Devouring a winter ritual with fare-weather friends
Ice fishing season is a very special time of the year for me.
I vividly remember the late Chuck Kempf scooting across the ice on his snowmobile during a bone-chilling winter evening.
He had strapped a cooler to the back of the machine, which was loaded with huge hamburgers wrapped in double sheets of aluminum foil. This special concierge service was destined to arrive at his semi-permanent ice shanty erected on Petite Lake.
Roger and I were in that wooden shanty and were focused on catching walleyes through the ice. Having a heated structure like this was pure luxury, and the camaraderie within is always fantastic.
Kempf made sure we had enough rations to last through the long, hard, cold winter evening. There were a couple of hamburgers each for the two of us, plus french fries, extra hot sauce and some soft drinks.
And here it is, almost mid-December and our local ice- angling scene has kicked off in high gear. I know that to be so because Wayne Krcmar hit the dinner bell this week, and I of course saw fit to celebrate the official opening of the season by paying him a visit.
I've known Wayne for around three decades, and he is a one-man promotion team for the Fox River and the piscatorial bounty it offers.
Of course, lots of people know Wayne as the man behind the mahogany while operating Herman's Low-Life Bar and Grill in Port Barrington (847-639-9644, Nielsen's Channels).
The “Channels” usually are the first places where ice fishing starts by providing safe ice, and once the word gets out, hundreds of eager anglers flock to Wayne's establishment to begin their annual ritual.
The fishing is great, and so is Wayne's menu.
The routine is easy to handle. We go out on the ice, catch a bunch of bluegills and crappies, and then come in to the bar to find out what Wayne is serving.
Mind you, there are no white tablecloths at this joint. Paper napkins fit the bill. But the quality of cuisine is superb, and those of us sitting at the bar often find ourselves drooling while waiting for Wayne to slap the bowls and plates down in front of us.
You haven't experienced life until you've sampled his renowned chili. His hamburgers and cheeseburgers loaded with a slice of either raw or grilled onion are enough to make a grown man ooh and ahh.
And then there's Wayne's famous biscuits and gravy, a delight that could very well drive a cardiologist to fits. But who cares, right? Once or twice a year couldn't hurt that much.
Of course an ice-fishing story wouldn't be complete unless I included Green Acres Mike and his humongous sandwiches. By the way, Green Acres will be on hand again at America's Outdoor Show in Rosemont, cooking onstage and giving samples to the audience (Jan. 26-30).
A Green Acres fishing meal is often as big as an inner tube. He starts with a huge roll and then “injects” ham, turkey, roast beef, onions, several kinds of cheese, tomatoes, peppers, mustard, mayo, and maybe some mystery meat as a special surprise.
Even if I only consume half a sandwich, my dinner plans for the next three days go on hold.
Like many others who head for the ice around here, I have a wonderful ice tent, heater, heavy boots and clothing along with heavy gloves, a Thermos of coffee, a Vexilar sonar unit, ice auger, and a small tackle box loaded with an assortment of jigs and spoons.
I'm often asked why I partake in this wintertime sport instead of heading south to the warm water of the Florida Keys.
For me, the answer to that constantly asked question is easy. I like the solitude when I'm on the ice, and I certainly crave the foodstuffs that go along with the entire ritual. Pass the hot sauce, please.
&bul;Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@att.net, and catch his radio show 6-7 a.m. Sundays on WSBC 1240-AM.