Ice Ice Baby

Enjoyments of Ice Fishing from a Beginner's Standpoint.
 

By: Andrew Ragas

Date Posted: January 20, 2011

The title of this article is exactly the same as the well-known song, originally inspired by Queen, made famous by Vanilla Ice. I highly doubt that musicians of either groups ever ice fished during the height of their popularity. Unlike them, however, I am only writing the lyrics about my experiences thus far as a beginner in ice fishing.

I began ice fishing in Illinois and Wisconsin three winters ago. At the time, other than dropping a small lure down a hole and waiting to catch a cold, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Neither did I see a purpose in sitting bored out of my mind on ice.

During the beginning, the results were terrible that I seldom caught anything. If I was not fishing with groups of friends, and the folks whom I have met who had helped me along the way, I would not be in this position today to be sharing about my experiences. If it weren’t for them, I would resort to hibernating from December through February, and eliminating fishing from my life altogether. But in fact, neither has happened thus far. Nowadays, I casually journey to the ice five to ten times each year during the winter months whenever I see the need to cure my fishing obsession.

What led me to enjoy ice fishing to some degree was that I developed a level of tolerance. If you ever intend on sticking with any sort of program in life, in this case ice fishing, having the ability to handle it and being up to the task is an essential trait to have.

Once nonexistent, my tolerance level for ice fishing may be presently attributed to several different factors ranging from attitude and enjoyment, to the quality of company, and material possessions (or lack of) such as gear and tackle.

The ways in which I have learned to enjoy ice fishing are based on the following: Being creative with available resources; Following basic rules and staying within those parameters; Fishing with people whom you enjoy sharing frozen water with; Keeping the presentation and approach simple.

I will elaborate for all other beginners and anglers who find themselves in my position and in need of some type of platform in order to start.

Northern Illinois is littered with small ponds and other man-made venues that are home to healthy fish populations. Most of these places contain popular gamefish species such as bass, pike, catfish, bluegill, crappie, and sunfish. Some places are managed, while others simply are not. We are not at luxury like the nearby states of Wisconsin and Minnesota to have an unlimited number of lakes and resources that are full of world-class fishing. However, I think we are fortunate because many of these nearby small bodies of water do not receive much angling pressure, are generally easy to fish, and conquerable for those who are inexperienced. Creativity with what is available, maximizing your opportunities, and trying to make the best of the situation with an open mind will most often lead to success. Small ponds are everywhere in our state, and offer plenty of ice fishing when conditions are safe.

Besides trying to focus on places that have good numbers of fish available for an entire day’s event, safety is a high priority for me. Due to some horror stories that have been told in recent years about people falling through and perishing, I will never venture out on ice by myself. Likewise, I will never find myself on ice unless it is thicker than four inches. Every time I venture out, I carry essentials such as at least 25 yards of rope, the “picks of life” that are always worn around my neck and a spud bar because you never know when something could go terribly wrong. Since I always fish with others, I know that help will always be somewhere nearby in case of emergency. Remember, safety first. The fish will come secondary if the rules are followed.

During my limited ice fishing experiences, I have had my most enjoyable outings while being in the presence of friends, and large groups of people. Sharing the ice with those who are more experienced, willing to teach, and able to tolerate a party-like community atmosphere is magical. There is nothing better than being able to socialize on ice by throwing a barbecue, and drinking responsibly. The camaraderie expressed during such outings is what makes ice fishing enjoyable. Not only do you get to fish with other anglers who have the vast knowledge, but you get to experience non-stop entertainment at the same time while still fishing. On outings like this, enjoyment and feeling like you are a part of the ice fishing fraternity is what makes it fun for me. I have come to learn that it is not always about what you catch. Most often, it is all about with whom you fish and how the outing is enjoyed by everyone who is alongside of you.

Before I began ice fishing, one of the biggest deterring factors for me was that I did not have any gear. Neither was I in the mood to spend a lot of money on something that I would do on such a limited basis. Nowadays, it seems as if everyone has sophisticated gear in the way of flashers, underwater cameras, portable shanties, snowmobiles and four-wheelers, and gas-powered augers. Ultimately, I learned how to ice fish without all of the above.

While these items certainly make catching fish through the ice easier, they are not necessities for success and enjoyment. Anyone can get away with the simplicities of a hand-powered auger, a few basic jigging rods and reels, an assortment of jigs, hooks, spoons, and baits, and an even better understanding for what resides down below the ice you are atop of.

My boats, gear and tackle may be fancy and so blown out of proportion for fishing during the open water season. However, when it comes to ice fishing, I enjoy it more for the simplicity, and employing myself in the complete opposite as I do on a normal every-day basis. It is certainly a lot easier on my bank account, including my social life which I don’t have from spring through fall, that’s for sure.

If you have ever found yourselves being in my position or have yet to go ice fishing for yourselves, just remember that ice fishing can be enjoyed in an infinite number of ways. How you ultimately enjoy your experience usually results in how you approach it and what you make of your available situation. By sharing these experiences as an ice fishing beginner, I hope that this offers some influence for those who are seeking it, and interested with starting another chapter in freshwater fishing.