Are you having the itch?

[sunnyday]

I fish for pan fish/walleye and did pretty good last year for first timer. I have been having the itch, driving my wife crazy. I’m not much of an ice fishing person so 7-8 months without fishing is a long time. For now the closes thing to fishing is watch it on TV and reading about it here.

Am I the only fishing freak that’s feeling this way or are you like me? Maybe I can tell my wife it’s normal and I’m not the only one.

Can’t wait til the water opens.

[Renneberg]

I'm the same way sonnyday! I went out last week only to find that the river I was going to fish ways flooded. That did help much because now I'm really starting to go nuts!

If your looking to wet a line soon Trout season in wisconsin is open now. Minnesota is opening next weekend. Both are catch and release, but it will help calm you down until the walleye opener.

------------------
"Study to be quiet"

[lindy rig]

need a flea collar

[Crawlerman]

I got my first casts out the other day. Didn't catch anything of course....

Just tossed out a little crappie spinner on a lake that is about 30% ice free. Fish Lake in Eagan is completly ice free around the fishing pier, and you can cast off it The two main parts of the lake still have ice on them however but it may be ice free within the next week at this rate. It seems to be one of the very first to open up, as the DNR has several aerators on it (which I never understood WHY as the lake is over 35 feet deep.)

But at any rate even not getting a strike the sound of that distinctive whiiirrr-plop was good enough for me.

[wallyH]

I've had the itch for a couple of months now. Bought my first boat last spring but didn't get it till May 1st so miss the really early season.

I did get out this morning and drove down to Redwing for some trout stream fishing. Caught 15 trout and had about another dozen on that got off.

Ice should be off all the metro lakes in 2 weeks. Not too long to wait now.

Wally H

[Lost]

I've had the itch since the ice first formed. All winter long I was bargain shopping and piling up lures and soft plastics in my closet. I had to go get a new tackle box to store it in. I did enjoy the few times I was out ice-fishing but for me it doesn't compare to the open-water season.

I got out Friday with my girlfriends 6 yr old and went to Coon Rapids Dam and practiced casting (gotta get used to it again since it's been so long) with him. Of course, I was once told if you're gonna practice casting, do it with hook on line and into the water. That way, if you catch something during practice, you've got some added experience! I had two strikes at my tiny little Yozuri lure while reeling it back in. I can't wait until all the ice is gone and I can head out after work with the sun still shining.

[sunnyday]

Thanks yall. I feel a little better now and can tell my wife it's normal to feel this way. I bought a ton of new fishing equipment. Most importantly, I just bought my very first boat. Can't wait to take the boat out and try the new lures and jigs.

The funniest thing I over heard while shopping for new fishing equipment was the lures and jigs don't catch fish, they catch people. The truth is, they caught me and now I'm gonna prove it can catch a lot of fish.

Good luck everyone!

[This message has been edited by sonnyday (edited 03-28-2004).]

[Lost]

Hey Sonnyday! Welcome to the family of itchers! Where do you plan on taking your boat?

[hanson]

sonnyday,

You're getting excited for open water and I'm sad that icefishing is coming to an end. Its not over yet but the end is in sight. Drove the pickup out onto Lake of the Woods yesterday. Ice is still good but getting sloppy on top. My journal says we fished Red Lake this winter on Thanksgiving day. 8" of good ice. That's only 8 months away. Thats going to be a long 8 months.

[slick814]

The itch only gets worse when you've been able to ice fish for the past 6 months...
Personally, I try to help with the "disease" by getting the gear ready, maybe a trip to Cabela's, and finding the first open water I can find.. (the Mississippi is open, so is thr Rum.. )
Just to CAST into open water feels good at this point, but I can hardly wait for that day in May when I can go after some of those beautiful 'Eyes...

[Lunker]

Head to a river! I've been out the last 2 days. Lost a couple of fish with none landed, but its great to get out. And heck, they are bound to get hot one of these days, might as well try to be there when they do!

[Crawlerman]

What part of the river Lunker?

I've allways had problems getting ANYTHING from shore this time of year. That and It becomes too full of floating debree that one has a hard time keeping a set line down without something drifitng by and snagging it.

I know a friend who says he knows a few spots downtown Minneapolis, but I'd prefer to go somewheres it didn't take 3 hours to get to (traffic.. yesh) Didn't have to walk for 3 miles and feel the need to get a conceal and carry permit

I work very close to the Blackdog acess and I have heard of people catching stuff there this early, but I have yet to hook a single fish (any time of the year) from that spot. The Wakota acess and Harriet Island don't seem to really pick up untill the debree passes and the lakes are fully open.

[This message has been edited by Crawlerman (edited 03-28-2004).]