Rembering the old times

[Big Cliff]

I was sitting here reading all the posts on ice fishing and looking at all the gear that everyone is hauling out with them. I got thinking back to when I was in my mid 20s and living in French River. A 12hp Elan was a luxury, no augers, a homemade ice chisle (spud), and a tree branch was our goto  rod. We didn't have ice huts, a couple of poles stuck in the ice with a tarp to break the wind if anything. Pretty basic but we did catch a lot of fish 😊

Mind you, back then we could build a fire out on the ice, we didn't have to trailer our machines to get to the lake, and the only time you saw anyone else is if you happened to be fishing together. 

[AKRISONER]

The pressure on our lakes is higher than ever, but luckily conservation awareness is becoming more prevalent especially with the younger crowd. 
 

most young anglers I know these days might keep one to eat if that and the rest go back. Anything big is almost never kept. These efforts being made are allowing our fisheries to still seemingly hold up to the increase in pressure we see.

[LostAnotherOne]

40 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

The pressure on our lakes is higher than ever, but luckily conservation awareness is becoming more prevalent especially with the younger crowd. 
 

most young anglers I know these days might keep one to eat if that and the rest go back. Anything big is almost never kept. These efforts being made are allowing our fisheries to still seemingly hold up to the increase in pressure we see.

I wonder how crowded the lakes would be now without technology.  Every kid now seems stuck inside playing vids.  I cant even remember the last time seeing kids playing hockey outside.  Good times for sure.  I might be off on this one, but I always thought that some of these smaller lakes where back in the day got overfished and everything was kept are starting to make a comeback.  

[John]

I remember a different type of fishing but the fun was just the same. Every day that I could skip school I was down by the river. Fishing for browns during the day and camped out all night catching eels. When winter came the grayling appeared and when the river was flooded I took the train to the coast (about 20 min) and fished cod off the beaches and piers.

Fishing gear was expensive, at least for a teen. My total collection was a 10.5' glass rod (metal ferrules), a 5 weight 8' fly rod with cheap reel and a 12' glass surfcasting rod. I remember saving up to buy my first fixed spool reel a Mitchell 300. Used if for float fishing and bottom fishing.

Acquired lots of expensive gear over the years but didn't really catch more fish. Just had to work harder for what I did catch..