Let's about your first ever Ice Fishing experience....

[Cedar2RTO]

If you can remember

[Bullelk34]

If you can remember

Sad but true!!!!!
I do however remember my first year as a whole- 30 years ago     Two buddies and I hit it hard every weekend, learning as we went. We fished a pike/perch lake, so alot of cheap tipups and jig rods. We got alot of nice pike, and some great perch on tipups. Our jigging success was pretty slim, but the tipups had us hooked for life. I still remember the "old timers" out there (probably in their 20s-30s) would give us advice and always seemed to have extra jigs, minnows (we were kids, so we even re-used minnows), food, and drinks to share. Always had a great time, and still do!

[fishinator]

My first was almost my last. A friend and I borrowed an auger from a buddy and it turned out to be dull, took for ever to drill through a few inches. We went to the bait shop and bought another and returned to a different spot on the lake. We used the new auger to drill a couple holes and immediately began hearing calls for help. Less than 100 yards away a guy had went through. I called 911 and 28 minutes later the guy finally got out. Luckily he was ok. I almost never went again. If my friend hadn't spent so much on an auger we probably wouldn't have.

[lefty2053]

First ever. My friend talked me into going to Wyoming from North Denver. He told me I need plenty of warm clothes so I dress warm. Well it was a 180 mile trip to the lake. I was sweating. Enough said? I stepped out of the truck in the -6 degree temps and a 40 mile an hour wind. I almost froze right there. I walked out on the lake with him and just couldn't do it.  I had to sit in the truck with it running to keep from freezing. My friend drilled one hole and fished about 1 hour before he gave up and I drained the fuel out of his truck.

[icehogger84]

Took my buddy, hooknhunter, 3yrs to get me to go. First lake we went to we had one bite in an hour. He knew he had to get me into some fish or this just wasn't gonna happen again. We drove 8mi to a higher mountain lake and, with near blizzard conditions, we caught 35 rainbow trout in 3 hrs. Yep, I was hooked and now I'm addicted...

Hogger

[BS-BARN]

I remember when I was little my grandpa took me out on our private pond with old school rods, bobbers and stick tipups. We always managed some small gills but never got into any of the big bass we knew were abundant in the summer. One winter one of my Grandpas friends came out on the pond with us and brought his vexilar. By the end of a couple of hours we had 10 nice bass iced and I was hooked! I didn't go for a number of years until I could drive and my buddies and I went out to a local lake. The night before I made up a slap together shanty with tarps and some 2x4's and the four of us dragged a side onto the lake. It was windy so we took the drill and zipped a few deck screws into the cil plates and we were good to go. We didn't really catch much but it was a ton of fun that renewed my love of ice fishing. We dragged our shack back to the boat launch and tried to back my bald tired jeep down the steep slick landing. Not only were we stuck but the jeep was heading towards the lake with 5" of ice. I hammered the gas and my friends put their shoulders into the back bumper and we chugged up the hill. My grandpa was happie enough that I was back out fishing that he got me 4 new all terraines for my birthday and baught me my clam nanook for christmas. Last year he lent his master carpenter skills to help me build a proper permanent shack on wheels and the rest is history. Although only 18 I can tell ice fishing will always be a part of what I love. Sorry for the long story but this is truly a case of how taking a kid fishing had a very positive impact!

[beeverfishing]

I was young.. 30 +years ago..Knew nothing about ice fishing.  Had my mom take me to the local lake so that I could try it.  Had to barrow an auger (spoon type) from some other fishermen on the ice. ...  Had a cpl open water poles, a dozen minnows , a few spoons and the desire to fish...   I did end up catching a perch and I'm sure I was the happiest person on the ice !!  Think I spent around two hours on the ice that day as mom sat in the car waiting for me.. Although I'm sure she has forgotten about that day long ago, But it is one memory I'll never forget...

[rickyriged]

the first time i tried ice fishing was about 22 years ago
me and a couple freinds figured how hard can it be so we headed out with a bucket of shiners our regular spinning rod set up and an ax so we head out across the pond and picked a nice spot  made one hit with the ax and watched a crack go across the pond as far as we could see
we all ran off the ice like a bunch of little girls
now me and one of my buddies got into the ice game 5 years ago and cant wait for the sounds of cracking ice

[wyo700]

My first time was 5 years ago. Had nothing so I went down and got a 44" heavy HT rod and an abugarcia reel to go with it. The buddy I went with provide jigs and bait. We didn't catch anything that day, gotta admit I thought heck with this. But 5 rods, an auger, a sled, multiple jigs, a pop up hut, and a fish finder I am hooked and will never stop. 

[kcskypilot]

My first ice trip that I remember was 40+ years ago. My dad took me and I can't remember who was with us at the time. I think it was my grandfather (his Dad...) I was probably about 4 or 5. I remember my dad got my pole all rigged up with a bobber and some goldenrods on a small hook. Me being the prankmaster that I was at that age, I figured out how to make my bobber move up and down real fast. I was doing this and I yelled for my dad that I got a bite. He watched for a little bit and then called me out on it. I laughed and stopped moving the rod. The bobber kept moving. My dad told me to set the hook and I did. He pulled up a real nice Bluegill. He reset me and dropped it back down the hole. The bobber started bouncing again and he pulled up another Bluegill. I think I had about 6 or more on the ice before he could even get his own hook in the water.

That memory is in my head every time I go Ice fishing! Thanks Dad!!!

[Lac Suel Freak]

I was 11 or 12 and caught NOTHING, 0, skunked and did the same thing 1 year later with the same results. Not much to say.

[MEMAGGIENCOMET]

I was 5 the first time I was on ice with my dad. We fished every year sicne then together up until about 4 years ago when I started going to different lakes. He only like to go to one lake. I built a hardside 3 years ago and put it on that lake for us and he goes almost everyday now.   

[jeffro9023]

I remember going as a kid maybe 7,8,9? Or so and freezin my tail off and not catchin squat i ended up  goin for a long walk bothering everybody that made eye contact but bein young i got away with it...little did my dad know id come back with some tricks up my sleeve and a couple souvenier jigs ...he asked me what I was doin and started tellin me to stop monkeyin around with stuff and of I ignored him and within a few minutes I was pullin some nice perch out of the hole...I don't remember bein cold after that and when the fishin got slow on future trips my dad would joke and say why don't you go take a walk and give me a wink...can't get dad to go these days  but he still enjoys keepin my freezer from fillin up to much and talkin about it

[Tomhusker]

8 years ago me and a buddy decided we were going on an ice fishing trip to the IGL's. neither of us had ever gone before, but that didn't stop us.

 No auger, no cold weather clothing and no clue. It was about 5 degrees out there, with wind around 20MPH. We froze for two days, with one 6" perch to show for it.

[byron basser]

Mine was in the early 80's almost my last. My dad found me a T-handle mora used, dull blades and all. Bought some minnows and headed to the lake. Was tired after the first hole put a minnow on my long rod dropped it down the hole and sat there. watched a crack come to my hole then thru my hole. The ice dropped and was looking at my bobber on top of the water spout that had come out of my hole . Calmly reeled in and left. Went out later with a school friend and haven't stopped since.

[Gillgrabber]

It was about 35 years ago.  I was 16 or 17 years old.  I didn't have an auger and instead used a big spud or ice chisel to pound my way through the ice.  I never gave it any thought at the time but I'm sure all the others around HATED when I showed up and started pounding & chipping away to make my hole.  Especially when the ice was 3 feet thick.  I caught gills but that was about it.  I still had fun.

[rubydog]

I was just a kid, maybe 10 or 12.  My brother inherited some old gear from a really old guy he did some work for.  So we took the spoon auger and drilled a hole or 2.  All I remember is it was COLD.  And we didn't get a bite.  COLD!  And I wasn't a wuss, because I usually spent winters outdoors sledding or playing outside.

We went again not too long after that.  Lots of bites and panfish.  But it was COLD!!  Even worse than catching nothing, because now our hands were wet from taking all the fish off the hook.  And it was COLD!!!  I vowed never to go again, believing it was a sport for insane people.

And then 30+ years later, for some unknown reason, that bug bit me out of the blue.  Just like a pregnant woman's cravings, I HAD to go ice fishing.  So I bought a bunch of gear and have since been part of the insanity.  I still don't know why I like it so much after the first 2 bad experiences and so many years of not even thinking about it.  Now it's all I can think about.  Especially now, still waiting for some ice.

[trout-chaser]

I have been ice fishing for over 45 some years.  Growing up in Saskatchewan theres nothing to do in the winter.LOL.  However, my earliest memory is of a trip that my grandparents took my and my brother on.  There was a group fishing the mouth of a lake (Id guess about 30 people).  Ice was three feet thick (pickup trucks driven on the ice) but you can see the lake bottom if you look down the hole.  Well, my lil bro and I ( about 10 &8 years old) are catching Walleye, Pike and Perch left right and center.  Everyone else is watching.............. . enviously. 
Lil bro starts to get cold and gramma says to "come sit in the truck and warm up".  He says "no cause someone will take my ice hole". Gramma tells him "no they wont"........... Its a rule.   He fights the cold and eventually gives in to the warmth of the truck.  Hes only in the truck a while and some young guy walks over and starts fishing his hole (while laying on the ice and looking down the hole).  Quite quickly the young guy (mid to late 20's) is informed by Gramma to have some respect of the lil guys fishin and to get outta the hole (he doesnt even acknowledge Gramma).   He catches a couple walleye's and gramma says "enough of that", gets outta the truck and approaches the guy.  She then informs him in no uncertain terms ............. "To get the hell outta the ice fishin hole"  .... He informs her theres no name on it and hes gonna fish it. 

The group on the ice is mostly from my home town and they knew our family very well.  To that point they also knew "YOU DONT MESS WITH GRAMMA". 

As the young guy is looking down the hole and fishing, Gramma puts the foot of her boot on the back of his head and says ( to the best of my recollection), "Move your ass outta here or I gonna push your head down the damn hole".  He foolishly says you and whos army......... The group of ice fishermen then quickly joined in to inform him of etiquette and to move on.  The guy sheepishly picked up his gear and sheepishly buggered off. 

We all went back to fishing and had a great day.  Gramma B passed away 2 years ago, but every time I think of ice fishing as a boy, I remember that event with a warm feeling. 

So............. To the young guys that take over lil kids ice holes............ "Watch out for the Gramma B's of the world"!

[Bear32]

8 years ago me and a buddy decided we were going on an ice fishing trip to the IGL's. neither of us had ever gone before, but that didn't stop us.

 No auger, no cold weather clothing and no clue. It was about 5 degrees out there, with wind around 20MPH. We froze for two days, with one 6" perch to show for it.

 Wow!   I don't know that if I had a start like that I'd still be at it

[sbooy42]

I was about 14 yrs old went with another buddy.. his parents dropped us off and we froze our ashes off... Thankfully a good guy let us wait it out in his shanty until the parents came to pick us up... It was at that point that I decided ice fishing was not for me and never did it again

Until about 8 years ago (I'm now34) when I moved back to Michigan and was invited to go Burbot fishing... I said Burbot  W T F??? never heard of it ... (This was before cut back on the beers)...But beer was involved so I figured I was going snipe hunting on the ice or something...

 Low and behold me and 2 others guys were the Guinea pigs for testing the ice... So my first time back on ice in 20+ years and these guys take me out on 3" of frik'n black ice in clear water that I can see the bottom in 40fow,, freaky...  and of course it was at sunset so when we finally get setup its dark, its cold the ice is popping....And yeah my bung was puckered..... I honestly think if it had not been for the beer and slam'n the burbot I would not be ice fishing now..

[harrops26]

23 years ago and i was 6. I remember alot about it. The hot coco, box of doughnuts, the red snow pants i was wearing, all the perch i caught on a perch eye and how amazed at all the fish i caught and how i thought i must be the best fishermen in the world. Ive been addicted ever since though i have been as good of a fishermen as i was that day

[Bout-Time]

Hmmmm, memory is fuzzy.

Im guessing it was 1975 or abouts. Went with my father & 2 brothers. No auger, so there was lots of chipping going on. Howling wind and few trout. There was a warm wood stove and hot cocoa in the 8x8 shack though.

[Bout-Time]

  I vowed never to go again, believing it was a sport for insane people.

LOL

Not exactly untrue!

[delta9]

I don't rmember much, but I do remember dad taking my 3 brothers and mom out, kinda like grumpy old men the movie. guys had thier shantys in like sort of a community, women folk all sqwakin guys fishin and pokin at each other food drink lots of coaching. had to of been somthing like 1970.