Another Angle

Now lets talk my favorite to sum this up (then I'll write more again soon).

Ice Fishing - I have such fond memories of ice fishing.  I remember gong with Paul Wilcox and catching a pail full of blue gills, then bringing them home and filling up the bath tub (per Paul's suggestion) and watching them all come to life.  Then I watched my Mom scream.  This was almost as much fun as the frogs we used to put in her laundry tub.  Anyways, I love to ice fish!  Typically my Dad would take us out on the snowmobile with a sled behind it with all we needed.  For panfish and perch, I still prefer what my Dad started me with and that's a Schooley 1321 ice rod and reel combo.  It comes rigged and ready to go, which Moms and Dads alike love!  I use either K&E moon glitter jigs or of course Catchmore ice jigs.  All our Catchmore ice jigs come with #8 hooks unless we make them special, so I use a #12 or #14 K&E moon glitter when fishing for panfish and a #68 or #1 Catchmore ice jig to get the big catches!  I tip all with my bait of choice, wax worms.  Ice fishing produces fish and they taste sooo... much better through the ice!  The fillets are firmer and cleaner!  Anyways, I use a Strikemaster Mag III 8 1/4" to make my holes, lets face it I'm 43, I don't want to do the hand auger thing anymore.

I normally drill 6 holes because I like to move around.  I sell thousands of depth finders a year and many people use them to find the bottom and know where to set their bobber.  Yet I prefer, my Dad's method he taught me.  Put it down, below the ice, not to the bottom though.  If you don't get a bite, let more line out.  If you don't get a bite, reel more line in.  Check your bait.  Move to another hole.  Simple, if you aren't getting a bite do something!  I can't say I've never used a depth finder, I have and do occasionally, but I still choose to do what I was taught — feel it!  My pole stays in my hand, I never use my reel it's hand over fist and back down for the next one.

I'm glad my Dad taught me to fish especially to ice fish.  I'm all for taking kids fishing, I do all the time.  Parents need to teach their kids to fish, to hunt and to enjoy the simple things in life not to survive like people used to — yet to survive!   Yes I still believe that's true.  Forget taking time to smell the roses, what about time to fish, hunt, enjoy the great outdoors!  People who stay inside get bored — outdoorsmen are never bored!  I'm convinced they live longer because they get away from it all (for a minute they think they're providing food for their family, they're survivors) I believe they are!

Diane Grapentin
President