Love Ice Fishing or Meh?

[Vollmer]

Do you really love ice fishing or do you only do it because that's all there is at this time of year? Would you rather be in a boat?

Poll above

 

[guywhofishes]

My bar is pink. Figures.

 

[DirtyMike]

My bar is pink. Figures.

Woman

 

[Fishmission]

Used to prefer boat fishing but with todays technology/comforts on the ice, I have turned peach.

 

[guywhofishes]

Past 50 it just starts getting tougher to get out on ice. I think most guys get older and move to permanents - but unless you live near good water it's impractical. Seems like it to me anyway. Flooding, storms, melts.... Gives me heebie jeebies thinking of the stress. I have the $$, afraid of the stress.

 

[tikkalover]

I like them both, but with boat fishing all my fishing stuff is in the boat. Hook it up and go, with ice fishing have to pile everything in the pickup and unpack it when done.

 

[Sum1]

Really the only eeason I ice fish anymore is cause the kids like it so much. If it wasn't for them I'd find other outdoorsy things to do.

 

[shorthairsrus]

I like boat fishing in heat. 100 fish days. Sun shining Busch lights in the cooler shorts tshirt all a guy needs. If we had sunny 30 degree days with no wind ice fishing would rate. But most of the time it's $Hitty 50mph wind snow blowing

 

[lunkerslayer]

The first time I saw the fl18 vex turn completely red on the bottom zoom, and thought my vex was broke. Then I realized to was a school of perch stacked, :;:rockit so many perch 100 would be easy in a day. Being able to follow the school and watching them get lock jaw, like last winter almost makes a man want to have a rummage sale.;:;bangheadIt is easier to ice troll for big eye balls if you don't have a boat.

 

[KDM]

I like muddin' the most by a large margin, but that wasn't one of the options. There's just something peaceful about standing on a river bank, just you, the river, and the critters that live there.

 

[raider]

Past 50 it just starts getting tougher to get out on ice. I think most guys get older and move to permanents - but unless you live near good water it's impractical. Seems like it to me anyway. Flooding, storms, melts.... Gives me heebie jeebies thinking of the stress. I have the $$, afraid of the stress.

bout 15 years ago i lived 350 miles away and dad and i had a big ol permanent on sak... tshtf (big storm) and i couldn't get back b4 it to get the house off... after 2 death defying acts trying to get it off, g&f burned it down bout a month later...

have had an ice castle and a zack shack since, but never got past the one we lost i guess... western nodak with the warmer temps and wind make it too sketchy for me anymore... if i was east where you get enough ice to get bigger equipment on the ice if you have to, probably be a different deal...

if i make a return to ice fishing, it will be a snowbear that i can easily manage myself, and be in the driveway when i'm not in it...

 

[Captain Ahab]

If there was good ice and never any snow to get stuck in or create slush pockets, ice fishing would move up my list. I have spent quite a few days wishing I would have just stayed on the couch when ice fishing. That happens very rarely in the boat or on the bank.

 

[Rustywaterdogs]

I would much rather be ice fishing. There's just something about watching a mark come in on the vex.

 

[nytebyte]

I like both but if I had to fish outside in the winter I would stay home. Sitting inside of a permanent is almost like sitting at home on the couch so figure I might as well be out on the ice trying to catch a fish.

 

[camoman]

New to ice fishing, so it's a little more interesting for me at this point. Did a ton of boat fishing growing up, but can't seem to catch fish like that anymore. Kind of a horse a piece deal.

 

[Account Deleted]

Fishing is just that thing I do between hunting seasons to pass the time.

 

[Brian Renville]

I like muddin' the most by a large margin, but that wasn't one of the options. There's just something peaceful about standing on a river bank, just you, the river, and the critters that live there.

This exactly.

 

[Joe]

If it wasn't for the fact that there is nothing to do during the three worst months in North Dakota, I would probably never bother. Other than a lack of bugs, and the ability to watch football and sit inside a warm camper while pretending to fish. There is no real advantage ice fishing has over a boat. Prep time is longer, moving to different spots is nearly impossible and requires an hour of take down and set up, cold is harder to deal with than heat, fish are lethargic in the winter, and everything ice fishing related is so damn expensive. What was once the sport for the poor man, enjoys a 200-300% mark up if there is even a hint the product might be used for ice fishing.

Then you have the set up time, and God forbid if you have move. 9 times out of ten if the fish aren't biting I might finish watching the game and head in. Unless I'm fishing with someone that really wants to move, will I bother changing spots. With the boat, it is just so easy. Raise the trolling motor, start the main motor, and a minute later you are in a new spot. Ice fishing takes a minimum of 30 minutes to pack, drive to an accessible spot, waste another 30 minutes setting up. And it is always for nothing.

One of my favorite fishing trips this year was in September. We were heading to Vegas, but the plane didn't leave until 4. So my brother and I jumped in the boat at around ten and by one had our limit. Then we ran to the airport to get on the plane. Just a fun filled day. There is no way you can plan an ice fishing trip like that.

 

[Fisherman25]

Past 50 it just starts getting tougher to get out on ice. I think most guys get older and move to permanents - but unless you live near good water it's impractical. Seems like it to me anyway. Flooding, storms, melts.... Gives me heebie jeebies thinking of the stress. I have the $$, afraid of the stress.

Insure it and if something happens you're covered.

On your line of thought with modern tech, with all the tracked vehicles and quads now, you can get them off the lake. If you're worried about melt due to upcoming temps, you just pull it off.

 

[raider]

the other thought i've had is if i continue to slum it in a sub 40k floater, and find a used snobear for bout 40, i'm into a 11 month scenario for a spincter tightening 80k, the cost of a new taco'ed up ranger...

that is my some day plan...