How do you deal with the Ice fishing Itch?

[farmboy]

Fishing October river walleye and hunting whitetails. And once whitetail season is over or I've taken my deer have to pick up the new ice shack bought a month ago.
Hoping my pike mount is done soon too, that would help the itch as well. Lots to look forward to in the next couple months and early ice would make things even better. Here's to hoping...

[ice nazi]

http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=bikini+ice+fishing+team+video

[bite-me7]

http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=bikini+ice+fishing+team+video

AWESOME!!!

[Water Wolf]

Here are a few ways I have dealt with the ice fishing itch so-far.

Checking out ice shanty and chatting about ice fishing helps.

I also need to get my auger blades sharpened or replaced this season, found a bit of sand in the ice last season.

Purchasing an ice fishing magazine.

Checking out the new ice fishing gear available this season on line or in the store.

Maybe purchase a few new items for the new season.

Continue to open water fish as long as I possibly can.

Also recently I have been making my own quick-strike rigs for the new ice fishin' season.
This first group are my horizontal quick-strike rigs.

The first red one on the left is a Northland quick-strike rig for reference, all the rest are my own.
I though I would make 5 in 60lb fluorocarbon and see if it made a difference this season.
The other is a soft green leader material from toothy critter.

These other 2 rigs I tied are also an experiment this season, the first one is a vertical quick-strike rig.
I want to see if the fish have any preference for baits hanging horizontal or vertical.

The other rig is a loop quick-strike rig. The hooks in the loop are placed in the bait as usual,but when the fish hits they are suppose
to all slide to the edge of the fish's lip and reduce deep hooking.
I first saw this design on an in-fisherman T.V episode and though I would try it also.

WW

[slipbobber61]

Water Wolf, I usually use the vertical rigs on tip ups.  They work pretty good.  You can adjust how the bait sits by moving the treble.  The loop rig looks interesting.  Be interested to hear how it works for you.   

[saskpolaris]

Well i switch between getting ice fishing tackle ready and complaining about the riders they both drive me crazy but seem to take up enough time and then bang out on the ice jumping for.joy.

[gman51]

simple..... you go. I'm heading out to blackstrap today. there was 4-5 " last Tuesday.should be at least 5 or 6 now even with a couple days of warmer weather we had. safety is still the main concern. i have my picks and life jacket, spud. i will post results tonight. OH!!!! and my radio for the rider game.....

[Water Wolf]

Water Wolf, I usually use the vertical rigs on tip ups.  They work pretty good.  You can adjust how the bait sits by moving the treble.  The loop rig looks interesting.  Be interested to hear how it works for you.

Thanks slipbobber61,
Last winter I used Northland's red wire predator rigs and found they held the bait well for the pike and burbot.
It will be interesting to see how the different set-ups compare. 

I also will be eager to try the loop rig.

WW

[Blue Hog Ridr]

Apparently, I hang out at our new Cabellas, wandering aimlessly up and down the aisles of the fishing department.
When ever one of the nice staff asks me if I need any help, I usually reply, "yes, can you make it get cold so I can go fishing".
Then I come home, sit in front of the computer watching ice fishing vids on UTube and make ice fishing doo dads.

I have all my Predator rigs, fluorocarbon leaders, perch rigs made. My reels are all strung with new line.

I have 4 Kgs of the biggest Smelts that you have ever seen in the deep freeze, along with a couple of bags of nice size Sardines.
If I don't catch any fish, at least I can eat the Smelts and have Sardine sandwiches.

Hoping a few biggies will like my choice of fish food. The sardines will hang nicely on the 01 Predator rigs.

I was lucky and latched onto a almost new Clam Summit this past summer for a good price, so no more freezing the toes off, or hunkering down under a sleeping bag for me.

OK, see what else. I am going to treat myself to a power auger this winter. Getting a bit too old to be hand drilling holes. Not really, just getting lazy. Plan on getting a sled at Cabellas to haul my gear. Oh, and one of them nice Marcum Show Downs.

Hopefully, me not have to guess where the fishies are this year. New stove for the tent so I can cook up some of them nice flash frozen Perchies and a can of beans. Hey, maybe Sardines, I have lots. New propane heater for the tent.

I do believe that I have paid at least one of Cabellas staff members a months wages so far.

And I do go to bed at night, no candy canes and sugar plums dancing in my head. Just Jumbo Perchies, big old Jacksons and maybe a
Wally if I get lucky. I won't turn down a poor mans lobster either.

The good news is, that a friend checked the ice at Regina Beach and said it was 8" (where he checked anyway). Hope he wasn't telling me a fish story cause we are going to give it a whirl this weekend.

Safe fishing everyone and if you're going to go for a walk, do it with a Buddy.

Edit. BTW Water Wolf, I just noticed your Predator Rigs. I think we both made ours almost identical.
Good job. If you don't mind me asking, where did you find the Red Leader line. I looked around but couldn't find any in town.

I bought a box of Eagle Claw (Shaw Grigsby) hooks and made a few rigs that I hope the Burbot will like.  2 feet of Fluorocarbon, a bell sinker on the bottom and a Grigsby hook 12" up. I hope that one works ok.

Just a heads up. There is a guy from Ontario that makes a lot of fishing equipment, Hand painted spinner blades for one. Very good quality at a decent price. You can find him on EBay. I have used his blades on my rigs. Shipping is cheap seeing how he is from Canada. He also makes decent rattle jigs. I picked up 80 real cheap.

Considering that this is my first post, I hope I didn't over step my bounds by posting that info. Just trying to steer other anglers in the right direction.  If I did a No No, I appologize to the Mods in advance.

All my best,
Terry.

[ran7ger]

 haha one of the best first posts i`ve ever seen!  welcome to the dirty addiction.

 how big are your smelts and where did you come across them...i like em about a foot long or bigger, but tough to find.

[Blue Hog Ridr]

Thanks Ranger, I appreciate it.
I was just checking on Ice Conditions and found this site. Funny that I hadn't stumbled across it before but now youse guys are stuck with me.
Thats why I mentioned that I am treating myself to a few upgrades so I can be more comfortable.  Was pretty basic before.
Really looking forward to entering a Derby or 2 this season.
Have to practice catching them first.

Pacific fresh Fish in Regina.  Very reasonable.

Super Store smelts are about the size of the containers of bait at the tackle shops. But you get a ton more for the money.

Mine aren't a foot long but still a nice size, maybe 8".

Cabellas has smelts and herring but pretty pricey for a small pack. Pacifics sardines are approx the same size as Cabellas herring and considerably cheaper.

[Water Wolf]

I agree ran7ger, great first post.

Hi Blue Hog Ridr welcome to the SK. portion of IceShanty.


Edit. BTW Water Wolf, I just noticed your Predator Rigs. I think we both made ours almost identical.
Good job. If you don't mind me asking, where did you find the Red Leader line. I looked around but couldn't find any in town.

The red leader in the photo is a commercially made one, not my own. It's a Northland lures quick-strike predator rig.
I just posted it with my own rigs for comparison.

There is a line called Cajun fishing line and it is bright red.
That may work for making rigs if a person could find a bit heavier line.

Great Northern Rod and Reel also had foot long red steel leaders, maybe a quick-set rig could be made out of one of those.

Thanks for letting us know about where you found your big smelts.
The bag I got last year from Super Store had a good number of smelt in it, but most of them were tiny, no more than 3 - 3.5 inches.
They were more like a big bag of minnows.

WW

[pcdoc]

am heading to pasqua near steep boat launch has anyone been out to try it yet thanks

[dempster123]

no the quappelle lakes just froze today... though i havent seen pasqua but i have seen the other three lakes and they were open until tonight. just drove by and seen mission froze over, so not sure how pasqua is but i would be very uneasy of going onto pasqua, probably only an inch of ice.

[pcdoc]

thanks dempster123 little arm its goin to b

[gobigorgohomenow101]

I took up trapping! 31 raccoons in 5 days, helped my buddy get over 200 coyotes and many fox. Plus beavers, muskrats, the odd mink... So we just trapped! Takes up all day, skinning takes up all night, bag your deer, all your ducks and ruffies and sharptail while on the line. As soon as I'm done that time to hit first ice!