The small ones and ice holes!

[mud_n_fun]

It was late December and although we didn't have good ice around here 2hours north of us did. My wife and I decided to take our 2 yr old son out for his first ice fishing trip. We had everything including the old 86' quad ready the night before and went to sleep like kids waiting for christmas the next morning. After the drive up, picking up some bait and getting some lake info, we were at the lake. We drove out to the community area and set up. Put the folding chairs out on the ice put three holes in a row and sat there enjoying the scenery and each others company. after about an hour our son was getting a little ansy and began walking around. And as you can pretty much imagine, one of his feet found a hole. Scooping him out as quickly as we went in, we prayed we got him quick enough. That was not the case. His foot was wet. A very nice couple about 50' away with a heated shanty offered us there warmth for the little guy. Well after about 20 min. in the warmth he was ready for the ice or so he thought. After only a short time, the moisture that was still in his sock, started to make him cold again. I thought no problem, we'll just pack up, call it a day, and sit back and smile about the morning we had. after collecting up the gear he was really starting to feel cold. OK, start the quad and get to the truck. Not so simple. The quad wouldn't start. The carberator boot had broke. Well after what seemed like an hour, it was only about 10min it started. By the time we had reached the truck, got it started and his wet items off, he was in pain from the cold. Knowing he had not gotten cold enough to harm him, we could only comfort him and wait for the warmth to remove the pain of getting cold, I said to myself never again. That week I began building a flip up shanty. From that point on I have always had a heated shanty on the ice for the kid and now kids. Fortunatly my 2nd son has never taken the dip, even with 30 holes within a 100' circle.

I just want to advise all those that take the small ones on the ice that as much as you try,try and try for this not to happen it can or will happen.

In hind site I should have taken 5gallon buckets, cut the bottom off and used them for hole gaurds.

Just give it a thought because I would never want anyone to ever have to go through this.

By the way the next day he wanted to fishing. Once the shanty was done we did. With the heater going, we sat there in our t-shirts enjoying the 20 degree day.

[Skipper]

I pack a warm pair of dry socks for my nubbies. One of my sons always seem to step in a hole.

[miket.]

always prepared, spare socks, boots, pants,shirts,a jacket, some extra rope, always spare spikes, etc... i fish with my three kids quite a bit and it is no easy task with their being three of them and one of me. so i try to bring any and everything i can think of just in case. never any issues yet outside of the old my handsare cold from having the gloves off for something. what a blast we have!! 

[jayswimmer09]

haha small ones??? i took my buddy out last year whos 17 and he put his leg through a hole that didnt freeze over from the previous week. he kept saying he was fine but i new the whole time he was freezing

[jimmyclaude]

Skipper .... You call your kids Pike Bait !

[icefisher-45]

I've been lucky so far. I have twins just turned 4, took them a couple of times last season with no one stepping in the holes.

[SPARKYICE]

oh, the wee ones...
it's not so much what might happen, it's more what will happen!!
they will get wet, cold, tired, stinky, hungry, sick, bratty, thirsty, bored, excited, sleepy, irksome and utterly enjoyable to be around.
bring two of everything, three of some things,a lot of patience, and a camera!
keep a close eye on them and let 'em be kids!

[icefisher-45]

Very true indeed, Kids should be kids

[jimmyclaude]

don't expect to fish when you take the wee ones. All your time should be spent making sure they are having a great time.

[Mainehazmt]

ya can always tell them when your in the shack  timeout is outside on the cooler!

[jimmyclaude]

 

[FishingNewEngland]

I'll be taking my 6 year old son out for the first time this winter. FWIW, I've only seen one person go in and that was my dad several years ago during a touney.

[panfishman13]

even though i started ice fishing when i was four i have never taken the dip, it might have been because i was so cautious around the holes then. my brother's been dipped enough for the both of us tho.

[SPARKYICE]

don't expect to fish when you take the wee ones. All your time should be spent making sure they are having a great time.

yeppers!!
try to get them on the fish, even if they're 4" sunnies. if you can get them bringing up a fish every few minutes, they'll be fishing the rest of their lives and when they're old and grey they will STILL be talking about the times they went fishing with YOU. i still tear up when i think about fishing with grampa.
do some scouting before you take them so you can be as sure as you can that you'll be into fish, and try to make it on a nice sunny day- don't promise them a week ahead and then not go because it's now 7 degrees and blowing 40 mph.
tight lines and big smiles to ya all

[mud_n_fun]

When the two year old hole swimmer was six (last year), we were sitting on a spot that had fish.  We were catching fish but I wanted to explore the other holes we had drilled, There was a guy in his shanty about 20 yards from us fishing too. Well I would get to a hole, jig a little and the next thing you heard from our shack was "Dad, I got one." This went on for about a half an hour or so and then the stopped. after about another half an hour this guy packed up and stopped by. He said If I heard that one more time He was going to try and see if he could join him in our shack.               I think my son is a     FISHERMAN.

[miket.]

right on mud. way to go with the youngster.

[IcedODA]

Hey everyone, new guy here. Thought I'd introduce myself with a story that goes along with this thread. First of all my names Orion. I live in Fort Collins, CO now, I'm originally from Santa Fe, NM, now attending college in FoCo. I love fishing, all types of fishing, but I'd have to say that Ice fishing is by far my favorite. I think its because my dad took me a lot when I was younger. Anyways on to the story...

Last year my family (uncles and cousins and dad and brother) took a trip up to Lake of the Woods for a weekend of ice fishing. (It has since turned annual, we're going again this year) We did very well up there in the two days we had to fish. I think we ended with catching very close to 200 fish (mostly walleye and sauger) in the two days. Well throughout the day there would be slow spots (that's fishing right?) so we would talk or mess about just to pass time until the bite picked up again. The guy that was kind of guiding us had drilled a few holes outside so we could get out in the sun and see about catching a few out there instead. Well... my cousin and uncle decide to play some frisbee. As they're throwing my cousin totally forgets about the holes and as he goes to catch a toss, he falls into a hole up to his crotch. He still wasn't through the bottom of the ice with his leg, and his foot was wedged upwards so it was kind of jammed in there. Everyone ran out to see what the commotion was and we see him struggling to get out. He ended up being able to just flex his foot up and squeeze out but that was probably 3 minutes of being stuck in a hole. It was scary while it lasted, but he was fine and we continued having a great day of fishing. My uncle who arranged the trip had an extra pair of pants and shoes so everything ended well. And to this day we still call that cousin the biggest icehole. 

[J_Jaacks]

I took the youngest one last year and this happened. Luckily it was as we were packing up and heading to the truck. He managed to fill his boot with water. He was cold and wet, but made it through it with a good story to tell his friends.