"validation-seeking, insecure people like myself bothering fish just to confirm primal skills long rendered unnecessary." I think the author is kidding, but he trivializes the activity. People don't really have primal skills, though they can learn some. But they do have primal drives. Hunting, fishing, gathering wild edibles. They are all satisfying on a deep level to many people. They also get a person out in natural areas for long periods with purpose that makes them feel part of it. You look at it more intently. A pretty body of water or landscape is much more complex and interesting when you need to understand certain features. And I have dona a lot of incidental bird watching, rock hounding, wild fruit gathering etc. when nominally out hunting or fishing. Not everyone feels these drives. For some people, shopping can some of these same drives and satisfaction. And for some people religious or moral beliefs overcome them. That's also a human thing, that is very satisfying to many people. We are a diverse lot.
Clearly many commenters here only opened this article in order to make snarky comments about distressed fish and global warming. I am weary of so many NY Times readers whose interest is to assert their own superiority by demeaning the activities of those who don't conform to their worldview. Their refusal to accept the fact that their fanatical proselytizing is destined to fail is exhausting. These people should keep their opinions to themselves. Because at the end of the day, it seems that those who preach tolerance and diversity are, in practice, the least tolerant of all.
2
This article omits that many (most?) ice fishers just sit around and drink or watch tv in their tiny huts. It is soooo boring, that it makes curling look exciting.
I like Garrison Keillor's description of how to ice-fish with peas: drill a hole, surround it with frozen peas--- when the fish comes up to take a pea, you grab it!
Amazing how many commenters here seem to think that food from the supermarket is somehow more "humane" than food that comes from Nature.
2
I think the nasty anti fishing comments here are why people are driven to vote for Trump.
3
All these paragraphs on ice fishing, and not one mention of a flask filled with schnaps. Heresy.
3
It is a battle between the angler who wants to have fun and the fish who wants to live. How can the New York Times endorse this cruelty?
Catch and release.
4
You think it's fun for the fish who thinks s/he is resting under the ice and then gets tortured and killed?
1
When do we get to read an article written by the fish?
1
The “Incredible Mr. Limpet,” maybe?
1
Thanks for this gem of an article that put me out there with you. While I prefer open water fishing, I agree that there is a magic in ice fishing that cannot be understood without trying it. Bring the skates, sticks and pucks just in case though!
3
I live on Lake Dunmor,e VT in the summer, but almost every day in the off-season I walk the dog there. The first weekend in February there is an ice-fishing tournament. And the dog loves it as she runs from shack-to-shack visiting everyone and getting a handout. And talk about an easy walk - so flat.
1
Love the use of the word "community" here. Can't tell you how many times I have floated past another group of fisherman on the rivers of Northern Michigan, asked, "howsit going?" and had them literally turn their back on us. Each time this happens, my poor fishing companion has to listen to my "community" diatribe.
2
Thank you, Mr. Macone for a great read and a break from the depressing news.
5
It makes me cringe to listen to people call ice fishing a sport. When all the animals are dead and gone and you’re looking for the next meal you might want to indulge in reading Jonathan Swift’s “Modest Proposal” about fattening up children and cooking them to feed to the rich.
1
Lol. Fishing is only fun when you're winning. (Aka; catching fish!) Otherwise its a lesson, and in the case of ice fishing, a cold lesson on patience and the futility of most of "Life's" endeavors. Sitting in the open on a frozen lake, where lakes truly freeze safely enough, is a recipe for sickness and overexposure. The headline picture here is ridiculously stupid. The weather can change to dangerous in the blink of a fish eye. So sitting exposed like that is plan dumb.
But when Im not catching fish under better conditions, I enjoy the peace and quiet and use the time to meditate on life, and run thru various story lines for the piece or two, I'm working on. Or lately, maybe, coverage allowing, listen to some music, or a podcast. (with earbuds) But most often, I revel in the relative silence and nature surrounding me. To stare into distant horizons (sea fishing) and/or to witness the wildlife in action - is the antidote to civilization I need.
But playing a video game (which I don't do anyway) or watch TV, or bringing whatever other distracting tech people might bring - to me - is verbotten. Recreational Fishing should not include sonar. That's for the Pros. Its a sign of laziness and impatience and another selfish sign of the times, when recreational fisher-folks use such devices.
Sit and enjoy the past-time, pass the time quietly and ruminate on your life. Don't bring it out to the lake, the ocean or the ice.
1
And then there is the pollution and trash that comes from this sport.
1
My dad would haul my brother and me out on Sunday afternoons to some god-forsaken lake in Northern Wisconsin where our job was to chop the hole through what seemed like five feet of ice and then keep the hole clear of slush as the temperature rarely rose above 10 below. But those afternoons remain as some of the most precious moments/ memories of my life.
5
Ice fishing, what fond memories. Watching dad and his brothers wrestle the heavy wooden ice house up into the pickup, haul it down to the Mississippi, shove it slipping and sliding out onto the middle of the ice, make the kids laboriously drill holes with an an old hand ice auger that their grandfather had forged because it builds character, and then sit and wait. Almost as much fun a sitting crammed into a freezing telephone booth with tobacco chewing grown men and and watching them getting wasted all day on brandy supposedly only for the sake of keeping warm.
Ice too thin up here.
I've fished on and off my whole life. I love being outdoors but there are many better activities than fishing. I've never understood the thrill someone gets when they've outsmarted a fish. Really?
1
Fishing Umbagog (up near Canada) are some of my favorite memories.
But fishing isn’t just about the fish. It’s about the outdoors, being quiet, patience, and for all of you bible thumpers, I think there’s a line about giving a man a fish or teaching him to fish... Most people today can’t swing a hammer let alone fish or grow a garden. They’re not interested. Much more exciting to drive a hybrid while texting about how amazing life is in SoCal. Blah!
I bet everyone that had negative comments doesn’t have much of an issue polishing off that Chard or Pinot before picking up the kids at school, then continuing into the the evening.
Unwind, relax, look around, and be quiet.
I’m going fishing now...
4
great article
30 years or so ice fishing in michigan
experience but none recently and reading this gave
me a craving to go
3
"Windex blue skies"--what a great image, thank you.
7
One of the things I love about ice fishing is that you bring your beer in a cooler to keep it it FROM freezing.
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There is not as much ice out there these days. Something to do with a permanent man made change to the climate.
3
There is some irony in this article about killing and eating wild animals when most of the headlines are from a disease that crossed to people because they were killing and eating wild animals. And ice fishing is certainly not fun for the fish.
1
Ice Fishing Is Fun? Not for the fish.
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@PaulN this is something we talk about a lot on our podcast feel free to call the Fish Nerds hotline and we will share your opinion (In a respectful way) with our audience.. -Clay
1
Ice fishing on northern New Hampshire's Lake Umbagog at thirty degrees below zero explains why I now live above the beach at Big Sur, California.
1
back when it got cold in central Illinois we would ice fish at Kickapoo state park in the ponds created by strip mining. the water was clean and clear..... the ice however never got so thick that you could drive anything on it or cease paying attention to your surroundings. we discontinued ice fishing when 4 of us went through the ice into the water! we used grubs for bait. I did not open my tackle box after that last trip until spring..... when I did? all the grubs had turned into some sort of winged bugs and flew out!
1
I bought a fishing boat and all the tackle required and went offshore Long Island and cought a big Blue Fish that I hauled out of the water and plopped it on the deck. And, there it was, gasping breath, spilling blood, exhausted, with a steel hook in his mouth. That was the last fish I ever, “caught.” Sold the boat, got rid of the tackle. Became a vegetarian. I still think of that gorgeous animal on my deck. “Fishing," is really cruel, if you think about it.
2
There you go, Fossil Fuel addicts. Hurry up and burn more Fossil Fuels so you can fish from the ice before it's all melted by our overuse of Fossil Fuels.
1
This Californian who puts on a coat when it dips below 60, tried ice fishing of the first time on Lake Minnetonka last month. I have to say it was everything I hoped it would be. And by that I mean it absolutely reaffirmed my belief that there is no way on God’s green (and sunny and in the 70’s) earth that man should ever sit on a stool above a hole in an ice covered lake, waiting hours to catch a fish that could be just as well enjoyed from a beachside restaurant in Malibu.
In Westchester County, NY, an hour north of NYC, there used to be plenty of ice fishing on the local reservoirs, but global warming has killed the sport here for the last several years. As the warmth creeps north, New Hampshire will lose it, too. If you enjoy it, or enjoy seeing it (as I do), and enjoy skating outdoors, too, then why not contribute to an organization that fights climate change.
1
It's not fun for the fish. It is torture. The fish has a hook buried in the flesh of his or her mouth. The more the fish struggles to be free, the more pain is caused by the hook when the fish is finally dragged out of the water, exhausted, into a place where he cannot breathe, all for the enjoyment of someone who allegedly wants to admire the fish's beauty.
@Nick this is something we talk about a lot on our podcast feel free to call the Fish Nerds hotline and we will share your opinion (In a respectful way) with our audience.. -Clay
1
Such a wonderful piece. Funny, insightful and eloquent! Thank you, Steve Macone!
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I got to ice fish just one time in New Hampshire some 30 years ago. It was a beautiful clear sunny day and -10 degrees Fahrenheit, but no wind! I remember still being on my knees with my gloves off and clearing ice chips out of the hole. I looked around and wondered just what I was doing! A day of fishing that I will never forget.
Being a northern Minnesotan... loved this article! Ice fishing is ingrained in our social fabric. Sometimes it is solitary, and sometimes hugely community based, like the Brainerd ice-fishing extravaganza (fundraiser of the Jaycees) that draws 10,000 every year for the one-day tournament where the top prize is a new pickup. Many folks have ice shacks tricked out with heaters, solar, pizza ovens, TVs, boardgames and puzzles, bunkbeds and of course holes in the floor for comfy fishing. Ice houses double as summer campers. Folks stay out all weekend in their shacks. Others love to pull a solitary sled w gear out onto the ice or carry and sit on a bucket. But however you fish, the gear certainly gives anglers the advantage. Everybody should do it at least once.
1
Sitting in cold weather isn't fun. Skiing or hiking, i.e. movement, makes more sense and fun.
1
@David Henry We move around a lot on the ice, I wear a pedometer and yesterday I walked 7 miles while ice fishing.
3
Ah, ice fishing! My husband is out today. Most inland lakes are well-managed by state natural resources departments. Catch numbers and limits are specified and MOST people follow the rules. Surely you know that it’s a brutal fish-eat-fish world down there. A great deal of our planet’s population depends on fish for their calories. The rich world does not have to do this, but fish are still delicious.
3
This article was so much fun. I’ve never ice fished and likely never will here in NC but the beauty of a bright winter day plus the camaraderie is a great thing.
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Anyone who has never walked on a newly frozen lake, when the ice is like glass, is missing one of the true wonders of nature.
This description of the sport sounds downright luxurious compared to my fond memories. None of the ice fisherman I shared the ice with were the least bit philosophical. I've also never met a catch and release ice fisherman. Still, I hope to hear more from this author.
1
Many years ago, I found myself working for a railroad in Wisconsin in the dead of winter. My new workmates thought it very strange that an Australian, from the land of beaches and endless summers, would be found working in a frozen railroad yard in the middle of winter. They complained about the slippery pathways and bone-chilling wind that they had to endure as part of their employment. On Friday, the discussion turned to what each of us had planned for the weekend. I was amazed that most of my co-workers, who had spent most of the past week outside in sub-zero temperatures, (and complained about it) planned on going ice fishing! "So you are going to stand on a block of ice on your day off?" I asked incredulously.
I have to congratulate the writer on making ice fishing look enjoyable! Great writing.
I'll do anything as long as it's outdoors, but ice fishing is pushing my boundaries.
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@Dan Murphy give it a shot, you might love it
1
“In the winter, New Hampshire gains more than 250 square miles — roughly a quarter the size of Rhode Island — of flat, undeveloped, public space.”
Another way to explore this, and take in the beauty (and enjoy the peace) is on a pair of snowshoes (or skis), walking across that pond or lake.
Sublime.
3
I was an avid sportsman in my 20s and 30s. Gave ice fishing a try once; did not like it. Yes, its unique and can be fun…for few hours. Pictures look great folks…but it is very, very cold to sustain these conditions. Also, wind does not help.
Let some sports remain for the brave and the bold to enjoy. The move, river runs through it, ruined fly fishing; I hope NYT articles don’t ruin ice fishing for a few. Ice fishing is not fun when you see another just 100 yards away. My friends prefer not seeing anyone for as far as eyes can see.
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This is a wonderful description of the activity, and a little melancholic regarding how it may evolve. I have kept my wooden rigs for years. It always seems to me the point was a chance for Walden-like contemplation, few if any gadgets (ok a heater), and some solitude. Hopefully articles like this will not encourage too many city dwellers to try it out. Really, it’s very cold!
3
Why is it that we, mankind, must constantly find enjoyment in killing living creatures for our entertainment. “Ice Fishing is Fun”. How about: “Leg hold trapping Bobcats is exciting” or maybe, “shooting elephants for their tusks and orphaning their babies is a hoot”. Can we maybe let these fish alone while they try and survive under the ice.
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@Dan
Agreed. Cruelty to animals for the sake of "fun" is never acceptable.
Sorry. I like eating fish.
It’s nothing personal for the fish (I’m a very big fan of catch and release if you’re not to eat them), but I like eating fish.
More power to you.
I can think of about one million things I rather do then ice fishing.
When I was younger I tried snow skiing and froze my keister off with sore legs and feet and thought people who were fans of it were freaks of nature.
Never did it again.
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@Paul As a born-in-the-Bronx dazzling urbanite who now finds himself living much closer to the setting for this article, I have this to say: you are right.
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@hmcnally thank your for your reply. Yes, more power to these guys that enjoy it but I would rather have a root canal done that do this.
1
I heard that global warming has gotten so bad that in Minnesota last year, forty three towns had to cancel their Fourth of July Ice Fishing Festivals!
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actually, many have had to cancel winter tournaments. the changing warm/cold patterns make the ice unpredictable (unsafe) and has left open water where there used to be foot thick ice.
Brings recollections of ice fishing on inland lakes in western Michigan as a boy. We caught pan fish (blue gills, sunfish and the occasional perch) using short rods, no reels, and live mayfly larvae as bait. Freezing cold, intense sunlight on clear days with the white of fresh snowfall, delicious fish and fond memories.
3
so "waiting" is now a sport? Can "recliner-TV" be far behind?
3
Funny!
Held our 17th annual kids ice fishing tournament a couple of weeks ago. About 50 families showed up and a good time was had by all. Alas, will it last? In the 141 years the Madeline Island Ferry Co. had operated through 1998, the ferry line was never able to operate all winter between Bayfield, Wisconsin, and the island. But in the mild winter of 1999, the ferry broke that string and ran all winter. Then it happened again in the non-winter of 2012 and then again in 2016 and 2017. And in winter 2020, for just the fifth time in 160 years — four of them in the last nine years and all of them in the past 21 years — the Madeline Island Ferry ran all winter yet again. (There were also two other years, in 2002 and 2006, when the ferry shut down for less than two weeks each time.)
4
Between the ad-bomination of Matthew McConaughey faux-fishing from his Lincoln and the fact that, as of Feb. 29, only 12.5% of the Great Lakes have frozen over, ice fishing has moved into the "something we used to do" category for many Michiganders.
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I always thought ice fishing was just an excuse to go winter camping. Hang out with friends on the ice. Libations and so forth. Catching something was never really a priority. Actually, that describes my understanding of angling in general. The fish are an added bonus.
Ice fishing is sort of like building a fire. It's something you do when camping whether you need to or not. You split the wood, find some tinder, establish a good blaze. You then proceed to sit there staring at the thing over drinks until the night is over. If someone wants to cook on the fire, great. However, cooking is by no means essential to fire building.
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@Andy not to detract from your memories..... but a guy building a camp fire near Yosemite when it was about 70 degrees out started one of the biggest wild fires we have had in CA. mindful fire building is best.
1
@Andy IMO very well said. thanks
Not enough dead animals in the supermarket...have to go kill more? And cause pain in the process. The guy in the image is sitting there staring into space...how sporting!!
6
Sure it is a huge recreation industry, but as the article noted the majority is catch and release. However, many people in places that get cold, like in northern MN, ice fish as a way to keep meat in the freezer for their families. People in places like this can be much more connected to, and respective of, the food they eat.
2
@Sharon I've never understood why killing plants is more moral than killing animals. Surely, life requires death.
3
@Sharon humanity's very presence requires that other animals die intentionally and die unintentionally. if you've ever owned an outdoor cat? you are responsible for the deaths of dozens of birds and small animals..... and you knew it was happening. you live in LA..... how many animals and fish died because the water was removed from the Owens valley to fill your pool or water your lawn? ice fishing seems tame by comparison.... besides they only killed one fish and they ate it.
3
A decade ago, in January/February, I used to be able to ice fish at Collins Cove in the Mullica River (brackish water) in Southern New Jersey. We'd fish for beautiful double-palm sized white perch, a very tasty white-fleshed fish. On occasion we'd catch striped bass that would over-winter in the Cove's waters but they'd be released as their season wouldn't open until March 1, and by then you'd never chance venturing out on whatever ice was left. You can see Collins Cove to the west of the Garden State Parkway bridge where it crosses the Mullica River by Port Republic. Problem now, the Collins Cover winter fishery is all but forgotten because we no longer have enough sustained below freezing temperatures for the Cove to freeze over.
2
My wife and I got a tip from a bartender a few winters back in North Conway about a guy who takes people out ice fishing. His name was Vinnie from Fish Nerds! Giving up the day from the slopes for Silver Lakes wintry tundra was the best decision. Vinnie had all the answers and anecdotes while we went after all those little fishies whiling away the blustery afternoon.
2
Please do not cook with a propane stove inside an ice shack!
I always loved ice fishing in Maine.
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@Sally. RD-N It's called a shack for a reason--leaks and drafts everywhere--no worries about using propane there.
@Sally. RD-N The Door was wide open, also almost all campers have propane cook tops inside them
Nothing wrong with ice fishing, but why do you insist calling it a sport?
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@alex.hartov Exactly. DO NOT GET me started on fishing "tournaments", which are ubiquitous here in Minnesota ('Land of 10K Lakes'), and which pollute the quiet act of fishing with tech, money, speed, and competition. Nor is fishing a "battle." It's just fishing.
7
tourneys though are one day events and bring in a lot of $. Brainerd draws 10,000 folks, brings in a $million to the local economy every year, and distributes hundred of thousands in proceeds to local charities. That one day event, on a lake that is busy year round, does a lot of good. Anglers who want to avoid the circus can get a line within a few miles and find all the solitude they want!
Getting an unsuspecting animal to swallow a sharpened metal object that cuts through it mouth, then yanking it up out of its home to suffocate to death .. that’s not sporting? You are no fun.
I'd always see the ice fishing shanties arrayed on Lake Wausau on my way up to the ski hill. It's part of the winter landscape in Wisconsin.
I only ice-fished a couple times, as it wasn't my "sport" of choice, but it did have it's own sorta fun to it.
I guess when it's sub-zero, it's nice to have a shack around you, but I'd still rather be moving to stay warm.
3
@j s exactly, that's why alot of us northerners don't like it
you are not moving but by not moving you get to experience the winter from another perspective IMO
I thought this article was beautifully written. The last few paragraphs hit me right in the heart.
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Call me old fashioned, but I believe "fish finders" aren't at all sporting. I began angling over 50 years ago and began with a fly rod, finally achieving a decent cast after two or three years of effort when I was 11. There's just no substitute for learning to look at a lake or pond for where the fish are likely to lie.
16
You still can’t make those fish bite!
Fishing is creature torture. It's not a sport. All those birds and turtles who are strangled in cast-aside lines left by lazy, indifferent fishermen also agree. We have so over-fished the planet's waters that ecosystems are ruined. Thank you, humans.
18
@Carrie You are confusing oceans with inland lakes. Yes, the oceans are polluted from growing wheat for bread, soybeans for soy milk, corn, vegetables etc. and from your Patagonia and North Face fleece. Over fishing does occur on oceans. Most inland lakes are just fine and over fishing is not even a thing on 99% of inland lakes. When I fish I always pick up stray line and old tackle from the shoreline as do many fisherman. Besides, is eating plants less cruel? Circle of life.
1
We used to be able to ice fish right near my home in Lake Erie. Now it’s too dangerous.
My Grandmother lived on the Illinois/Wisconsin border, at the "Chain-of-Lakes". Being born Dutch, she really knew a thing or two about Ice Skating.
There would be these kind-of warm Winter days, where the snow and slush would melt on the Lake Top, just right, and then ... freeze up big (!) just right, that Night, where Miles of Ice were as smooth as a mirror, and you could skate all day without ever crossing the same Ice, or even see your own Ice Skate tracks.
And, we'd skate past a few men, who were "ice-fishing". Now, I do like fishing, but ... off the side of a boat, and on a sunny day. So, at 22 degrees, well ... as long as you were moving, and skating, the cold weather wasn't too bad. But, watching these guys just sitting there ? I'm a big fan of "peace 'n quiet", but ... dang, that looks cold. Too cold. Sure glad that my Grandma had hot chocolate back at the House, when we skated in off the Lake.
But, like they say; "it ain't the Fish, its the Fishin' ".
13
My youngest son could catch a fish in a mud puddle , I’ve said since he was a toddler. He passed away on February 2 of this year. While he enjoyed many places to fish in New Hampshire it was on her ice that he seemed to enjoy the best. The quiet contemplation and oneness with nature found while fishing is magnified when out on the ice. He was a fan of the podcast and while he will no longer be found doing what brought solace to his soul, we honor his memory in creating the Landon Byron Wright Memorial Fund that helps kids experience the joys of New Hampshire outdoors. Thank you for this timely article, this mom needed it.
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@Sherie Wright I'm so very sorry for your loss. The fund you set up seems like a wonderful way to honor your son's memory.
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@Reader Many thanks for your kind words. Losing a child is terribly difficult. Focusing on his short life well-lived and giving back to support children’s learning, about conservation efforts in NH, is what keeps us going each day.
1
@Sherie Wright
What a beautiful tribute page and Fund you made for your son. The photos of him fishing are beautiful!
5
Clay Groves is an awesome fisherman!
1
Whitefish through the ice on Lake Superior! Smoked! And don't even get me started about the fashions. . .
20
There are so many ways to enjoy winter. Torturing/killing animals should not be one of them. Fishing isn't sport, the fish are victims not willing participants. Science has shown that they suffer fear and pain. All of the nutrients derived from them can be obtained more healthfully, humanely, and environmentally responsible from plant sources. Just because a fish is released doesn't mean they will survive, many of them perish from the injury and trauma they've suffered. Shame on The New York Times for promoting animal abuse, which is what it is.
17
unless a harpoon is used I guarantee you the fish will survive, no worries...
2
@MaryF Remembering why I love the electoral college...have fun in Maryland.
11
@MaryF; I respect your right to be a vegan. Please respect the rights of millions brought up within legal and ethical fishing standards. Your highly insensitive comment above referencing the the heartfelt memories of fishing with a now departed child are uncalled for.
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ice fishing ...Beer
5
@byron 'ice drinking' is what we call it
@byron there ya go
I live in Wisconsin. Ice fishing is big around here. But FMAO on a frozen pond or lake is not my idea of fun. If I want to load up on beer, etc., I don't need the excuse of a sheet of ice to do it. I'd rather just sit in front of a fire and dream about spring.
14
For another take on ice fishing, here's a link to an essay by the late Jim Harrison, from his book "Just Before Dark". The essay is titled "Ice Fishing, The Moronic Sport".
https://books.google.com/books?id=ad6HD23-HPMC&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=jim+harrison+ice+fishing+the+moronic+sport&source=bl&ots=BVnMrmQDjN&sig=ACfU3U2AXA26dPJs8_HeO0aCcDirsgB3OQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjWiubSmoHoAhXGo54KHeuLAqYQ6AEwDXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=jim%20harrison%20ice%20fishing%20the%20moronic%20sport&f=false
3
Killing animals is neither sport (you're just sitting there - what's the big deal?) nor fun. Real men don't kill the innocent who can't defend themselves.
16
either we will kill animals to eat them or will kill plants to eat them, either way it will happen, I guarantee you
9
@Norbert Bernhard Did you read the "release" part? Or the part about eating the invasive species? Sounds like healthy environmental management to me.
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@Norbert Bernhard
Fish eat other fish and marine life. So what is your point exactly? Just because a walleye is bigger than a yellow perch, crayfish or minnow means it is a superior ‘more sentient being’ and has the right to kill its prey? So the ice fisherman who catches a walleye is actually saving hundreds of other defenseless animals a day. You should be grateful to them.
2
Great article! Thanks, I'll stay at home in southern Florida and read about it.
3
Vonnie and Clay are the best! The Fish Nerds have taken our friends and family out on the ice for many years and always do a great job of making it fun for everyone. Highly recommended - particularly for the little ones. I love the podcast too!
5
@Rich Collins *VINNIE* - I unironically cannot type.
I have done it off Siberia in Okhotsk Seas.
In Siberia - of course, everything is very primitive unlike with these folks.
Also, the seas freeze up hard and long - I don't ever remember seeing this shovel contraption to make a road.
For the Russians - or at least the folks I was with - was just another but excellent excuse to drink and drink.
For a fishing hole - they give you a primitive hand held drill. You drop the line and wait.
The fist we used to catch were more sardines size - real tiny. And the Russians once they come up on the ice - just drop them in their mouths.
The whole ice surface is littered with vodka bottles.
I insisted we collect our bottles and haul them back
Russians called me names - a Greenpeace guy.
And we all worked in the oil patch over there.
13
Grumpy old woman here. Ice fishing is best without the noise of the gadgets. And now that Allen’s Coffee Brandy is off the market, ice fisherpersons must be wondering what the point is.
9
@Sally Baker Off the Market??? Maine would implode? Did they just take it out of NM?
1
@Sally Baker I bartend in Maine, we sell Allens Coffee Brandy it's super popular
Nice try, no thank you...
4