Monday, January 6, 2014

Ice Fishing and Geocachers

Last Sunday we decided to get up early and go do a little ice fishing.  It's been unbelievably cold this year and we have quite a thick layer of ice already.  There was a good 8" on the lake.

We headed out to a nearby lake and scored parking very close to where we wanted to fish.  Depending on which lake we go to, the parking can be anywhere from 1 block to 6 blocks away from the ice.  Parking farther away can be a pain when you've got to drag everything you need from the truck to the lake.  We usually take a portable ice shanty, fishing rods, bait, an ice auger to cut holes, an ice dipper, thermos of coffee, 2 buckets to sit on, and if I'm feeling ambitious and we're going to be out there all day, we take a portable grill with hot dogs and condiments. 


The day we went it was about 35 degrees out, so we decided to forgo the ice shanty and just sit outside.  My nephew Kyle got there before us so he already had the holes drilled for us by the time we got there.





Ice fishing is pretty easy.  All you do is stick a wax worm on your hook, lower your line into the water and jig it a little.  We like to fish for blue gill and crappie through the ice....


There were quite a few fishermen out enjoying the day.  Ice fishing is a great activity and on a nice day it's fun to get out there and walk around, visiting with everyone and seeing who is catching what.


Fishing was a little slow for some people, but somebody out fished everyone.  I won't be saying who since I don't like to rub it in.  LOL!




While we were sitting there fishing, there was a group of 3 men sitting not far away from us.  I wasn't paying much attention to them since I was doing such a great job of reeling in one fish after another, but Louie happened to overhear one of them mention geocaching.   My ears perked up when I heard that, so I pushed Louie over there to find out who they were. 





It turns out that I knew one of them - Tony, aka tnt63 and his caching buddy GeoandMarTea.... 


Tony is the cache owner of one of my all-time favorite cache hides - The Lonesome Bridge.  That cache took us 3 separate trips out to find, in the middle of winter I might add,  and currently has 58 well deserved favorite points attached to it.


I walked over to say hi and grab a photo.  That's me in the extremely attractive, but very warm, red hat.  You just never know when you're going to run into a fellow geocacher.  Tony gave me a couple of tips on a few of his caches, we chatted about some upcoming events and then I returned to out-fishing my group.  Hey guys, it was nice running into you!



After about 2 hours we pooled our fish with Kyle and our buddy Pat, and we had 51 total.  We decided to call it quits since it was a Sunday and getting dangerously close to football time.



Once we got home we cleaned a nice bucket full of blue gill.....



And then fried them up for lunch with some potatoes, macaroni and cheese and baked beans.   I'll tell you one thing, there's nothing quite like freshly caught fish for lunch!


We had such a good time and I can't wait until we can go again.  Only next time I hope to make a day of it, complete with hot dogs and brats.  There's nothing in the world like standing out on the ice and frying up a pan of sausages.  The scent wafts across the lake and pretty soon we have a bunch of fisherman drooling in our direction.

Has anyone else out there ever gone ice fishing?

25 comments:

  1. Okay, this is weird, Hadn't you posted these pictures before? I looked back at your blog and didn't see them, but I swear I had seen them before....I know I'm not psychic....or am I? This is Awesome!! I had no idea you that bluegill and crappie stayed around when it was that cold!...

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  2. I have never been ice fishing, although I grew up on the water and my brothers went every year. Rotten brothers wouldn't take a girl with them in those days! They would take me now, but they don't go anymore. Timing is everything, lol. It looks like fun. I pass a bunch of ice shanties on my way to a neighboring city, maybe one of these days I'll just walk out there and check out what's going on. :)

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    1. You should do that. People are always walking up to us and just asking how we are doing. It's very social.

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  3. You amaze me! No...I have never gone ice fishing but I DO love to fish! And nothing tastes better than fresh fish. Wish I could share a big lemon from the groves with you. Have a good day my friend! Stay warm!!!

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  4. When I was a kid in Michigan, I ice fished and think that was the coldest I have ever been. Those cooked fish look really good. I remember the fish out of that icy water as being really tasty.

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    1. There is just something about those ice cold fish that makes them taste so firm and fresh.

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  5. My husband and I used to go ice fishing when we lived in S. Dakota. We'd drive our car out on the frozen lake - didn't need an ice shack, just go in the car if you got cold. We used to catch a lot of perch too. No ice fishing here in western Oregon - it dosen't get cold enough. I think my hubby misses it.

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    1. We've not driven our truck on the ice yet, altho I have gone on the ice on a snowmobile. I will admit that makes me nervous.

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  6. I love fishing, and I especially love eating it, but could never get into ice fishing. I'm a little too cold natured. xo Laura

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    1. I usually like sitting in the shanty better, but that was a really nice day.

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  7. Sounds like fun and something I would definitely love to try some day!!! :o)

    And fancy meeting fellow geocachers! Small world!

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  8. I love ice fishing! I'm already going through withdrawal from not being on the ice since Saturday. Looks like you had an awesome day. Nice bluegills, I wish they were in more lakes near me.

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    1. Bluegill are my favorite fish to catch year round! What are you catching this time of year?

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  9. I have never tried crappie or blue gills. I don't even think we have blue gills in BC.
    When my guy goes snowmobiling up by our cabin they cut up a bunch of pepperoni sticks and and put them in a foil packet, toss in some shredded cheddar cheese and when they stop for lunch the put it on the fire for a little bit.
    Probably fatty enough to cause a heart attack but boy or boy does it get eaten up fast.

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  10. Hope you guys aren't freezing to bad today. Stay warm and safe.

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    1. OMG _ You won't get me out on the ice this week. -45 with the wind chill the past 2 days. That's cold even for Chicago.

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  11. Ice fishing is one thing I would LOVE to try. It doesn't get that cold where I live for the water to freeze over...well it may this year with this Polar Vortex ;)

    And I agree with you.....fresh fish is awesome and everyone needs to experience it!

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  12. Ice fishing sounds great fun! I wish it got cold enough in the UK for us to do it. Best fishing we've done is on our honeymoon in Colorado at Lake Vega.

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    1. I love Colorado. One of my sisters lives there. I've never gone fishing there, altho I've hiked in the mountains a lot.

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  13. Awesome that you ran into fellow geocachers! I've always wanted to try ice fishing... it looks like fun, but I don't think I'd be out there too long ;-)

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    1. Ice fishing IS fun. I bet you don't get much ice in your neck of the woods tho. :-)

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