# Thinking of bowing out of ice fishing...



## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

While I do enjoy my time on the ice I can't say that in the last half dozen years my ice fishing trips have been terribly productive. I can remember two times where I went out and slayed em in 6 years. All of my buddies are all cutting back as well due to family, work, or other hobbies. And with the winters being as hit or miss as they have been I'm lucky to make it out a handful of times...

On one hand I'm kind of bummed. I spent the last couple years accumulating nice gear... only to have to haul it out and fish by myself most of the time. I feel like a fishing buddy is what's needed, but when it comes go time everyone has an excuse. 

But in the other I'm kind of excited to make time for some other hobbies too. Particularly deer hunting and scouting in the post season. 

I'm thinking of getting rid of most of my gear to focus on other outdoor hobbies. I might keep a few things around but the way things are going I'm not sure I'll be in the game much longer... honestly most days I wish I had a boat lol.

Anyone else have this dilemma? 




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Choosing the right days to fish is the key to ice fishing .Fish eat less and for shorter periods .Many guys wait until the sun is shining and there is not a cloud in the sky not generally a good day to be out but there are exceptions .Also I stay away from the full moon phase 3 days before 3 days after .Also after high pressure moves in fish are sluggish .IMO the best time to be out is when a storm front is about to move in . Another tip is to learn one or two lakes really well instead of hopping from one lake after another .The bite is different times on different lakes .I had a home on a local lake and did not go out until 10:00 the lake I fish mostly now the bite starts right at daylight .Many times I am done by 10:00 and headed home with my limit .Fishing shallower lakes is also a good idea for the novice fisherman .


----------



## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

I, more or less, quit ice fishing a long time ago. 

I pretty much quit when my wife and I started our trucking business. There is only so much time one can take off when you are running your own business. I had to chose which sport I wanted to spend that time on. Ice fishing lost.

To start now I would have to buy new toys. It's not going to happen. I do miss it, but there are only so many dollars for toys, just as once there was only so much time, ice fishing lost.


----------



## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Thirty pointer said:


> Choosing the right days to fish is the key to ice fishing .Fish eat less and for shorter periods .Many guys wait until the sun is shining and there is not a cloud in the sky not generally a good day to be out but there are exceptions .Also I stay away from the full moon phase 3 days before 3 days after .Also after high pressure moves in fish are sluggish .IMO the best time to be out is when a storm front is about to move in . Another tip is to learn one or two lakes really well instead of hopping from one lake after another .The bite is different times on different lakes .I had a home on a local lake and did not go out until 10:00 the lake I fish mostly now the bite starts right at daylight .Many times I am done by 10:00 and headed home with my limit .Fishing shallower lakes is also a good idea for the novice fisherman .


Another key to the problem... I mainly fish Lake St. Clair. The fishing is generally two shades of awful... maybe three. Most days you can catch your limit of dink perch. Others you can watch monsters swim into your hole only to window shop and move on. And then you might get days where no matter where you go a fish isn't to be seen. Fishing the big lake is so hit or miss. I've got a bunch of spots but nothing I would say you could rely on. Even the canals the last couple of years have been poor IMO. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Sold all of my ice fishing equipment in 2013 and have not looked back. Sold our boat and charter fishing business in 2014 and haven't looked back from that either. Interests, hobbies, lifestyles change. I now have a lot more time for my deer hunting habitat projects, travel and family.

Do what you enjoy and have a passion for...


----------



## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

Main reason I slowed down is old age.I still love it but all my ice fishing friends are either gone all quit.It just isn't the same with out your old buddys


----------



## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

I found that as I get older, I have less free time as well. I used to drive all over the state. I now find that fishing a couple small local lakes for gills and specks is just as much fun as I ever had chasing all over the place. And many times, I am only out a couple hours, from daybreak to 9 or 10.


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Ice fishing sucks. I'd rather stand in a river chasing winter steelhead than on the ice. But i only do that when I'm not hunting with the dogs. Sit on a bucket or go for a good walk. The choice is simple for me.


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Ice fishing sucks. I'd rather stand in a river chasing winter steelhead than on the ice. But i only do that when I'm not hunting with the dogs. Sit on a bucket or go for a good walk. The choice is simple for me.


----------



## hawgeye (Mar 3, 2011)

My favorite fishing is pulling a hawg Saginaw Bay perch and walleye through the ice. Trolling is boooring! Keep your gear and head up this winter!


----------



## Duck-Hunter (Mar 31, 2005)

I never ran into this dilemma. I hope I never do. I absolutely love ice fishing. I also love all forms of fishing. The hardest decision I run into is to stay local or chase steel. I am fortunate enough to have an endless amount of lakes close to home.

LSC is a great fishery, it can be a really tough to ice fish. Getting on the right canals will put you on some huge bluegills and sunnies along with good perch. I used to fish LSC a lot.

A good friend definitely helps to keep the drive going. Myself I don't have an issue fishing by myself, I often have a lot of down time during the week which results me fishing solo. I like to "freestyle" during the week and that is when I drive around and hit random lakes I never fished before to see what it has to offer. Some time I leave catching dinks or in absolute shock what that body if water had to offer. I am also fortunate enough to have a great circle of dedicated ice fishermen. When the weekends come we need up lake hoping and having a blast when we are not fishing tournaments.


I would say keep your gear, try new locations. Don't hesitate to try different baits, presentations. When the bite is slow, down size, slow things up. When the fish are slow, fish slow. Move around, cover area. If you have electronics this will help you see how the fish are reacting.


----------



## Lund Explorer (Jan 23, 2011)

I grew up in an ice fishing family. Some of the best memories I have about Christmas was when my Dad, brother and I would meet up with uncles and cousins to fish all morning on Rose Lake before heading to our grandparents for the afternoon. Tipups as far as the eye could see. As the winter progressed, we fished lakes all over the state and for darn near everything that swims. After Mort Neff talked about the Canadian Lake Trout, we even made a trip to Wawa.

I continued to feed this affliction up to about 1990 when work became so busy that I just didn't have the time to get out. Tax Season and Ice Fishing don't mix. It was even worse when clients would drop off the tax stuff because "the fish stopped biting". 

The misery lasted almost twenty years until I finally went into semi-retirement. Now that I've slowed down on the work side of life, I find myself on the ice more and more. Many of the people I used to fish with have passed away or gone on to other interests, but I still get out there. Surprisingly, I have met some really nice people on the lakes I normally hit. I might walk out there alone, but I know at least a few regulars will show up. I enjoy their company just as much as I did with all my old buddies.

I would suggest keeping at least some of your gear. Maybe plan a ice fishing vacation on new water Up North to give that itch a good scratching. A great weekend trip when the bite is hot can make the rest of the ice season bearable when the bite is slow.


----------



## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

d_rek said:


> While I do enjoy my time on the ice I can't say that in the last half dozen years my ice fishing trips have been terribly productive. I can remember two times where I went out and slayed em in 6 years. All of my buddies are all cutting back as well due to family, work, or other hobbies. And with the winters being as hit or miss as they have been I'm lucky to make it out a handful of times...
> 
> On one hand I'm kind of bummed. I spent the last couple years accumulating nice gear... only to have to haul it out and fish by myself most of the time. I feel like a fishing buddy is what's needed, but when it comes go time everyone has an excuse.
> 
> ...


Nope. You nuts. Lol


----------



## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

I just loaded back up with ice fishing gear, a popup, chirp 4, solar tipups, rods, reels, sled, and skis, I retire just as the ice is hopefully getting good and will have time to kill.


----------



## mattawanhunter (Oct 30, 2011)

Well that's really a shame, I never started ice fishing, the few times I tried by myself without knowing what I was doing were a miserable failure.

Always wanted to go with someone that knew what the heck they were doing just to catch a few fish and for the fellowship!
I'd like to try it when I'm retired,I just don't have the time now, not particularly crazy about the cold, but again it'd be good to get out of the house instead of sitting in front of the TV trying to get motivated, to do something besides shovel, plow, bring in wood, put wood in the stove, clean the chimney.
I think it would be fun way up North in a nice shanty
You can leave out, nice cure for cabin fever.



retired dundo said:


> Main reason I slowed down is old age.I still love it but all my ice fishing friends are either gone all quit.It just isn't the same with out your old buddys


----------



## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

As you get older you will find many people that you have shared outdoor pursuits give up, move south ect. I ice fish nearly every day and while I don't exactly fish with anyone we meet on the lake. I fish a large inland lake and you get to know the regulars. we share tips, locations, and stories. We kinda watch out for each other. Ice fishing is one of the easier things to do alone. It would be a looong winter for me without ice fishing.


----------



## mattawanhunter (Oct 30, 2011)

I hear that I find now that I'm a bit older what used to take me 3 hours now takes all day or longer.
Then there's the losing everything setting it down what did I do with this can't find my keys where's my license where's my cell phone did I remember the bait! Actually it's kind of hilarious I just laugh at myself do what I can do, sometimes it's easier and specially in the winter and it's 10 degrees out just to sit in your chair can't get hurt that way!



TK81 said:


> I found that as I get older, I have less free time as well. I used to drive all over the state. I now find that fishing a couple small local lakes for gills and specks is just as much fun as I ever had chasing all over the place. And many times, I am only out a couple hours, from daybreak to 9 or 10.


----------



## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

I find that as you get older it harder to get motivated more than it is harder to do things. Being organized and ready really helps. When I was younger I had more time in the winter and I made the most of it. I would often start at day light running slammers for steelhead. In the morning my wife would often come to the lake with the kids and we would switch over to perch and run tipups for pike. In the evening I would often switch lakes and fish bluegill or head to the river for steelhead. I had to put helper springs on the 3/4 ton to haul all the tackle. Nowadays I concentrate on one thing at a time. If I am going to fish gills, perch or walleye I concentrate on that one fish. I have different boxes and rods setup for each species. I make sure everything is set and ready to go before I go so I am not trying to rig on the lake. When I get home I take care of the fish immediately. And after supper my rods get reriged if needed and the tackle organized, whether I go the next morning or the next week I am ready. If you fish a bit it helps to organize little things, like my jig box always goes back in the same pocket. If you have a system and take a few extra seconds to always put things back where they go the whole process goes so much smoother. I only keep enough for a meal. If I am gill fishing rarely do I have to take more than about 15 minutes to clean and package fish. I fish out of a one man flip over if I need a shanty. I gave my two man shanty to my son and grandson. If I go with someone I set my one man up next to them and we can talk easily. If my wife goes she gets the one man and I fish outside. I don't do marathons anymore. Nice days I will fish longer but if I am not enjoying it I go home.


----------



## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

d_rek said:


> Another key to the problem... I mainly fish Lake St. Clair. The fishing is generally two shades of awful... maybe three. Most days you can catch your limit of dink perch. Others you can watch monsters swim into your hole only to window shop and move on.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Sell the gear you feel you won't use/don't need know and buy yourself two good perch spears! A couple of jig poles or bright colored decoys for pike pull perch in, if they don't want to eat, feed them the steel 

I say two perch spears because I've had one pinned to the bottom and more swim in. Get a pike spear while you're at it.


----------



## Scales N Tails (Mar 23, 2017)

hawgeye said:


> My favorite fishing is pulling a hawg Saginaw Bay perch and walleye through the ice. Trolling is boooring! Keep your gear and head up this winter!


Is there really any other way of fishing!!! Favorite time of year.... Bring on the ice


----------



## gamalot (Dec 29, 2003)

When ever life gets in the way just sit back and punt. I have come full cycle with ice fishing. Started early as a 12 year old kid back in the early 1960 s and lived for every winter weekend. After the USN during Vietnam I took up a career and had precious little time to do much of any sports hobbies. Now I am retired with no kids and a wife who loves her job, probably for relief from me.
Now I can't wait for the ice. I have all the best equipment and creature comforts to spend many days on the ice in my heated pop up Clam 2 man. My Brittany is my best fishing buddy. We go every chance we get but it is getting much harder because I need a freaking mule to do the dragging once we get snow on top. This year Santa, That's me, bought me a nice new toy called a Snowdog. Basically a snow machine without skis to do the dragging. I am hoping it is just the ticket to save my tired 65 year old legs and heart. 
Don't give up on the sports you love just because life is in the way. Life changes right along and time can come back once things settle down. I enjoy fishing with my buddies but I get much better fish tales when I fish by myself and the dog never gives me up for fibbing. If your gear is decent today then it will still be decent 10,15 or 20 years from now if you stow it right.

I don't care who you are but sitting on a frozen lake is way better than on a couch watching CNN or Oprah. I'll be out there feeding the eagles dink perch that took more than they could chew and still live. My Brittany could sleep on a nail but I did make the second seat in the 2 man shanty all hers, warm and comfy. 

Gam


----------



## leadbelly (Dec 29, 2010)

I have been very fortunate to be laid off from Thanksgiving to April my entire life. So I basically live for ice fishing in the winter. What better than hanging out with your friends everyday fishing while our wife's are at work.


----------



## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Well can’t say i don’t get excited like a schoolboy every year for some ice fishing. Dreams of pulling slammers through the ice and all...

Let’s see how many outings it takes for the regret and disappontment to set in this year ha ha...

Ps 
I didn’t sell any of my crap but did swear I wouldn’t be buying any new ice gear this year. 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## michael marrs (May 22, 2017)

I actually do not go out much in warm weather since I found electronics, and spearing, whatever your choice becomes good luck


----------



## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

I don't go as much as I use to but when I go and unload all the stuff in the sled I wonder what the hell happened to the way we use to fish. I would get home from school grab the bait pole and spud, stuff a bread wrapper in my pocket and I was ready to go. Now it seems like it takes an hour to just unload the stuff and then to drag it out


----------



## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

Ice fishin' ROCKS!

And I'm and old sunnuvab$%# too...

I only do it because it's too damn hard to troll for eyes right now..... :lol: :mischeif: :lol: :evilsmile :evil:


----------



## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

What I find worst is all my friends I use to fish with either died or just stopped.I find it hard to get in mood to go as much.It just isn't the same going by yourself


----------



## crossneyes (Sep 26, 2005)

I'm eating a fresh batch of gills and crappie i caught today, dont stop ice fishing!!!!


----------



## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

After the weekend rush gets out of the way I am going to go try one of the new brush piles that was put in a certain lake last winter. They were catching a lot of gills and crappie off the one before it froze up. The nice part is I will only have to walk 50 yards to get to it. I wanted to take my grandsons perch fishing this week but it was so cold. The perch are biting real good on one of thelocal lakes so it looks like next week is going to be busy


----------



## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Well had a great first outing of the season today. Last couple years of ice fishing have been rough and had me doubting my sanity. Looks like were in for some good ice fishing - at least for the next few weeks with the persistent cold temps. 

Couple things that made today nicer... 

Having a truck is awesome. Why didn't I buy a truck sooner? 
A jet sled is really nice. Now I don't have to puzzle everything onto my DIY smitty sled. Just dump it all in the sled and go. 
Wise decision to go with a lighter, easier to setup pop-up shanty in the eskimo 767. While I thought my eskimo 949i was great it's just too much for a couple hours of ice fishing. Way too heavy and cumbersome to setup. The 767 is a happy medium.


----------



## snortwheeze (Jul 31, 2012)

Leave the shanty d_rek bring a auger a bucket and 2 poles... Search mode and stick and move stick and move. Those perch are nomads !


----------



## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

snortwheeze said:


> Leave the shanty d_rek bring a auger a bucket and 2 poles... Search mode and stick and move stick and move. Those perch are nomads !


Honestly I’ll be keeping an eye when flip shanties go on sale this year.... 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Smokin-the-eyes (Jan 4, 2014)

I haven’t quit by any means but the days of waking up at 3:00 am to drive for 11/2 hours to the bay and make a 10 mile + run to get setup before daylight is over selling snowmobile and only walking now and the funny thing is I catch more fish now than I ever did useing machine and it keeps me from buying more gear cause I don’t wanna drag it out by hand lol


----------



## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Smokin-the-eyes said:


> I haven’t quit by any means but the days of waking up at 3:00 am to drive for 11/2 hours to the bay and make a 10 mile + run to get setup before daylight is over selling snowmobile and only walking now and the funny thing is I catch more fish now than I ever did useing machine and it keeps me from buying more gear cause I don’t wanna drag it out by hand lol


Thats just a sign you are getting old. I often wonder when I go what happened to the days when you grab a pole bait and spud and go. Now I need a trailer to haul it all


----------



## spikekilla (Jan 6, 2009)

d_rek said:


> Honestly I’ll be keeping an eye when flip shanties go on sale this year....
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The only way to go. My 1 man fish trap is 20 years old still in good enough shape. It’s carries my gear in the sled, pulls over for shelter from the wind and im equally as mobile as the bucket boys.


----------

