Fishnwire

Everything I've said is only pure opinion as well...but I can tell you my Frabil round thermal TUs were purchased from CT at their end of season sale for $9.99 each. I've used them for three seasons now and they're in the same shape/working order that they were when I bought them. I've also got a Frabil "Arctic Fire" which I bought (over paid for) at a little bait shop for $25. It's base is plastic but you'd have a hard time breaking it over your knee...every other piece of it is metal. It's on it's fourth season. I also have a pair of ones that say "Sub-Zero" on them. They are all metal apart from their wooden base. I paid $20 each for them. They don't get used unless there a big gang of us but they've given me no problems. I believe you when you say your experiences with store bought TUs have not been favourable but I think it's possible you just haven't used one that is to your liking. I love using mine and often sacrifice my jigging rod for a second tip up when pike fishing. The sight of a raised flag and a blurred spindle gets my heart racing. To each his own.

Get a Jeep Rubicon, lift 'er up a good half a foot and slap a set of 36 inch Super Swampers on there. 2WD, 4W high, 4W low, locking front and rear dif...all on demand. Tow whatever you want. You have to forego decent gas mileage. But you can also forego the presence of actual roads.

The thing is, just like my home-made rods, the commercial made tip ups which, when tripped, free spool under the water level where they don't freeze are better than the hockey stick jobs I used in the past. The round "thermal" ones keep your hole from freezing, weigh almost nothing, pack up nice, set up in seconds and work like a charm every time. My old wooden DIYs "ain't broke"...but they're not as good as what I can buy. They are no where near as good. Also, any person who has never ice fished can now get what they need to do so with a simple trip to the store. In the past you had to have a pretty good idea of what you were doing before you could construct what you needed. It was usually a process of trial and error, tinkering and re-tinkering before we had the reliable set ups that some of us still use today.

Somebody on another board was asking about what he would need to get started ice fishing. I (and others) suggested he go to Crappy Tire (or where ever) and pick out a combo or two. The OP said he'd do that and I have no doubt he'll be able to find a decent set up for a good price. It got me thinking though. When I started to ice fish almost 30 years ago, we didn't have anywhere near the availability of quality "off the shelf" gear that we do now. The first few ice rods I owned I built myself from cut down (often broken) pieces of summer rods. Store bought ice rods were nearly impossible to find, were of terrible quality, and cost a relative fortune. I had to build my own because I'd end up with a better rod for less money than I could acquire commercially for any price. Guys used to see my home-made rods and be blown away...I had requests to built more than a few...I haven't bothered to build one in years and I probably never will again. That's because nowadays I couldn't build as good a rod for less money than what is available in every department store's fishing section. I still have a few of those home-made rods and almost never use them. The ones that are commercially made are simply better rods. I guess as more people started ice fishing, more ice fishing gear became available...and as more ice fishing gear became available, more people were able to start ice fishing. We didn't have cool stuff like pop-up or flip-over portable shelters 30 years ago...It's interesting to think of what will be available 30 years from now.

The funny thing is if someone made those kind of comments to one of those guys and then asked them, "Why would you want to go around looking like that?", they'd happily answer, "To get that kind of reaction out of people like you." Mission accomplished I guess.

The main thing is that your transducer has to be pointing straight down. If you have an arrow-shaped transducer intended to be used under a boat, as opposed to puck shaped one that is intended for ice fishing, you may want to mount it on a stick so that you can ensure it is angled correctly. If your transducer is not pointing straight down you might still mark fish, but you'll have a hard time picking up a signal from your jig.

Becoming a licensed tradesman was without a doubt, the best thing I ever did. I don’t even want to think about where I’d be right now if I hadn’t committed myself to it. Are you beginning your apprenticeship with a paying company, or are you enrolled in a pre-apprenticeship program? You should be aware that there are hundreds of guys that take pre-apprenticeship training courses each year while only dozens of actual apprenticeships are signed. What this means to you is that if you graduate anywhere near the middle of the pack (and don't know someone who knows someone) your chances of landing an apprenticeship are not super-great. There are but a handful of good opportunities available to graduates each semester...you have to soundly crush all your classmates if you want a real shot at one of them. When employers ask your instructors who the best student in the class is (and they will) you want them to say, without hesitation, "Dr. Salvelinus has worked harder and has taken his training more seriously than any other." Good luck and kick butt.

Drifter...I hope you don't mind if I ask something a little off topic. Most aerosol cans and paint labels I've seen say "keep from freezing". I have an unheated shed which I go through in the fall and remove things like that to a heated environment. I see you don't seem to worry about that too much. If you can get away with it with the length/intensity of winter you get up there, I shouldn't have to worry about it down here, right? Or are those empty cans under the bench in that pic? Just curious...thanks.

A humourous read but... http://www.snopes.com/college/exam/hell.asp

Just got off a nightshift. Between 5 and 6 when I'm about to get off I can barely keep my eyes open. Once I get home I don't feel like going to bed. I really should do that right now.

BTW...if you are in the market for a new aquarium...check out Kijiji. There are always lots of guys getting out of the hobby and wanting rid of their space-sucking tanks. I've seen 100 gallon tanks with Oak stands, good lights and top-notch filters for $500. I wouldn't be surprised if a new 55 gallon kit with a plain metal stand from Big Al's is going to cost that much.

While I have to admit I don't know much about the actual legalities involved, I do have experience keeping wild fish in aquariums. - I had about a half dozen small sunfish and perch in a 55 gallon. The first thing you need to know is that in an aquarium under fluorescent lights, both the sunfish and the perch were practically colourless. They always appeared "washed out", never displaying bright colours or even well defined markings. They just looked "blah". Nothing like how they look top-side in the sun. Understand that before you proceed. - The other thing is they are a little boring. They don't move around in an interesting way or interact with each other at all. My buddy had a handful of very small (3-5 inch) crappie he over-wintered one year. They were the "boringest" fish I ever saw kept. They just stayed in a loose school all day in one corner of the tank. Zero personality. He let them go in the spring. - Another problem you're going to experience is they are "messy" like you wouldn't believe. I'm not sure what tropicals you have experience with, but most native fish you are going to keep are bigger and grow faster than the average tropical. You need a lot of filtration and you'll be siphoning matter from the bottom of the tank every couple of days, if you don't want to look at piles of it. - That said, there are still native species I'd like to try keeping. I read a blurb in In-Fisherman about a decade ago that was about certain states having the right to sell muskie fry intended for the home aquarium market. That would be pretty cool. I've also always wanted to put a dozen or so one inch small mouth bass fry into a heavily structured tank about 90 gallons or so. I sold all my tanks and got rid of all my equipment a couple years ago. There are times when I really miss the hobby and consider getting back into it. My wife would prefer I didn't. What do you think will happen?

Well I gave it a try. We (I) got one little one. I have a pic but I can't remember how to post it. There were others fishing on the lake and they came by on their quads to say hello. The one guy said he'd fished there a few times and never got one. The other guy said "Holy so-and-so" when we told him we'd iced a fish. It always amazes me how often I run into anglers who keep coming back to the same spot even though they've always done terrible there. When we got on the lake we could see a little point and bay where someone else had fished so we tried there. Most of their holes were close to shore and in 5-8 FOW. I told my buddy that the folks on OFC said that was good...but he went further out until he found water about 20 feet deep. An hour or so later when our one fish of the day came from the shallowest hole, the other lines were moved in. My buddy missed one more later but that was it. I was really happy about getting the one fish though. Thanks again for your advise guys.

Can I expect to get the on dead sticks and tip-ups...or should I have to jig for them?

GB...when you say "close to shore"...how many FOW are you in? If you drilled your first hole and were in ten feet or less, are you still good?...or would you not even try but move out? Those are some nice looking fish by the way. If I get anything anywhere near those I'll be pumped.

Everything Helps. Thanks.

I'm going to a little lake in town tomorrow that is stocked with splake. I don't know the first thing about where to look for them or what to use. I don't expect anyone to make me an expert, but some quick tips would be great. I went there and had a look today but there was no evidence of other anglers yet, so no help there. Should I look for the deepest spot in the lake or somewhere a little shallower close to deep water? I saw one spot that is a sheer cliff...it is probably fairly deep there just a few feet from shore. Is that worth trying? I'm thinking about jigging with some kind of spoon and setting a dead line with a live shiner. Should I consider chubs instead or possibly as well? Thanks.

I went splits on a brand new Jiffy 8 inch STX Stealth last year. It runs great and cuts like a dream. Just today I picked up a Swede-bore 5 inch hand auger. I cannot believe how easily it cuts. It's like a lazer. Less effort than using (let alone transporting) the Jiffy. The obvious trade off is the dinky little 5 inch hole. There may come a day when I regret it, but I'm fairly certain most fish (that I'm going to catch) will come up through a five inch hole. My buddy's joke was that if we get a fish that won't fit, he'll grab a fillet knife and shove his hand down the hole up to his shoulder, then bring up slabs until it'll go.

Thanks very much guys. I have an email out to Claudio. I've heard good things about Penage, paying a guide for a day is something I'd seriously consider. I might try Windy too, but by the time I drive there, I could probably get to the French. Anywhere I can drive right out on is a plus. I have a Jeep with lift so as long as the snow doesn't get too deep I won't be limited to the plowed areas of the lake. Does anyone know if the Moonlight beach area of Ramsey is a decent place to ice fish (as far as Ramsey goes) or is it too shallow?

I've been living and fishing in Sudbury my whole life but I have to admit...my knowledge of decent ice fishing locations is very limited. I usually fish on the French near Alban because my buddy's family owns a marina there. I love going there but it's too far for less than at least a full day. I want to try some spots closer to home. - I'll fish for any species. I've got sonar and I have a snowmachine, but prefer to leave it on the trailer. Walking distance is better. - I'd really appreciate getting some suggestions. General ones are good, but I'm hoping a few knowledgable members take the time to PM me with the low-down on some specific places that would be worth my while. I fish alone or with my Dad and I know how to keep my mouth shut. - If I get some info that pays off I'm prepared to recipricate with the exact location on the lower French where any given evening you have a realistic chance of getting a ten pound plus walleye. - Thanks in advance.

Is it "centre" or "center"...the context is this: Amongst the other electricians at the mine I work, we began refering to our underground shop as the "action centre" (or center) as a little joke because the phone rings off the hook down there sometimes. I looked at online dictionaries and can't seem to determine if both are equally acceptable, or one would be better. Is it just a Canadian vs American thing? Thanx in advance.

I ice fished with out a finder every year but last. They are nice to have but I put plenty of fish on the ice without one. They can actually be frustrating sometimes because you will mark fish that respond to your bait but just won't hit. That said, I really don't like not having my fishfinder when ice fishing now. It's really fun...Nintendo fishing my buddy calls it. I've caught fish that I absolutely would have otherwise missed. A couple times I went to reel up and saw something shoot off the bottom towards my rising bait. I stopped and jigged and got hit. Another time fishing crappie in 40 FOW I was marking a ton of fish right off bottom, but none would hit. Every now and then one would come through about 7' off bottom and if I reeled up to it, it would hit right away. - Even when you don't get fish, you sometimes see some interesting stuff. One time fishing for walleye my screen which had been blank all day suddenly showed many, many fish covering the bottom ten feet or so of the lake. They came through, hitting nobody's line, and were gone in about 3 minutes. I still remember the blackness of the bottom inch or so of my finder's screen. Kinda cool. - The only problem is that if you get a real cheap fish-finder, you probably won't be happy with it. I've got a Humminbird 565 portable which is good in summer and winter and cost about $250. Probably more than you want to spend this time of year, but something to consider. - You can have plenty of fun and catch fish without a finder, don't let not having one stop you from getting out there.

Either that or their owners don't constantly follow too close even though their husbands have told them their tail-gating will eventually lead to an accident which will be their fault. The "funny" thing is that after the accident when I'd gotten her home and calmed down I asked her if she remembered all the times I told her she follows too close. Her response? "I don't follow too close." What can you do but shake your head and write a cheque?

If you're thinking about a Jeep...get a Rubicon, (a two-door...the four-door is a mall-crawler)lift it up a good six inches and slap a set of 36" super swampers on there. Don't forget the winch, armour, and push bars. It's hardly a replacement for a "family van", but it's total awesomeness will outweigh any possible drawbacks. To be serious, my only exposure to a Liberty came last week when my wife rear-ended one. Her Hyundai has thousands of dollars damage on it and the Liberty barely a scratch. The owner didn't even show up at the reporting facility.

I lost mine a couple of months back. About 48 hours later I got a knock at my door and some guy handed it to me. I'd dropped it in a convenience store parking lot. It was short the $60 or so I had in it when I lost it, and it had clearly been gone through...all the stuff not where I normally keep it. I was still happy as heck to get it back. I offered to give the guy a reward, but he declined. It's possible he's the one who liberated the cash from it, but it was still good of him to bring it to me. Hope you get it back.