Any hard water freaks here?

[Dchicken207]

Ice fishing anyone? No pics of me but here is my buddy and his kid aka the pickerel poacher from yesterday...

 

[PollyC]

I go icefishing all the time. I caught some pickerel the last time I went that went about 3-4 pounds. Brought them home and made fish cakes with them. Have had quite a bit of luck catching Brookies and salmon. Where do you do your fishing? Have been doing the smelting thing lately.

 

[3forfree]

At least you have ice to fish on, temps here are supposed to be in the 50's. Good luck and be safe.

 

[itsy]

AWESOME! I thought this thread was going to be something about keeping snails in fishtanks......

Never been ice fishing and I'd love to try it. When we moved up here, we were told that there are tons of ice fishing contests....but it's been too warm for anything to really freeze over.

 

[PollyC]

Where are you located, we have plenty of ice and alot of fishing derbies going on. Ice fishing is a great way to enjoy the winter. Of course the rain is not helping but it eventually freezes to make more ice. I know some of the bigger lakes like Sebago always have trouble with not enough ice but I don't fish there. I am hoping to get out and fish later this week.

 

[PollyC]

Sorry, I just noticed you are in New York.

 

[itsy]

Yup, New York on the foot of the Catskills. When we moved here, we were told to prepare for a really cold/snowy winter, but have been fortunate that it hasn't been too bad. Definitely no ice fishing!

What kinds of fish do you ice fish for?

 

[Ole and Lena]

Ja, ve do plenty ice feeshing up here in da Nort Voods dontcha know. Only Swedes, Norwegians and Finns would cross a thousand of miles of the best farmland in the world to get to gravelly, clay, rock riddled, soggy bottom lake country to settle and then lie about it being mosquito infested 3 months, frozen wasteland the other 9 just to keep everyone else away.

Been catching lots of sunnies and crappies 9-14", a few walleyes, and some Northern Pike that could eat those pickerel for lunch. We've had decent walking ice since early Dec, just starting to drive large pickups out around here. Been a lot of ATVs and light trucks through the ice this winter though. Very poor freezeup this year. Hoping to get up north and chase some rainbows or Lakers later in Feb if we get some snow for the machines.

Itsy, if you ever get some ice, you'll have to try ice fishing. You can do it with as little as a can of waxworms, a short jigstick (use a small spinning reel from one of your summer rods), a hand auger (borrowing works), and a few small jigs. This will get you started for trout or panfish. It's a great excuse to get outside and drink some beer.

 

[PollyC]

I have been catching Brookies, Salmon, Pike, Browns, Pickerel and white perch. We have alot of fun icefishing and my grandkids enjoy it also. Lately have been doing alot of smelting since the season is usually short, seems this yeaar the weather has been having an effect on the smelts, not getting what we usually catch. But for what it costs us to go I figure I can't go to the movies for that price.

 

[Dchicken207]

Pollyc- we do most of are fishing in southern Maine. Here are a few Pike from yesterday.