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I was wondering the same thing as Musky Mike, so I'll pick up some of the Mustad hooks. I put some Eagle Claw trebles on a couple of my lures that needed new hooks, and they worked well... But nobody talks about Eagle Claw so I am guessing they're not very well-liked by more experienced fisherpeople. I really like the Kamakazi baitholder hooks, and I put those on some of my spoons. I have a hard time finding them though, and I haven't seen their trebles in stores. They were recommended to me by a friend who helped reignite my passion for the sport.

I saw a fisher at Liberty Lake with my wife. It didn't attack us, but it was cool to see. I didn't even know what they were until I got home and started to research what it could be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olA3mn-9_e8 edit: umm, I didn't watch the whole video before I posted... it gets kinda weird. lol Ferrets are in the same family. I'm disappointed that mine hasn't killed my cat yet. I don't know what's taking him so long, I've had him for like 6 years. That's plenty of time to get the job done. I think he's just lazy.

Wow. Just wow. I am a tad jealous. Wow.

Yeah. I'll buy that new. Never tried it second-hand, but something tells me it'd be a pretty crappy experience. Oh dude, you know I'll be there. As long as it doesn't conflict with anything more important on my schedule that can't be adjusted (wife's birthday is early next year, for example), which I'm sure it won't. And of course, as long as the ice is thick enough to hold me. McNab is definitely on my hit-list. I'd love, love, LOVE to hit #51 but somehow I doubt they plow the roads that far... I bet the snowplow would bottom out on some of that road, haha. Do they plow into #25? In any case, I'm down for some adventures. Thanks! This is exactly the thing I was hoping to learn through this thread. I'm definitely going to go manual. I don't mind doing the work, and I understand about getting sweaty. I'm willing to risk that. Besides, I've seen that most of them can be adapted to a high-torque cordless drill if I really want to go powered some day, which I don't plan to, but the option would likely be there. Makes sense, yes, but honestly seems unnecessary. I only use one rod in the summer, and I have caught bass, pike, walleye, brook trout, perch, rock bass... Yet I know some people have a different rod for frogging, a different rod for jigging, a different rod for panfish, a different rod for this and a different rod for that. I think somewhere in the middle - at least to get me started - is what I'll do. Like others have said, a rod isn't even necessary, I just think I prefer it at this point. And I've heard too many horror stories about braid icing up for me to want to use it, especially if I and had to pull by hand. I have one, and apparently it can be used for ice fishing. I think it lies to me in summer fishing though, because it was marking tons of fish in Liberty Lake. It's really old and a bit beastly, though. I'd like a better one that I could use for my canoe and for ice fishing, but I won't have the money to drop like $300+ on that for a while. If there's a good model that's cheaper, I could put it on my Christmas list. But I kinda want one with maps and stuff, so it seems like a long-term purchase, to me. I could tote my current one around with me, but I have ideas of where I want to try already. I've been with people who have decades of success, and still we caught nothing, but yes, I hear the advice and I get it. The only problem I have is finding people within an hour's drive to actually go with when I get that urge on a weeknight after work, or with last-minute notice on a weekend, for example. There are none on this forum it seems, and the people I've fished with that live near me are very unreliable and wishy-washy about it. That being said, I plan to go to North Bay with Rod Caster and Nipfisher and whoever else is there, and I also have tentative plans with my uncle and my wife's uncle to go to their favorite spots on Lake Temagami and I'm not sure where else. I'm going to go, and at some point I'll catch something, and then I'm going to be addicted - this is how it's going to go, I'm sure. I could be wrong, but I know myself fairly well. I'm not really *too* concerned about ending up hating ice fishing at the end of this season. And I guess that will put an end to my joking around about it, too.

Alright, I have decided that here's what I'm going to try to get: warm clothing / boots / gloves icepicks spud bar auger (FinBore or Swede-Bore, probably, 6" I guess) cheapo ice rod skimmer rope 2012 sports fishing license sled (maybe, it'd have to fit in my car and I'd have to struggle carrying this stuff in a backpack first) I have chairs and clip-on polarized sunglasses already, as well as a rod holder (my hands). I need to find a ballcap big enough to fit on my fat head (for summer fishing, too, it'd be a help). I'll skip the other, more expensive stuff until I'm sure I'm addicted, and at that point I'll probably get some snowshoes before a hut or anything like that. There's still a while before ice yet, so I'll keep my eyes open for sales and used stuff. Even if I bought all of this new, I think it would be manageable. Thanks for the input! It's like almost 6 hours south from me! That's a long drive just to get some perch... lol There are tons of lakes around me. The hardest part of summer fishing was choosing which one to stick my canoe in. I reckon ice fishing will be the same., only with an auger in place of the canoe (unfortunately).

But isn't that the point of ice fishing, to be uncomfortable? ... (Don't ruin it this time with your fancy pics of heaven on ice. )

Yeah.. you're right. I think maybe I'll just get a good auger, and a rod for my reel (just because it's cheap, and I'd rather reel than pull by hand), and the other stuff you mentioned and see how it goes. I am sure the huts will go on sale again before next winter, if I really end up liking it. I do have a hard time passing up a deal of what I see as about 1/2 price, but it's better to not spend at all, than to spend less. Especially when I'm currently unsure. GBW, I don't have a snowmachine (you mentioned this in that other thread).

Thanks for the heads up about the Eskimo auger. I checked the CT site again, and the Swede-Bore is only 6". I am hoping to go after lakers and walleye as well, so I'm thinking 8". The other brands I saw on there were Sub-Zero and Normark. There's also a Finbore, but it's $120, compared to $75 for the Normark and $60 for the Sub-Zero.

I won't lie, that looks pretty epic! But completely ruins my joke.

Instead of hi-jacking everyone elses' threads about ice fishing, I figured I'd start my own. (Sinclair, put all further invitations for me in here.) So, as Boss pointed out in the other thread, Le Baron has this InstaShak on sale for around 1/2 price compared to Canadian Tire. The shipping is reasonable, and I am convinced ice fishing is fun (you guys say it, so it must be true), so I want to give it a shot. Some kind of heater would be good, but I am not sure what works and doesn't break the bank, etc. (I assume you can use a small heater in one of these things?) I have an old GX125 reel I was hoping to pull off my Ugly Stik and use on a cheap, small ice fishing rod. It's spooled up with 8lb Trilene XT. I also considered buying a Sedona 2500FD (only if I could share spools with my Spirex 2500FG - they look to me to be the same size, but I'm not sure) but I'd use it also in the summer on a second rod. I would need an auger. Is the Eskimo brand auger any good? Le Baron has 6", 7", and 8" models for $38-44 - which size would you recommend? I've heard 6" can be too small if you hook a big fish, which is unlikely for me, but would be just my luck. Someone else said that 8" takes too long to drill. So I was thinking 7" maybe? It seems uncommon, though. Are the brands at Canadian Tire better? I know they had one by Swede-Bore I saw for about $75. What other essentials would you suggest I buy? Keeping in mind I have to carry everything on foot and I am not rich. (I know I don't need the shack, but if I do get it (and a heater), I think I can convince the wife to come with me sometimes, and it'd be nice to have that wind break and less blinding light all day long.) Thanks for any help.

Isn't that what ice fishing is all about, though? Uncomfortableness?

Newcastle? Where is that? Why don't you come north, it's colder up here, so I trust the ice more. Plus I am lonely and could use some friends.

No bazinga, he knew what I meant - effective baits for trout!

Hmm, I don't have much experience with this, but to me it looks like trout bait.

I really doubt my local Canadian Tire 1) has them in stock and 2) would actually price-match an online flyer for a store that isn't within a like 4-5 hour radius from me. I'd have to online order from Le Baron if I want it. But the shipping is probably like $150. lol

Wow, I was eyeballing this exact one from Canadian Tire. That's a way better price... Especially since I don't know how much I'll actually be ice-fishing, or if I'll even like it... Man, now I am really considering pulling the trigger on this. Does it seem good?

Well, unfortunately I'm not likely to ever fly there until the radiation blasters and the Trained Sexual Assaulters are removed from airports... So it will never happen for me. But it's OK - I am from northern Ontario, and there is enough beauty here for my soul. <3

Lucky! I saw the episode of Extreme Fishing with Robson Green where he fished there, and I believe they were catching rainbows in there. I would love to go there, but it'll never happen.

I am guessing this is one of the 8 billion species of chub... It's the only thing we caught in Liberty Lake all year. We each caught two... What a disappointment. It's the only place I've caught them, too. Sorry about the unfocused pics - the rain was constant, tons of water in the canoe, and I didn't want to ruin my camera so these were taken rather hastily.

Congrats on the successful hunting! On closing day at Liberty Lake, it was pouring rain. I had to use a bail bucket in my canoe, and even my rain suit didn't stop me from getting soaked all the way through. We stopped fishing for about 4 hours to dry off before we tried again. We spent that time with some friendly hunters, but they didn't do anything like you describe. They sat around a big table playing cards the entire time, and cracked jokes about how I shouldn't let my cousin force me into towing the canoe around the lake while swimming.

I don't know what that is, but in my limited experience with mushrooms, if you eat it, you either double in size, or you get a free extra life. Either way, it's a win-win.

When I was a kid, we cooked ALL of our pike like that. We'd typically put some butter and onions, or beer, in with the fish. It sucked picking out the y-bones. Nowadays, I filet them but I always miss some small bones in a section near the tail.

I'm gonna try anyhow.

Haha, good work! That reminds me of opening day at Liberty Lake when a guy lost an Ugly Stik and Sedonna at one end of the lake, and my cousin snagged it about ten hours after the guy had lost it. He hooked it by the lure end, too, and there was a ton of line out, but we pulled it in carefully and surprised the guy with his rod and reel.

Only issue with the guides is that PowerPro noise... So, no, no issues, at least not yet. Again, I don't know how they stack up to other rods, but I've been considering buying a few as gifts and a second for myself to replace my already-replaced-now-a-backup Ugly Stik. I can cast further, it's thinner and lighter, I feel a lot more, has a lifetime warranty. Better in every way. Right now I feel like I don't need a fancy, expensive rod. I'm no tourney angler, though, and I have no doubt there are better rods out there. But I'm happy, and the difference is pretty big for me.