how to kill your time when the water is FROZEN

[Guest Fishing For Life]

Hi guys,

 

time surely flies fast and the temperature is getting lower and lower

 

just curious how you guys kill ur time when the water is frozen?

 

what is the good time to start fishing again next year and what kind of fish?

 

 

Cheers!

[irishfield]

I work 16 or more hours a day all winter...so I can fish ALL summer. "Summer" starting the week after the ice comes off Lake Temagami and that's when the fishing starts!....other than a few ice fishing outings that are new to my winters.

[Dondorfish]

Some of the best fishing starts when " the water is frozen". If you've never tried it - give it a go - you might just really like it! I am sad when the boat gets put to bed for the winter sleep - but pulling out the atv or snowmobile and the hut sure eases the pain!

 

 

Don

[steverowbotham]

I find a way to fish year round. -40 or +40

[Roy]

All time is priceless. Please don't kill any of it.

[Rich Clemens]

This is how I kill time during the Winter. May as well make it Spring, Summer, and Fall as well.

[Rich]

Water freezes? Haven't seen that phenomenon for a few years.

[Hookset]

Well Bass closes here in 10 days.

So I have another week or so of that.

Walleye doesn't close in the fall here so that'll keep me busy until the water gets hard.

Then it's off to the small, quick freezing lakes, for 'Eyes and Crappies.

Then the bigger lakes will be froze so it's Laker and Whitefish time so....

 

There's always somewhere to wet a line in Ontario, regardless of the season.

We're pretty darn lucky.

 

 

Hookset.

[Nanook]

As the years pile up, it gets harder and harder, to make a hole in the ice big enough to float the boat So-o-o I resort to my wood carving. {Dont the fish need a rest? "

[tdotfisherman]

At my favourite local fishing spot I just got skunked again, 3rd time in a row.. There's no more bass, pike, salmon, or even trout.. in fact I'm seeing absolute no fish activity whatsoever.. I guess it's time to call it a year for me.. I'm not really big into trib or ice fishing, although I'd love to go one day this winter and hit up the Lower Niagara river for some Steelhead, but we'll see.. I just can't wait for spring.. it's going to be such a slow winter..

[Muskieman]

You gotta be kiddin'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kemper]

Find a river, a fast run and get the pin out!

[danc]

My ice fishing days are pretty much over. Things are much different in Northwestern Ontario. Ice fishing shacks are a fairly new thing, but they're catching on quickly. But of course, they are parked on a handful of the most popular lakes. Many of my ice fishing trips involved a 5 to 10 miles snowmobile ride just to get to the lake. Usually we were the only ones there. Hopefully nothing broke down, but it often did. I've seen my holes freeze right before my eyes in as little as 10 seconds after clearing the ice off of them. That's what happens when it's -45. A slight breeze made it feel like -100. There's no escape when your toes are frozen solid. You'd simply have to walk around to keep the blood flowing. There was no fancy ice fishing rods or reels. A spool of line, a split shot, a bare hook and minnow did the trick. A willow branch buried in the slush from the freshly drilled hole was the best rod ever. My line tucked under a bud on the willow branch made for nice quick release mechanism. My line always has orange flagging tape on it so that I could if it was down from a distance. If the flag had disappeared, it was time for the 100 yard dash to the hole. Everyone in the party would come running in the anticipation of a nice one. Mitts and gloves would fly off during the run to the hole. The owner of the line would then gingerly grab hold of the line and slowly pull the line up, hoping to feel the tell tale resistance of a fish. "Yup he's still there", were the best words ever. The guessing game on whether the fish had taken the bait or not began, followed by the bare handed yank on the line. "Feels like a nice one" were words often uttered, followed by silent anticipation. The hand over hand battle took place, with heads battling for position over the hole for a chance to get the first glimpse of the fish. It was exciting to say the least.

 

Pushing 50 years of age now, I'd rather be in a nice warm bed at 5 am now on any given winter weekend morning. I spend many of my working hours outside in the frigid Northern Ontario winters, and that's enough for me. It was fun. I,ve seen 20 lb. Lake Trout, 25 lb. Pike, 10 Lb. Walleye and 5 lb. Brook Trout come out of a hole in the ice. An amazing sight indeed. Time to pass the torch I guess. Come on May!!!!

[BFSC Kevin]

welll.. since late nov till jan, when i can't boat anymore and before the ice is safe for ice fishing.. i go ice hockey!

[Dabluz]

I'm still fishing from shore for brook trout in the Saguenay river. Went pike and walleye fishing a few weeks ago. I doubt that the lakes I fish are free of ice now. There is a good 12 inches of snow on the ground up here where I live. For the next month, it's about the slowest part of the year for fishing. Right after Christmas, the ice fishing season is in full swing and I get out as often as possible.

[fishing n autograph]

beer....beer....beer.....tiddle dee beer!!!

 

and wait for Spring training and Spring Thaw!

[Toronto_Angler]

All time is priceless. Please don't kill any of it.

 

Words to live by

[snag]

My ice fishing days are pretty much over. Things are much different in Northwestern Ontario. Ice fishing shacks are a fairly new thing, but they're catching on quickly. But of course, they are parked on a handful of the most popular lakes. Many of my ice fishing trips involved a 5 to 10 miles snowmobile ride just to get to the lake. Usually we were the only ones there. Hopefully nothing broke down, but it often did. I've seen my holes freeze right before my eyes in as little as 10 seconds after clearing the ice off of them. That's what happens when it's -45. A slight breeze made it feel like -100. There's no escape when your toes are frozen solid. You'd simply have to walk around to keep the blood flowing. There was no fancy ice fishing rods or reels. A spool of line, a split shot, a bare hook and minnow did the trick. A willow branch buried in the slush from the freshly drilled hole was the best rod ever. My line tucked under a bud on the willow branch made for nice quick release mechanism. My line always has orange flagging tape on it so that I could if it was down from a distance. If the flag had disappeared, it was time for the 100 yard dash to the hole. Everyone in the party would come running in the anticipation of a nice one. Mitts and gloves would fly off during the run to the hole. The owner of the line would then gingerly grab hold of the line and slowly pull the line up, hoping to feel the tell tale resistance of a fish. "Yup he's still there", were the best words ever. The guessing game on whether the fish had taken the bait or not began, followed by the bare handed yank on the line. "Feels like a nice one" were words often uttered, followed by silent anticipation. The hand over hand battle took place, with heads battling for position over the hole for a chance to get the first glimpse of the fish. It was exciting to say the least.

 

Pushing 50 years of age now, I'd rather be in a nice warm bed at 5 am now on any given winter weekend morning. I spend many of my working hours outside in the frigid Northern Ontario winters, and that's enough for me. It was fun. I,ve seen 20 lb. Lake Trout, 25 lb. Pike, 10 Lb. Walleye and 5 lb. Brook Trout come out of a hole in the ice. An amazing sight indeed. Time to pass the torch I guess. Come on May!!!!

 

 

You've got my respect.

 

Well put.

[Spiel]

"how to kill your time when the water is FROZEN"

 

....I like to walk long distances over it while dragging a heavy load then spend the rest of the day cutting holes through it.

[OhioFisherman]

I wasn`t an ice fisherman so winter was the time to get stuff ready for the next season. Clean and store reels. Make jig heads, check tackle, ya and work more so I could take a day off when I wanted to in season.

[muddler]

I just clean and repain my tackle. Rods need repair, news to be built. Al reels need to be cleaned and oiled. Tie a pile of flies for next year. clean, reorganize and restock the tackle boxes.

 

Clean and reorganize the garage, Organize all the tools too.

 

Create new and experimental lures, rigs and tackle, I especially enjoy creating a new fly patter for steelhead in the fall.

 

Muddler

[addict]

there is a magical thing called an auger u can drill holes in the ice and if u put a line down the hole sometimes fish come up through it.or drive to porthope and fish the hotpipe open water all year to catch steelhead.

[mistyjr1]

Buy a Nintendo Wii, and Rapala fishing.

 

Or go ice fishin'

[Moosebunk]

Pushing 50 years of age now, I'd rather be in a nice warm bed at 5 am now on any given winter weekend morning.

 

 

Who get's up at 5am anyways. And I can't believe you're pushing 50 old feller.

 

Fished a couple days last year around -30. Not worth it Dan, I agree. About the coldest I'd go tolerate is around 25 below... but even that's not all that enjoyable unless you're into fish one after another to stay warm. Don't much like huts.

 

Do you get out at all come March when some days get into the plus??? Those days -10C and warmer are the absolute best.

[bpsbassman]

Pushing 50 years of age now, I'd rather be in a nice warm bed at 5 am

 

That was a great read Dan.

Thanks