Ice fishing

[Marvin S]

Lets say I'm anxiously waiting for Ice fishing time. I have been working on my new sled and am about half way done. Still need to make some stow-able brackets for the new gas powered drill, some rod holders, fiberglass the runners and put some finish on it.

[Marvin S]

It's done.

[jsheyn]

Marvin,

I grew up in eastern Kansas, cant remember ever seeing ice thick enough to walk on. Where you guys going?

I now live in PA and ice fish localy when the ice is thick enough and head up to lake erie when it's not, but my sled sure aint as pretty as that one

[Marvin S]

Some years the ice is not safe and some it is. I fish Perry mostly.

[dtknowles]

I have been ice fishing any number of times in Maine. Besides the auger you equipment looks foreign. Do you fish out of a house or on the ice? When on the ice we used traps, Flag up means fish, latest traps I have used were Polar tip ups. Last time I ice fished we were on the Penobscot fishing for smelts out of a house and we just hung lines from the ceiling thru holes in the floor, 5 lines per fisher. Your sled looks nice but it seems short. When fishing on the ice I often used a toboggan to pack stuff out and back we used to walk but now it is often pulled by a snow machine or 4 wheeler. Short and tall sleds like to get squirrelly and tip over. Dog sleds work pretty good behind machines and can carry extra people.

Tim

P.S. Way back in the day (before snowmobiles) we used snowshoes (wood bows, gut lacing and leather bindings) and wore these back packs that were like a basket made of thin wood strips with leather straps. Sometimes you see that stuff hanging on the wall in restaurants and such. I couple years ago I went snowshoeing with friends and got funny looks for my shoes as theirs had aluminum frames and rubber bindings all modern and fancy. I had been away too long and was out of touch.

[ballistim]

I hit the ice every opportunity I had last winter here in southern MI, but that is the busy season for my job and the weather has not produced much in he way of safe ice. Fish weren't biting well most days I went, so am hoping for better luck next year. I did land a couple nice pike on tip-ups though.

[Marvin S]

We just use ice rods and fish in the open. The sled will just be pulled by me and is wider than it probalby looks. It wont tip over.

[dtknowles]

We just use ice rods and fish in the open. The sled will just be pulled by me and is wider than it probalby looks. It wont tip over.

Glad it works for you, it is great when you sport your own homemade equipment

Tim