Good and Bad

[delcecchi]

As for realizing that it happens to everyone, I just look at the results of some of the tournaments.   Like the walleye tourneys on Vermilion, where I mostly fish.   Look at all the results.   Those guys are typically pretty good and avid fishermen and a good portion of them with have only a couple fish or so fishing hard for two days.  I bet the big time pro tournements are the same if you look and the middle on down.

[Tom Sawyer]

12 hours ago, Borch said:

It gets real easy to fish those lakes and spots that usually produce. But then you never get to find new spots. 

 Yes!!! Win, loose, or draw; the trill of the hunt, and putting pieces together of an ever changing puzzle is what calls me to the sport. I rarely sit on a bucket in a community hole. Actually I rarely sit on a bucket at all. Those that know me, find me very intense, and detail orientated, and always up for a challenge. 

 

 

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[IceHawk]

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

to me that’s the deal. Did I have fun?  I will stop when it’s not fun. More than likely the body will want to quit before the heart. Photography is another hobby I really enjoy so I like to post pics on here.  I miss the photo stuff that used to happen on the other site. Fun times and another hobby that a person is always learning. Tomorrow morning is surgery time and I sure hope I can do some reeling in by opener but will survive if it’s longer. I hope to see pics of fish on here. Rick G has laughed at grandpa a few times as I am laying on the ice trying to get a nice shot of a fish. Lol. Easy to get down but hard to get back up. It’s fun, I enjoy it, so I do it.

Agree 100% Having fun is what its all about Good or Bad . If we didn't have fun out there and It was a negative we sure wouldn't do it would we.  Fun in todays outdoor world has really changed and has a different definition for everyone. Good - For some including me  time spent on water ice with the right group of people sharing laughs, smiles memories, and a good shore lunch is the right combination. Some its the new thing Ice camping with different groups of people. Others it's sitting back shooting a few whiskeys and couple cases of beer.  The Bad- Unfortunately we all run into those anglers guides out there where the whole program is the about me concept.  We've all ran into them and know a few of them. Its the angler guide who will do whatever it takes to look like that ice fishing hero. Courtesy is not  there priority. There the ones who jump in your holes, setup right next to you, give you a stink eye, act like they own the place. Lastly that guy that sees you do all the groundwork find the fish and the next day he's sitting right on that school you worked your tail off to find. I. Yes we all like to see the Good reports and we post them with our pics but maybe we as anglers need to post some of our Bad days. Those butt kicking days where we pounded 100 plus holes and ice couple 6 inchers LOL! Do we take pics of those and post them? We probably could all learn from that post why things didn't work that day.  Was it weather, lures ,location etc. I guess I'm a guy that likes to learn and become better,  as I'm sure others do as well. I like to read good info tips what worked  etc with Fish pics. I am trying to make it a habit to add something of substance with my pics. I guess I don't want to be labled and put into that Bad catergory, The look at me Angler 

Edited February 9, 2020 by IceHawk

[eyeguy 54]

But you gots such a pretty face.

[IceHawk]

You got a man crush on me And here I thought you were fishing so close to me to catch fish LOL! Good luck on your surgery hope all goes well. 

[eyeguy 54]

Thx.

[Rick]

Good luck on your surgery Royce.

 

And I absolutely love the photos. 

[Wanderer]

Best of luck with your surgeries @eyeguy 54 and @Mike89 !  +1 hoping for a speedy recovery!

 

Been up off and on this morning since 2 am.  Any time I wake up I flick the sonar on to see if anything is down there and I keep a few jig set ups ready to roll.  
 

 

No, my wife didn’t notice I was using the window blind to stage baits. Shhh...  It had to be there though - the lighting was right.

 

Staying diligent in the early hours paid off better.  Hardly marked a fish after 7am.  Packed up and left by 9.

 

For me, 12’s and up usually go back But we were too deep at 36’.  Since these maxed out at 12 I didn’t mind for the time invested.

 

[Borch]

Nice craps!

 

Good luck on your surgeries Royce and Mike!

 

 

 

 

[IceHawk]

3 hours ago, Mike89 said:

having surgery??  good luck!!  I'm having surgery Friday...  I know I'll be laid up for some time...  

Good luck Mike hopefully see you at the decoy carving show this spring 

[smurfy]

7 minutes ago, IceHawk said:

Good luck Mike hopefully see you at the decoy carving show this spring 

yep..same here!!!!!!!!!

[smurfy]

2 hours ago, Tom Sawyer said:

 Yes!!! Win, loose, or draw; the trill of the hunt, and putting pieces together of an ever changing puzzle is what calls me to the sport. I rarely sit on a bucket in a community hole. Actually I rarely sit on a bucket at all. Those that know me, find me very intense, and detail orientated, and always up for a challenge. 

 

 

 

I agree..... I like checking out new water. take yesterday for example. been on the lake once before. seen where other people where but chose to stay away from the crowd and set up away from everyone and where there where no signs someone has been there. heck the fish didn't even know where that place was!!!!!!!!!

[papadarv]

53 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

to me that’s the deal. Did I have fun?  I will stop when it’s not fun. More than likely the body will want to quit before the heart. It’s fun, I enjoy it, so I do it.

Ice fishing is my passion. Going out and 'not' catching is just as much fun as catching. Thats why we call it Fishing verses Catching. Only issue is the short 3 month long season, so I extend the enjoyment to year round through creative build ideas. I could buy the stuff but that immense thrill is very short lived when one just buys everything. I try to start my ideas somewhere between free and a gift, such as with my sled build. As one ages, comfort and reduced labor are essential, as eyeguy stated, so my summer project is a covered/sealed trailer and a flip shanty to replace my labor intensive Eskimo Hub and a way to transport/store my sled and hub. Already acquired a '78 8' x 12' pop-up camper at the desired price point, plan to gut it, add a ramp retaining the cover and seal for off season storage of sled and flip. Still looking for someone wanting to get rid of a ripped up mouse chewed 2 or 3 man flip that I'll recover and put the 18k BTU camper heater in the hub base making the flip a side entry. More fun times yet to come.

[BobT]

On 2/8/2020 at 3:49 PM, IceHawk said:

I was sitting on the lake the other day and this thought crossed my mind. With all the social media, forums, face book groups now a days you have to wonder how are anglers judged? For instance how are  anglers judging other anglers? Are they judged on there fish pics, there success catch rate? I would say in todays industry unfortunately yes most throw judgement on how good of a angler you are by how good your day on the ice was. Well I want to tell you there's not one Angler out there includeing myself that hasn't got a good butt kicking and struck out from time to time . Unless there ego won't allow them to admit to it. LOL! Its actually more common than one thinks. I once was shooting the crap with Legendary Al Linder about this.  We all know how much he fishes. He said in a given week of fishing he had 2 good days 1 marginal and 2 not so good. Take for instance this week I and a few good anglers set out on a local lake in search of panfish after  hitting numerous good locations and getting almost nothing we threw the towel in. Next day we set off to a Lake by Ogilvie fished it hard for 6 hours cutting numerous areas out and basically struck out in our eyes. Yes we caught fish but not the size structure we were after so in our eyes a bust.. Yesterday afternoon  I decided to hit a local Lake on the chain near me. I was hoping  for a last window  bite and ended up hitting a home run. Well I guess what I'm trying to say is we all have good and bad days. I know a few of us post are good reports pics and we sound and look like ice fishing super hero's to some. I'm here to admit, We get butt kickings and strike out just like the next guy at least I do .  Most including me don't report are bad days but maybe we should. We are not telling you the hard work mega holes we cut etc.  So no matter how much experience you have fishing don't get discouraged if you strike out have a bad day. We all do keep your head up! Just keep going out after it and sooner or later it all falls in place. Judge your outing by who you were with the laughs, memories, moments shared in that day out on the ice.   It's those simple things in life that are more important than a limit of fish that's a bonus in my eyes  Also if any of you ever spot me on a lake PLEASE Stop over say Hi and introduce yourself I'm all about meeting new people and shredding some ice together like I said its all about the moment. 

Well, I'll admit to some less than ideal action. It started out this year with double open inguinal hernia repair surgery on Dec. 11. My surgeon gave me strict instructions to leave the ice auger at home for the next 6 months so I didn't get out fishing at all until just a couple weeks ago. When I finally got the green light I went out on Maple Lake, about 10 miles to my east. I was setting up at about 2:00 in the afternoon when another fellow appeared on the scene. I was in about 25' of water and he was a little closer to shore in about 22' feet so we were both on the edge of the break. We both fished until dark. I didn't mark a single fish on my sonar or camera. He told me that he got three crappies. 

 

I've also been out on Osakis three times. The first time I set up over 42' of water on a 45' hole just off the point of Battle Point. Didn't mark a single fish on sonar but did spot a crappie swimming by suspended at about 25' down. The next time I went out I positioned myself over an underwater point in about 18' of water about half way between the Osakis city launch and the end of 2-mile bar. Didn't see or mark a fish. The last time I was on Osakis, I was out on a breakline on the northwest corner of 1/2-mile bar and again nothing. 

 

Last Wednesday, I decided to try Smith Lake west of Osakis. I hadn't been there in years. Marked and visually saw tons of crappies, sunnies, an perch suspended about 5' off the bottom over 25' of water. They were very sluggish but I did manage to bring up about a half-dozen crappies (10" or so) and about a dozen perch. Also spotted three northerns and a large mouth bass on the camera.

 

Yesterday, my son, grandson, and I tried Eagle Lake near Willmar where they live. No luck but did see a couple small fish on the camera and got a flag on one tip-up but nothing to show for it. 

 

So fare, I would be starving if I was relying on fish for dinner.

[monstermoose78]

It’s been great to fish with all of you on here. The things I learned from you all. I fall into the rut of fishing one lake 90% of the time but I am trying to head out to new waters more. Thank you to all of  you who made some great trips with me. 

Edited February 10, 2020 by monstermoose78

[Wanderer]

As luck would have it, the kids stopped by just after we finished unpacking and cleaning up from our Koronis trip.  We all went over to Ice Fest on Green Prairie Fish Lake to check out the 750 foot Ice carousel (new world record again). Didn’t get to see it turn cuz the wind had it bound up to one side today.  
 

One of the other things I did get to see though was the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s under water drone.  They had it set up so you could go in their wheelhouse and watch it drive around under the ice.  Yep, just like any other underwater camera for picture BUT driving it around and panning the camera up and down was a bit of a revelation!  Yes, I was able to drive it myself after getting some instruction.  My favorite was cruising around under the ice looking up!  Even with the maybe 20 inches of ice and frozen snow/slush top layer I could see the distinct shadows of  all the vendor tents and people walking around the vendor area.  We drove by the spearing demo where they had a block cut and were letting people chuck a spear at a Mountain Dew bottle sunk on a rope.  The light glare from deeper was blinding!!  We drove in closer and could CLEARLY see the people around the hole!

Bringing back to home port they had and orange road construction barrel over the hole they put it down in.  I could read the letters on the barrel from a few feet down.

 

Even knowing sound, movement and light is noticeable below the ice, it blew me away how MUCH we could see through a fairly thick sheet of February ice.  Don’t under estimate what stealth can do for you!

[mrpike1973]

As I reported in another thread Winning streak Sometimes I feel if I strike out I'm a failure or not any good at fishing. I never fished as a kid did not start until 1999 that was 21 years ago I wish I knew then what I now know. Nick Lindner from Angling Edge had a great video about not always catching fish and the expectancy of always catching a fish I 'm sure you can find it fast looking it up. Unfortunately when I watched the shows I thought I will catch fish after fish not so. You learn quick The best thing I did was a guided trip I went with fellow FMer Guide @Troy Smutka several years ago. Best thing I ever did I still use the knowledge and techniques he showed me. I asked him do you guys always catch fish every time he said no and if they say yes they are lying that was a strong statement that always stuck with me must have asked a billion questions and I cant stress how well worth it. When we got done my bride and I asked if he thought we were any good he said he would fish with me anytime.  I consider myself a better than average but no expert fisherman. I agree with what IceHawk has said. I don't like to chase down the latest hey I caught them here be the guy who finds the fish first. Troy if you read this I truly mean everything I said and Thank You! I also enjoyed being at the catfish get together some of you all have called upon me time from time that is cool and you guys are my heros 

[mrpike1973]

Speedy recovery to you guys!

[Rick G]

On 2/10/2020 at 6:30 PM, mrpike1973 said:

 I asked him do you guys always catch fish every time he said no and if they say yes they are lying that was a strong statement that always stuck with me 

Hell no... even the best  get skunked from time to time.

Infact, i spent 4.5 hours on the lake today.... drilled maybe 120-150 holes over 5 areas... didn' t even mark a fish  lol. but I considered it a fruitful venture nonetheless. I learned where the fish weren't in this particular body of water. Now Im pretty sure I could have went into the community hole and caught a bunch of fish. But thats not what its always about... sometimes striking out on the unknown is better than catching a bunch in a area that everyone knows about.

[eyeguy 54]

6 minutes ago, Rick G said:

Hell no... even the best  get skunked from time to time.

Infact, i spent 4.5 hours on the lake today.... drilled maybe 120-150 holes over 5 areas... didn' t even mark a fish  lol. but I considered it a fruitful venture nonetheless. I learned where the fish weren't in this particular body of water. Now Im pretty sure I could have went into the community hole and caught a bunch of fish. But thats not what its always about... sometimes striking out on the unknown is better than catching a bunch in a area that everyone knows about.

Mink?  Lol

[Rick G]

17 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

Mink?  Lol

Ahhhhhh... no Though I will try it again one day 

 Was on the lake that's home of the bluebeard bluegills

[mrpike1973]

Just to make sure no ones confused as to what I meant as a new comer who had not fished before. The hype of TV shows, internet, magazines, etc. When I started I just assumed the fish would just jump in the boat well fishing is a very humbling sport and not to sound like a fool it took a while 1 month before I even caught A sunny. It was raining I was standing on a dock wet, wife in the car staring at me laughing like a maniac. I think she thought my cheese slid off my cracker. Fishing takes time and effort and with all the resources we have now I think new comers and old just expect to go out drill a hole or cast and bam fish on. Rick G you just made me feel better last weekend I drilled quite a few holes no fish and got zero saw zero the lake is so good that even the fish didn't know about it  .HA HA

[BobT]

15 hours ago, mrpike1973 said:

The hype of TV shows, internet, magazines, etc.

Yeah, I suspect some editing is done.? 

[Hoey]

14 minutes ago, BobT said:

I suspect some editing is done

Absolutely.  I have watched and participated in photo shoots and filming.  We have a bunch of people fishing to catch nicer fish.  These nicer fish are maintained in a live well or in the winter, a Otter type tub full of water.  When ready, these fish are used by the personalities for photos, dripping wet, used for filming, bringing them out of the water, etc...  It is sort of disappointing when you experience this first hand, then watch what gets produced and published or broadcast over TV/cable.  This does not pertain to all fish, as many are filmed being caught and brought to the surface.  

[smurfy]

hey you guyz make icehawk walk home from some lake way up north???????? haven't seen him here in a few days!!!!!! 

[Borch]

Smurfy, he's been staking your place out making sure you're stay away from his spots. 

[Wanderer]

I bet he takes today off from fishing.  Brrr!!!!

[smurfy]

9 hours ago, Borch said:

Smurfy, he's been staking your place out making sure you're stay away from his spots. 

[IceHawk]

18 hours ago, smurfy said:

hey you guyz make icehawk walk home from some lake way up north???????? haven't seen him here in a few days!!!!!! 

 

7 hours ago, Wanderer said:

I bet he takes today off from fishing.  Brrr!!!!

I'm back Smurf It was a long walk I knew I shouldn't of smarted off who caught the most fish that day I was out West shredding some ice checking out some future destinations. I think I found a few gems time will tell  Wander You were right it's brutal out there even I'm not crazy enough to fish in this 

[smurfy]

5 minutes ago, IceHawk said:

 

I'm back Smurf It was a long walk I knew I shouldn't of smarted off who caught the most fish that day I was out West shredding some ice checking out some future destinations. I think I found a few gems time will tell  Wander You were right it's brutal out there even I'm not crazy enough to fish in this 

 

just talked to a guy living in deer river.......he said the air temp, no wind was -44 this morning!!!!!!