How do you do it

[Omahayank]

Yes Woodsman, I know this itch!!! I've just made a slush scoop w/sheet rubber and a wooden handle (so it'll float. A buddy lost his steel scoop down the hole last year)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/omahayank/4101814562/


Oh JMark, look into "Life in AK". There are all sorts of unique daily life things that astound the rest of us.
Common neighborhood themes in the US (for high $ houses) is to have the neighborhood layed out around a golf course, or a (man-made) lake.
In AK a (common?) neighborhood design is a layout around a central runway and each house has a garage big enough for a plane with cars under the wings. And traffic rules for cars and plane on the same streets.

Life in AK astounds me too.
Nelson

[barbelblanker]

At first I thought "what the heck is this guy from Newcastle on about , ice fishing".
THEN I remember last January where the canal round here was locked solid for at least two weeks.


They say the first step to becoming an ex-drunk is admiting to yourself you have a problem ,

so I am now repeating the phrase

"My Name is Pete and I am a nit picking a@@ehole".

Personally speaking I would NEVER walk on the ice in the UK anyway as I just don't think it get cold enough here to form strong enough . Cutting holes in it to fish with concussing all the fish though , that's worth a tip or two.

Back across the pond or even to the north east for some more answers I reckon.

[barbelblanker]

I am also NOT a spell checker user, I meant NOT concussing the fish.

[Omahayank]

The way I understand it, is you don't get good ice because of the Gulf stream and that's also why you get soo much fog. Here in Nebraska is had to get colder than a witch's &@()%$ for the ice to get thick enough to fish. Double before I'll haul my fat a$$ out there.
2" or less - STAY OFF
4" - Ice fishing or other activities on foot
5" - Snowmobile or ATV
8" - 12" - Car or small pickup
12" - 15" - Medium truck

Good info can be had at sites like (northern) State's governing bodies for fishing (& hunting) NE calls theirs "Game and Parks Dept." MN calls theirs "Dept. of Natural Resources"

Here: http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/...ng/icefish.asp and http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/thickness.html

[deekaye]

Ice fishing is a great. Get out a minnow from the bait bucket, bait the hook, and put the line into the water, with the flag attached to tip-up when you get a bite. Get it out of the water like pulling in a regular fish. If you have trouble getting the fish up through the hole, then use the gaff hook to make sure you don't lose it.

[Omahayank]

Originally Posted by Woodsman

Omahayank how disappointingly wrong you are re: ice forming. Warm spell passing though for the last 5 days. Yesterday hit 18C or 64F. Average temperature forecast for the next week is 12C or 54F. Water temps have to cool at least 11C or 20F before ice will form.
The ice fishing itch has really got me scratching. I can't wait as it's the best fishing of the year.
Rick

I really blew it this year Woodsman!! Procrastinated too long....ice is looong gone. Didn't get out once!!! Do:{

[barbelblanker]

And don't throw dynamite when you've got you dawg on the pickup truck ? Does anyone have an authenticated police report for that urban myth ? (The one about the guy who is trying to blow a big hole in the ice, lights the dynamite, throws it and his dog fetchs it and runs under the pickup).

[Omahayank]

It's prob a farce but it had to get a start from some grain of truth??
check out Snopes.com= http://www.snopes.com/critters/cruelty/dynamite.asp

[geffski]

Originally Posted by barbelblanker

And don't throw dynamite when you've got you dawg on the pickup truck ? Does anyone have an authenticated police report for that urban myth ? (The one about the guy who is trying to blow a big hole in the ice, lights the dynamite, throws it and his dog fetchs it and runs under the pickup).

fantastic!

[BigBassBobbi]

I love ice fishing...After getting through the ice it is pretty simple. You throw a minnow on your hook, sit in a nice little hut, and wait for the fish to start biting, hook one, reel it in, and repeat :)