Surviving Minnesota!

[Cluckies]

Congrats on the nice fish @MinnesotaNice . They are beautiful!
The photo of the spear hole is great too. So Cool! My Dad used to set up Spear houses for Winter Resort guests. And when we didn't have customers he'd put each one of us girls in an dark house. Lots of fun for us it was. Watching that big hole was so mesmerizing. We'd have little wood stoves in there too...so it was always so cozy.

My Grandfather loved spearing too. In fact he didn't do much boat fishing but he was ALWAYS in the Spear house. He was half nuts about it and he'd be out on the ice testing it with a spud...way before he could get a house out. LOL. He'd pack lunches. Take naps in his house. It was his home away from home.
Great memories!


Ralphie: I as the main cooker in the house, dislike stuff on the dining table. And in the hallway. You should put it in the spare bedroom maybe? Maybe?

That way you can keep a REAL close eye on it all through the night.....

Hahaha!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Nice throwing!


I am amazed at the bass through the ice. I have to say I was skeptical, so I enlarged the bass to look for holes, I did not see any, That is amazing. I have never caught one through the ice. Winter bass taste great. Someone I know, said they "accidentally speared" one once, and I (hanging head in shame), ate a piece of it.


BTW I doubt it was accidental. I have seen tons of bass in my spear holes, they move so slow and lay on the bottom. So anyways That is an amazing catch in my book.


Do you mind saying where you were?

BTW my Mouth is watering looking at those Northerns!

Nope, no spear holes in him! Yeah, he was on the bottom similar to what you've seen. Came in and took my shiner. It always amazes me. The bass was Saturday.....on Sunday I watched a beautiful walleye come in and take my shiner. I had him up to the hole, but I slipped when I went to scoop it out of the water and it spit the hook with all the fumbling. I don't gaff them. I just sat there, hand in the water, heart beating a million beats per minute, and wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or cry. Ha hah! Oh well.....makes for a good story! As for spearing them, not worth the fine and losing all of my stuff. I have fished with folks that have "accidentally" speared bass and walleye as well. I've seen some very nice walleye come through the hole and I'm not gonna lie, my finger twitched on the spear. But, like I said, not worth it.

I was in Grand Rapids. My family has some land and a cabin up that way. Pokegama is my go to. Spider Lake is great for crappies this time of year as well. I'll be heading that way this wknd.

Congrats on the nice fish @MinnesotaNice . They are beautiful!
The photo of the spear hole is great too. So Cool! My Dad used to set up Spear houses for Winter Resort guests. And when we didn't have customers he'd put each one of us girls in an dark house. Lots of fun for us it was. Watching that big hole was so mesmerizing. We'd have little wood stoves in there too...so it was always so cozy.

My Grandfather loved spearing too. In fact he didn't do much boat fishing but he was ALWAYS in the Spear house. He was half nuts about it and he'd be out on the ice testing it with a spud...way before he could get a house out. LOL. He'd pack lunches. Take naps in his house. It was his home away from home.

That's very cool! Not many people get a chance to experience that with their father and grandfatheer, so what great memories to have. What's the spud testing? I actually learned how to spear from my Grandpa. I use his spear and decoy when not together. He's 88 and still spears, but I think it's something he really enjoys watching me do more so nowadays. He eagerly listens to all of my fish stories even though he's been doing it for 70 years himself.

Here's a few pictures of him and I spearing together last year. Look how much thicker the ice was!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Washing machine repair man was just here. Washing machine fixed and currently in use... Of course. I was informed my pump was shot.

He didn't mention this and I think I'll not mention it to DH but this wet broken chicken feather was lying on top of the machine after he left.

#dirtylittlechickensecrets

 

[Bogtown Chick]

In our family we call the long handled ice chisel that you test ice with or chop open holes with a spud. I'm gathering this may be just a family term and not a Minnesota term for that tool. Lol. @MinnesotaNice

 

[lvie]

Kloppers. Are you implying your sweet innocent pup had anything to do with the tree fainting? Her face looks pretty innocent to me. She is lucky it never fell on her.


Poor kittens, but a barn cat is a good cat. I kind of wish I had a barn cat or two.


Coffee, Let me give you another hint of what your housewarming gift(s) is/are.

They could all fit in your truck and might even enjoy sitting on your truck. You can get overalls on Ebay also, or Amazon, they are normally cheaper there than the stores. Being an old fat fart I love wearing them all the time. My grandpa use to wear them so I started wearing them as a joke on my daughter. I found them so comfortable and practical I wear them 90% of the time now.

They keep your Shirts clean. You do not have the plumber crack complications. When I come in I can take them off and I am clean enough to come in the house. They go over a pair of cut-offs or shorts in seconds. They are just great to wear. And the best thing is they are stylish as H- e Double hockey sticks!

Kloppers. Are you implying your sweet innocent pup had anything to do with the tree fainting? Her face looks pretty innocent to me. She is lucky it never fell on her.


Poor kittens, but a barn cat is a good cat. I kind of wish I had a barn cat or two.


Coffee, Let me give you another hint of what your housewarming gift(s) is/are.

They could all fit in your truck and might even enjoy sitting on your truck. You can get overalls on Ebay also, or Amazon, they are normally cheaper there than the stores. Being an old fat fart I love wearing them all the time. My grandpa use to wear them so I started wearing them as a joke on my daughter. I found them so comfortable and practical I wear them 90% of the time now.

They keep your Shirts clean. You do not have the plumber crack complications. When I come in I can take them off and I am clean enough to come in the house. They go over a pair of cut-offs or shorts in seconds. They are just great to wear. And the best thing is they are stylish as H- e Double hockey sticks!

I know! I know! Please can I answer this one?

 

[duluthralphie]

MinnesotaNice, I feel like you do on the "accidental spearing". Not worth the fine, Not worth losing 2-3 years of fishing privileges over a stupid fish.

I think it is great we can now fish in a dark house. When I was a kid we were not allowed to have a hook in the spear house. It was a huge no-no.


I like angling out of a dark house almost as much as spearing. Even sunnies are fun. I watch them go towards the hook, then back off, I find myself rooting for the fish to bite the hook. You learn so much about fish behavior through a spear hole.

Bummer on the walleye, I can imagine how fast your heart was beating having watched him enter the hole and finally take the hook. I have a small fly fishing type net I use when I fish in a dark house. It is pain but better than trying to grab a slimey fish.


I think you are right on the name "spud" BC, I had never heard them called that until you did, but I knew right away what you meant. I always use one or a single bladed axe on thinner ice. I have heard the term "spud used to mean solid down riggers like a spear though. For anchoring a boat or dock.


Are you sure the pump did not work once the mystery feather was removed? Some repairmen lie once in a while. Sort of like fisherman.

Minnesotanice You are so lucky to have a Grandpa at 88 that can still spear and fish! I hope I can do that with my grandkids in 25 more years! My grandpa lived to be 97 so there is hope.


Your family cabin is not that far from Togo, You will have to come further north and I will show you a real Northern lake. It is about 4 miles from our lake. I wish I had a cabin on it, northern are my favorite fish to catch and eat. If you want to find the lake on your own, go north to Effie turn towards Togo and when your get to the road turn north, then east then north then south.

 

[lvie]

This is the rooster.

Ed. I have had him about a year now, I did not have any hens for him.








None of these pictures do him justice but he is a great rooster. He is not really into my taking pictures of him.

This is the rooster.

Ed. I have had him about a year now, I did not have any hens for him.








None of these pictures do him justice but he is a great rooster. He is not really into my taking pictures of him.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The rooster that is. I love looking at the hens also. Simply gorgeous. Jealous me.

 

[duluthralphie]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The rooster that is. I love looking at the hens also. Simply gorgeous. Jealous me.

Thanks and he is the perfect gentlemen to the ladies too.

But I cannot take any credit for him, EJB raised him and taught him everything Ed knows.


EJB where did you get the partridge chanticleer from, just curious because to my untrained eye they are perfect?




When you see chanticler spelled like that Spellcheck did it not me!

 

[lvie]

Once I get my farm I am going to get into some serious poultry farming!

Hmmmm - more chickens? I wonder if the DH would build a second run/coop? Maybe I should just stay with the different coop layout I want in the present run. . . .
Need to think about this carefully before I spill the apples out of the cart.

 

[lvie]

WOW You got retirement tickets too? I am assuming I have won already, because I deserve it. Then I can spend a week playing Alabama or Britain.....

WOW You got retirement tickets too? I am assuming I have won already, because I deserve it. Then I can spend a week playing Alabama or Britain.....

WE could ALL win on this lottery and still come out wwwaaayyy ahead. Then I would buy a farm! LOL! My DH would want some to build his 'shack' in Aitkin.

RALPHIE - Are you going to sell chicks from that roo and the new hens. Please put me on the list if you are.