The cold facts to embracing ice fishing

A leftover e-mail surfaced again while cleaning out files from my in-box.

Greg H., a reader from Elgin, contends I'm more than a bit balmy when it comes to ice fishing.

"I know you are a big fan of getting out on frozen lakes and doing your thing in the winter. But in my opinion you and your ice pals are nuts," he declared.

Since we are on the cusp of winter, I will rise to the occasion and state my case again.

Before I made the investment in the heavy clothing, boots, gloves, ice tent, auger, fish-finder, etc., I was dubious about spending any amount of time on the ice.

When I lived in Minnesota and was invited for a weekend of ice fishing on Lake Mille Lacs I would be tucked in to a permanent, wooden building the size of a backyard shed. These shelters had bunk beds, cook stove and heater, and enough insulation to ward off the 35-below weather.

And then I became totally immersed, so to speak, in the local ice fishing scene. I figured since I no longer tied skis to my feet I would invest in a portable ice shelter, heater, power auger and all the other accoutrements need to make a day or night on the ice tolerable. And I quickly discovered it was more than just tolerable, but rather extraordinary.

Vexilar came out with its super-flasher sonar, making fish locating much easier.

Ice guru Dave Genz taught me it was useless to stay in one location for very long unless I located a decent school and they were going for the ice jigs.

Today's portable ice shelters assemble in seconds, and once I become ensconced in my tent it's just a matter of minutes before my portable heater makes it toasty.

The main key to successful ice fishing is to keep moving until you strike it rich. And in many instances I'm searching for bluegills and crappies. When I'm in Wisconsin or Minnesota I will search out walleye and lake trout, but my main quest if for those good-tasting panfish.

I realize that even with all of the conveniences there are many who still balk at stepping out on to a frozen lake.

I remember a soft-water fishing pal named Rich who trembled when he accompanied me on frozen Petite Lake. He turned around and ran off the lake. Many people hold to the premise that the ice will crack under their weight, but in reality 4-5 inches of ice will safely support a small vehicle like an ATV.

The allure of ice fishing for me is not just the locating and catching, but also the community. It used to be that five or six guys would get together and form a semicircle. The chatter between tents was endless. The ribbing was a constant element injected to almost every outing.

And on the days when the wind wasn't too bad someone would bring a deep fryer on to the ice and we would cook a turkey breast and have a feast.

Here in the rust belt, even though we are exposed to bone-chilling cold mixed with ice and snow, we can be comfortable ice fishing with friends on a nearby lake or pond. And when the adventure stretches into the nighttime hours I'm usually treated to a spectacular sky show of planetary sparklers and shooting stars.

If that isn't enough to interest Greg and anyone else, then stay inside and play solitaire.

angler88@att.net.