Booked my first ice fishing trip!

[Shloim]

So next Friday is a PA day for my kids and my wife will be away. So why not take advantage of that? So I booked a hut with Tim Hale's on Simcoe for some Perch and hopefully a surprise or 2... Any tips on getting the kids into it? I won't say they aren't into it, but I'm afraid I'll like it and they will hate it... Suggestions folks? Besides the usually bribes of sugar and snacks. I hate to bring screens for them but if it gets me through the day....The kids are 11 and 13 years old.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Shloim

[Acountdeleted]

Years ago, my buddy had a girlfriend who was adamant that she did not want to go fishing. We brought her out in the hut and allowed her to bring her laptop and her sketch book as long as she gave ice fishing a try.

 

She didn't touch anything but the fishing rod that day.

 

Once the perch start schooling and hitting, make a little competition. First fish, biggest fish, most fish for the day. Competition gets everyone fired up about whatever it is they are doing.

 

For my buddy's girlfriend we also had her set up with a spring bobber and the flasher. Getting to watch stuff happen in real time can make the trip a lot more exciting.

 

Also, before the trip, be accepting of the fact that they may get bored or just not be interested. It may not happen, but if it does, it's easier to accept if you come to terms with it ahead of time.

 

Have fun.

[kenzy31]

Food and toys/games. Lots of both!! I try to have my kids leave the electronics at home or at least in the truck while we're fishing. Weather in the boat or on ice, I'd like to have their attention on the outdoors for at least a couple hours. They love to play in the snow, make snowmen, wander around to others and chat, see their fish, get minnows to play with, show them the perch and tell them the parts, name the fins, all that great stuff. Kids are like sponges, they love new experiences and mine just love spending dad time outdoors

[Old Ironmaker]

Booking there where pan fish are plentiful is a great idea. Depending on how old they are keeping a kids attention for longer than it takes to get from one television commercial to the next is a daunting task. Getting skunked is the worst thing that can happen to a youngster fishing, and adults. I have seen kids stare into a bucket with a perch or even minnows swimming in it for hours at a time. Bring a bucket.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Old Ironmaker

[Shloim]

Years ago, my buddy had a girlfriend who was adamant that she did not want to go fishing. We brought her out in the hut and allowed her to bring her laptop and her sketch book as long as she gave ice fishing a try.

She didn't touch anything but the fishing rod that day.

Once the perch start schooling and hitting, make a little competition. First fish, biggest fish, most fish for the day. Competition gets everyone fired up about whatever it is they are doing.

For my buddy's girlfriend we also had her set up with a spring bobber and the flasher. Getting to watch stuff happen in real time can make the trip a lot more exciting.

Also, before the trip, be accepting of the fact that they may get bored or just not be interested. It may not happen, but if it does, it's easier to accept if you come to terms with it ahead of time.

Have fun.

Good advice! They love a little competition.... and I'll hide a couple of screens just in case. Plus out of no where my 11 year old daughter says she's excited about going ice fishing. Yay! "Point dad"!!! Edited January 15, 2017 by Shloim

[mike rousseau]

Lots of snacks

 

And maybe take a break from the fishing for a bit to mix it up

[Tjames09]

So next Friday is a PA day for my kids and my wife will be away. So why not take advantage of that? So I booked a hut with Tim Hale's on Simcoe for some Perch and hopefully a surprise or 2... Any tips on getting the kids into it? I won't say they aren't into it, but I'm afraid I'll like it and they will hate it... Suggestions folks? Besides the usually bribes of sugar and snacks. I hate to bring screens for them but if it gets me through the day....The kids are 11 and 13 years old.

 

Good luck! The fishing was pretty bad yesterday (Sunday the 15th). We only caught 2 perch and the hut beside us caught zero. This is with Tim Hales. huts were about 20FOW. The fishing pressure in that area seems immense, tons of sleds, ATVs, probably over 100 huts in a really close area.

[adempsey]

Most of the time I see kids out, they are outside the huts playing in the snow. So, bring whatever for that.

[Chuck Enwinde]

A cheap tip up or two to set up outside the hut. Kids love running for flags - plus it gives them something else to keep an eye on.

[DanD]

When mine and my buddy's kids were young and got board of fishing; we had kites for them to fly. Costco used to (maybe still do?) sell kites in the shapes of sailing ships, race cars, by-planes you name it. Kids had a ball with them. When they got tired out, from all the running around, it was a bonus for us; they'd come back into the hut and peacefully fish. LOL

Out on the ice is the best place to fly a kite, there's always some form of wind and no trees or hydro wires to get hung up on.

We did tie off the tag end of the kite's string to the kid's wrist; there's no trees or hydro wires to get hung up on. LOL

 

Dan.

[Shloim]

When mine and my buddy's kids were young and got board of fishing; we had kites for them to fly. Costco used to (maybe still do?) sell kites in the shapes of sailing ships, race cars, by-planes you name it. Kids had a ball with them. When they got tired out, from all the running around, it was a bonus for us; they'd come back into the hut and peacefully fish. LOL

Out on the ice is the best place to fly a kite, there's always some form of wind and no trees or hydro wires to get hung up on.

We did tie off the tag end of the kite's string to the kid's wrist; there's no trees or hydro wires to get hung up on. LOL

 

Dan

Great idea, we have a millennium falcon kite that costco sold in stock!! That could be the game changer, Im worried the ice is going to be soaked though...

[DanD]

As long as the kids have a place to dry off and warm up; do you think it'll matter to them there's a bit of water on the ice? LOL

 

Dan

[Shloim]

As long as the kids have a place to dry off and warm up; do you think it'll matter to them there's a bit of water on the ice? LOL

 

Dan

I hope that's the case! as long as its safe everywhere. I also hope it wont be that busy as its a Friday. Because if they aren't biting, nobody will be happy.

[CJGuelph]

If you really want them to have a good time, I might consider an operator on cooks bay. I love fishing out of Beaverton, but when I took my kids it was always cooks bay. You may not hammer big fish, but I've never been skunked with the kids, and that is all that matter with the younger crowd!

[Headhunter]

Thermos of Hot Chocolate for the win!!!!!

HH

[GBW]

My kids are 13 and 10, they really liked the FishTV underwater camera just to look around with. If you don't have an underwater camera see if you can borrow one. Or a sonar at least. My camera is dead now but a decent sonar let's them see the fish too and makes it a "game"

[Shloim]

If you really want them to have a good time, I might consider an operator on cooks bay. I love fishing out of Beaverton, but when I took my kids it was always cooks bay. You may not hammer big fish, but I've never been skunked with the kids, and that is all that matter with the younger crowd!

So I've booked already with Tim Hale's, will one be heat much better than the other I wonder....

[Sinker]

Tim Hales is on fish. I was out in his area yesterday, on my own. You have no worries. If he gets guys not catching fish, he moves his set up....he was moving everything yesterday. He's in about 35ft of water now, 5km out. You should do well. Just minnows, small hooks, and light line is all you need. A basic drop shot rig is nice and easy for the kids to work with.

 

S.

[Tjames09]

Tim Hales is on fish. I was out in his area yesterday, on my own. You have no worries. If he gets guys not catching fish, he moves his set up....he was moving everything yesterday. He's in about 35ft of water now, 5km out. You should do well. Just minnows, small hooks, and light line is all you need. A basic drop shot rig is nice and easy for the kids to work with.

 

S.

 

He never moved our hut, we went out with him last Sunday. We were definitely not on fish. He checked in on us at 12 noon and we had only caught one fish. It seems like a massive job to move these huts as well though.

[GBW]

 

He never moved our hut, we went out with him last Sunday. We were definitely not on fish. He checked in on us at 12 noon and we had only caught one fish. It seems like a massive job to move these huts as well though.

You should have asked if he could move your hut to be honest. I would and have at other places "can I use that hut if nobody else is" were my exact words and was told "it's not been heated but go for it if you want".

Edited January 19, 2017 by GBW

[Old Ironmaker]

I see the "kids" are older than a bucket of minnows will keep them interested. Flying a kite is a fantastic idea. I might bring one for me when we go next month.

 

What about bringing one of those remote control cars to fly around the ice. I don't know if the other people out there may enjoy the sound or will the fish under the ice. Nope, terrible idea, better bring a nice quiet kite.

[Sinker]

 

He never moved our hut, we went out with him last Sunday. We were definitely not on fish. He checked in on us at 12 noon and we had only caught one fish. It seems like a massive job to move these huts as well though.

Its moved now. He was moving them yesterday. A few reports of guys not catching really hurts his business, so he does make an honest effort to keep fish under his huts. I had buddies out there on the same day you were and they reported slow fishing too.

 

S.

[Shloim]

His Facebook page has some happy folks with lots of fish as of yesterday. I'm going for it! I've got the kids interested, more borrowed gear than Ill likely know what to do with, Grilled cheese fixins and oodles of snacks and a kite... What could possibly go wrong????

[turtle]

Tim Hales is on fish. I was out in his area yesterday, on my own. You have no worries. If he gets guys not catching fish, he moves his set up....he was moving everything yesterday. He's in about 35ft of water now, 5km out. You should do well. Just minnows, small hooks, and light line is all you need. A basic drop shot rig is nice and easy for the kids to work with.

 

S.

I have an annual 2 day perch & party trip with a group booked at Hales for Jan 27-28th. How was the ice holding up when you were in the area yesterday.?

 

BTW over the years (more than 10) my catches there ranged from at 80-100 keeper perch biting all day long to only maybe 5 in a day and I'd like to think I know what I'm doing but no pro. Depends on the day. I agree generally bigger perch on average but lower numbers than Cooks Bay.

[Shloim]

It was a blast! My daughter caught 11 fish! Son caught plenty too, had a super day out in the ice. The huts were perfect, staff was awesome. Can't wait to go again! There was a 1/2" of water around the huts so the ice was slippery so there wasn't much running around to be done but a great day overall!!!