# Unwritten Ice Fishing Rules



## Neal (Mar 20, 2001)

With ice approaching I thought it would be a good idea to go over some suggestions that may make for a better, safer season. Being a recent born again ice fisherman, I can think of a few suggestions.

#1 Don't discard you unused minnows back into the water.

#2 Mark any large holes. If a block is removed, don't leave it on the ice where a snowmobole/ATV could hit.

#3 Leave a crack in the window or door of your shanty, if you are using a heater.

Please list any more


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## falcon captain (Jan 19, 2005)

Don't forget to pick up all your trash on the ice, nothing like walking out through a bunch of beer cans or McDonalds wrappers. Also, be nice to your fellow anglers, just like a gentleman did to me last year after I found out my auger blades were junk, he let me use his auger. Thanks.

Good fishing


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## deepwoods (Nov 18, 2002)

Neal,

Why not dumping minnows back into the water? I don't understand. Do you mean dead one's?

Don't punch a hole right next to another fishermen.


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## Neal (Mar 20, 2001)

deepwoods said:


> Neal,
> 
> Why not dumping minnows back into the water? I don't understand. Do you mean dead one's?
> 
> Don't punch a hole right next to another fishermen.


From what I understand the minnows come from other locations and we may be transplanting, unfriendly species from one body of water to another. That what was posted last year, I'm sure some of the regular ice guys can elaborate.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

#4 When coming out to Reeds Lake around 9am, make sure to bring me a McGriddle and large Coffee, thank you.

#5 PICK UP CIGERETTE BUTTS!!!!!


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## tommytubular (Jan 25, 2002)

This goes along with taking your garbage off the ice with ya....

Put a baggy in your pocket and put your cigarette butts in it instead of leaving then on the ice

Lets leave it better then we found it
*
Dang GVSUKUSH......ya beat me to the cigarette butt issue*


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## booktens (Nov 24, 2004)

When going out on early season ice, always check it with a spud as you walk along.


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Minnow dumping is brought up every winter on this site and it is against the law to dump live minnows into a lake or river.

Main cause of disease and introduction of exotic species. Believe it is written in both the DNR and Natural Resource rules.

Leave them for the gulls or dump in trash bin............


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## patcheroo (Jan 3, 2003)

I second deepwoods, don't punch a hole right next to another fisherman! Scotty and Chad, remember Houghton Lake? Man!................Patch


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## five more casts (Mar 20, 2003)

unfortunately, trash doesn't sink for ice fishermen. this makes the sport look bad. PLEASE remove your gas tanks. to me, nothing's worse than seeing all those green gas tanks left on the ice when the snow melts. I know of alot of places that are no longer fishable because of the trash.
as for dumping minnows, if they're shinners or mud minnows in lake st. clair, they're native fish fish


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## scottyhoover (Dec 24, 2002)

Ask to borrow an auger before using your spud at 7:30am on a nice quiet morning IN SHALLOW WATER. Spuds make a lot more noise than augers to the fish, I think.


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## DaveW731 (Jan 12, 2001)

patcheroo said:


> I second deepwoods, don't punch a hole right next to another fisherman! Scotty and Chad, remember Houghton Lake? Man!................Patch


  
...unless other fisherman is me, and you are bringing me some Irish Coffee!  

Seriously: First ice: wear a PFD the first time out take a pair of ice picks and a rope. The first two may save you, the last one may save someone else.


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## live2fishdjs (Sep 9, 2003)

Scotty. One of my pet peeves for sure!


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## fishin'magician' (Mar 2, 2005)

I am on the same page with most of you so far.

Don't be a hole hoping whore ie. if someone comes out drills 10 sets of statigic holes to try and pattern the fish stay out of them they are not yours.


As for KUSH I prefer the new big breakfast sandwich from BK :woohoo1: :woohoo1: :woohoo1:


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## RichP (Jan 13, 2003)

Yup, lots of strong opinions on both sides of the fence re: hole hopping whore scenario :lol:


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## scottyhoover (Dec 24, 2002)

Don't put your stick in another man's hole.


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## Neal (Mar 20, 2001)

RichP said:


> Yup, lots of strong opinions on both sides of the fence re: hole hopping whore scenario :lol:


Yes there is. That would be a good discussion for _another_ thread


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

scottyhoover said:


> Don't put your stick in another man's hole.


 :yikes: Now that can be interpreted "several" different ways!  :lol: 

To add to Neal's List: 

4) Pick up your trash when you leave!

5) Dont be punchin holes to close to someone you dont know!

6) Cigarette butts! I'm a smoker and I'll be the first to tell you to pick'em up!

7) Be friendly! Offer me a beer or some coffee when I come by!


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## double trouble (Nov 20, 2003)

make sure you blast by in your atv at least 20 feet from my shanty at dusk ,then have the nerve to come back 2 minutes later and ask if the fishing is any good cause, " over by me their not hitting."

also remember to spin your tires at the edge of the boat ramp so it gets all slushy. 

try to offer your extra bait to someone else when you leave the ice if they are going to waste.some bait stores will take them back and give you a discount on the next trip.

take someone new ice fishing . especially a kid.

if you get a hot spot , don't be a hog .let someone else in on it. they still have to catch'em.


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## Hoosier_Steelheader (Sep 13, 2003)

I agree with the posts(I usually have a 30 gallon trashbag handy if anybody needs one) and I can totally relate to the being Friendly part, a couple of years ago we came up to Higgins for the first time ever to try the ice for smelt perch whitefish and whatever else we could find. ( Its a ******* big lake!)

We were completely clueless until we hooked up with some other guys who befriended us and invited us to fish with them, and as I recall had a couple extra "Blue-Glow" Halis they let us borrow, actually the "Doctor" let me keep one as a good luck piece (since we were'nt catching anything before..)

We often fish from sun-up till way after dark and if you see us grilling on the Ice, stop on over, we've always got extra, and enjoy the company (tips, lies, and especially smelt are also appreciated :cwm27: )

Actually looking to land some burbout this year, need all the help I can get....


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