I invited them out and now they are hooked and want to go at least once a week.   They went from not knowing how to fish to owning all their own gear in two seasons.  The amount of enthusiasm and adventurous spirit they bring to the table far outweighs having to overlook the occasional mistake and teaching points. Kind of reminds me of fishing with kids although they are in their 50's. 

It's not about the toys or what you can or can't afford as much as its about getting out there and living.  If you don't do it now, then tomorrow might not get here.   Grab every opportunity to get out and go while you can even if you don't have the latest and greatest.  All that stuff weighs too much anyway especially if your harnesed to it.

[Gamalot]

Same here Jack. My hunting and fishing buddies are all in their late 40s but still working full time jobs and motoring through life's little issues with wives, GFs and children. They want to go but often have other obligations holding them back. Getting 3 or 4 of us together at the same time and on safe ice and fair weather is nearly impossible these days. Funny how things work. Buddies with wives usually can go and the wife is happy to be rid of him for the day, not so much for buddies with GFs who can't often get permission. 

[Jack978]

Same here Jack. My hunting and fishing buddies are all in their late 40s but still working full time jobs and motoring through life's little issues with wives, GFs and children. They want to go but often have other obligations holding them back. Getting 3 or 4 of us together at the same time and on safe ice and fair weather is nearly impossible these days. Funny how things work. Buddies with wives usually can go and the wife is happy to be rid of him for the day, not so much for buddies with GFs who can't often get permission. 

My friend Greg is an early retiree form a cooperate job that pretty much was a sure path to an early grave.  His doctor told him to change his ways and get out before he had the big one, so he did.  His wife Jill is still working.  She is an RN and works 3 12-hour shifts in a pediatric ICU.  She dees things on the job most of us wouldn't enjoy to be frank.  The outdoors is their refuge from day-to-day life and the unfortunate realities of the 21st century.  When she is on the job, and we are out fishing we send her pics which she enjoys but it usually means we have to go again when she is off since she wants a piece of the action.  On occasion we have to fish in the river that runs by her hospital in the summer so she can take her patients to the window, and they have something to watch.  It's a horrible sacrifice (not) but someone has to do it and if it brightens a dyeing kids day to have something to watch its worth it. 

[ice dawg]

Gamalot, don't count yourself out too early. I'M 80 YO, a cancer survivor, and have two total hip replacements. I still get on the ice, but not as often as I would like. I'm a lot slower than I used to be and ice fishing seems to be more work, but it's still enjoyable. I sold my wheelhouse a few years ago, because it became a driveway ornament, but I still have two popups and a flipover. I plan to keep ice fishing until it becomes too hard for me to continue. One of the best things is that my son likes to fish with me and we plan to hit the ice on Monday.

[Gamalot]

I bought the trailer because before I always stored my stuff in my shed. Mice and red squirrels destroyed the canvas on my 2 man pop up so I bought the new cover and now everything is stored inside the tight enclosed trailer where they can't get into it. I will probably fish the hard water until my last breaths but I honestly have overdone it with this stuff too late in my life. Just 2 years ago at age 70 I was fit as a fiddle and then the arthritis came to haunt me. I had one knee done and all was fine but now I need the other one and I think probably a hip. Sucks getting old but it is better than the alternative. Too bad my buddies don't have the place to store the trailer during the off season, living in condos and such. I can't go any more by myself with my dog and my wife would worry all the while.

[FishingPhotographer]

Great stories all around. Thank you for sharing. I actually thought you were going down the road of cost per pound of fish. Lol
This past summer we went on a fishing trip which was called in early due to a seasick individual. At the dock we laughed that the two fillets of the one bluefish we caught cost $500 each.

[TheManInBlack]

As I was ready this, I was thinking about the progression of the sport and all the equipment. Gone are the days when I used to go out with just a bucket and hand auger.  Now we have our electronics, huts, power augers, and machines. Yet I cannot say that it really has improved my output that much. Most of my best days were in those early years when things seemed a bit simpler. 

Of course, it seemed like we had more safe ice and longer seasons back then, giving us access to more places.  I fondly remember listening to March Madness basketball games on the ice.

[Gamalot]

The difference these days I think are the creature comforts, shanty, heater, power augers and even battery powered jigging tip ups. I don't think we catch any more fish but it sure is more comfortable out there with the stuff. I actually gave up most of the electronics in the past few years because I had a nice Aquaview camera and found myself watching TV under the ice way too much.

[SKIFFLAKEJIMMY]

As I was ready this, I was thinking about the progression of the sport and all the equipment. Gone are the days when I used to go out with just a bucket and hand auger.  Now we have our electronics, huts, power augers, and machines. Yet I cannot say that it really has improved my output that much. Most of my best days were in those early years when things seemed a bit simpler. 

Of course, it seemed like we had more safe ice and longer seasons back then, giving us access to more places.  I fondly remember listening to March Madness basketball games on the ice.

Still pretty simple around here! 

[deerefishyfishy]

Gamalot, I wish we were a little closer (I'm up in the Southern Tier between Binghamton and Elmira). I'd go fishing with you, if we ever get ice again! I am about halfway through your progression- no snowdog or trailer (yet), but I have a large Eskimo hub, Clam Plate setup with a Milwaukee drill, and enough rods and tackle for me and the family and some other friends to hit the ice together. I also have a job, two daughters that play indoor and outdoor field hockey year round along with a wife that teaches 1st grade and coaches multiple field hockey teams. Lots of money invested in nice gear and no time or ice to use it, at least for now. I still continue to build my arsenal with the hope that I'll be able to enjoy it sooner rather than later, before I can't do it anymore! Best of luck finding the right person to enjoy your gear and continue the traditions of this sport! I have also enjoyed reading all of your posts about your Snowdog after you bought it. I have one at work that we use to access remote sites for maintenance and it's awesome!

[hawg]

Gamalot, it’s incredible how close our stories are including the same age. I had a knee and a hip replaced 3 months apart beginning in March last year and my boat never once left the driveway last year. We had a good ice season this year because of the comfort of my wheelhouse and boot cleats. I lost my partner now to neuropathy in his legs. He can’t get in and out of a boat the last two years no matter what we try to accommodate him. I need a new shoulder very badly, pretty much constant pain now but I’m going to put it off till at least till fall if I can to get some boat time in. I still don’t take a pill and have been healthy all my life so to all you younger guys- take it from us, don’t wait.

[Gamalot]

It is pretty nasty how these ills of life creep up on us so quickly. I have been very active and healthy all my life until just 2 years ago when the arthritis reared its ugly head. I am not overweight at all and really never injured myself so badly to have created these issues. It does run in my family on the male side mostly so not a surprise. Rare for me to ever take a pain pill either. Doctors don't have many answers either and I just had an MRI that shows nothing all that serious but it does show I can expect more pain in the near future with joint cartilage getting pretty thin. I can still fish and hunt but not like I used to. A hard day out doing what I enjoy results in a much harder night every time I overdo it and it just isn't much fun any more. The worst part is it isn't much fun just sitting around the house either. I would most certainly be on the ice today if there was enough safe ice around here. Driving hours north to find it is out of the question for me so instead I am here just wishing. I don't even believe the big lakes up north are all that safe this season. Small ponds are better options but I am strictly a trout hardwater fisherman.

[TheManInBlack]

Still pretty simple around here! 

Nice to see that!  Except for the really cold days, I am usually one of the few guys out there without a hut. I don’t really like dragging it out there and fishing in it, unless I  have to. The main reason I got it was for the kids when they were younger.