Safety First

There is nothing more exciting than the anticipation of getting out on new "first " ice. But with that anticipation comes some risks. Most of us that love this season, will follow the standard of 4 inches of black ice, before heading out for the first time. Sometimes we get so excited we forget to properly prepare. There are two pieces of equipment - gear that you shouldn't be without. In this blog, I am going to talk about just one.

The first is relatively cheap, but vital......Ice Cleats.  They come in every shape, size and configuration.......which reminds me of a story! A couple of years ago we hit the ice on just such a day. New, hard, glass like ice. As much as I hated to slow down, I forced myself to take the time to put on my cleats, as did two others in our group. One guy didn't, however. He wanted on the ice now!
We began drilling, and setting up our tip ups. Fred (not his real name) was busy setting his third tip up, having already baited up two. Suddenly we heard a YELP! As I looked
back, all I could see were feet.......actually, just the bottoms of feet. I was immediately struck with this thought........Why did Fred decide to lay down on the ice and make Snow Angels??

He was down and he was out, literally! We rushed over to insure that he was ok, and after several tense seconds, he began to move again. We quickly went into medical examination mode and asked Fred how many fingers we were holding in front of his face. When he answered 17......we knew we had a problem.

Now, I am not sure that what we did next was appropriate, but those of you who have fished for a long time, would have done exactly the same........we went over to his first tip up and brought in his first fish for the day. He WAS sitting up! One member of the group felt we should take him to the Emergency Room, to which we readily agreed, as long as it wasn't any of us that had to leave the ice. We looked around and no one else was volunteering either.

By now, Fred(still not his real name), was on  his feet stumbling around. Obviously, he was going to be alright. Well......he stayed out with us all day, caught a ton of fish, but didn't really remember. Being good guys, we told him he did indeed catch "2" fish that day!

I have made light of what could have been disastrous, but in reality worked out fine. The point is...........he never went out again without being foot prepared.
Guys, we don't get that many opportunities in a season. We cannot waste them by taking unnecessary chances. Let's all be safe out there!


I remain


Coldfinger

About Me

Fisherman, father, husband, educator - I have been called many things but here I am known as Coldfinger.  If you are familiar with ice fishing then this will make complete sense.  If you are not yet a believer, then you have come to the right place.  We will teach you what you need to know to make the best of your days (and nights) on the ice.  Along the way we will share our stories and generally making this a fun destination for your ice fishing needs.  

Some have asked, how do you expect to talk about ice fishing when there is no ice to fish.  In a word, I don't know (I know that was three words, but give a guy a break).  Sure not having ice can make ice fishing difficult, but there are two seasons to ice fishing as far as I am concerned.  There is the pre-season (or post-season) and then there is ice fishing season.  Prior to having ice and following the last vestiges of the the cold stuff can involve purchasing, maintaining and repairing equipment and of course telling the tales from the season.

I don't plan to necessarily share my secret fishing holes (what fun would that be for me), but I do plan to share how to make the most of your time on the ice and finding the best places where you live to drop a jig.  Follow the journey and see where it leads.  

Coldfinger

Getting Ready to Enjoy Another Winter

I know that this fall has been disappointing due to the wild weather swings.  I have a good feeling our luck is about to change.  I know if you are reading this then you will agree with me.  I have a standing gift from my wife every year.  That is a new fishing license for the new year.  One year she forgot to get me one and I can assure you, it was not the Merriest of Christmas on record.  It resolved itself, but if you are asked about a last minute gift then a new license is a great one.

Now on to business.  I have been cleaning my tip-ups this week.  Making sure all of the line is restrung and replaced as needed.  I have charged my fish finder, sharpened by auger blades and stocked my shelter.  I have even put new tires on the truck so that I don't have any last minute accidents.  The last thing you need is to have a flat at 5am on the first day of fishing.  I will be scouting out the best spots this week and next and checking with my network of like-minded ice fishermen.  Do you have any items in your kit that maybe the rest of us could benefit from or use (with permission of course)?  Any suggestions that help all of us will make this sport even more enjoyable.


Coldfinger

Why are we here?

You may have heard about ice fishing, but really weren't sure how to get started.  Maybe you are an experienced warm weather fisherman and wanted to try something for the rest of the year.  More than likely you fall somewhere in between.  I am a real life fisherman (year round thank you) and I have a passion for ice fishing.  This site was created to allow me to share my knowledge and experiences and of course my tall tales.  

We can go on this journey together and I welcome the interaction of the ice fishing community.  As we move forward it is my hope that we will all learn something (myself included) and maybe develop some fishing buddies.  I enjoy the time on the ice for what it is, but as you may all understand my wife would prefer that I have a buddy with me for safety.  This is obviously a great idea (maybe later I will share why this is such a good idea based upon my personal experiences).  Anyway, here you are and I can't wait for the fish fry.


Coldfinger