Yes, this likely belongs on the ice page, however I had such a good time I thought I’d share it with everyone. I haven’t been ice fishing in many years and back then; it was mainly tip-ups or not catching hardly anything in a Mille Lac’s rental shacks. So, off we went to a small lake north of Crosby. Tip-ups and $2.00 ice rods.
First fantastic thing were the tip-ups triggering one about every 10-15 minutes, sometimes small pike, other times likely big bass. But then it was bruiser time. Big Big Pike, the kind that isn’t about to stick his head in the hole. After 4-5 passes, runs and twists, he seemed to get anchored. Like he wrapped himself around a tree branch (in 30 foot of water?). All we could do is keep pulling and see what would happen. Then slowly he came up just enough to gaff him. 36-37 inch Pike, covered with black mud. Great big guy with a gut as big as mine. He had buried himself in the black muck to get away. Just fantastic to see a big fish do this. It was like he dove for cover and just dug himself in. What a great experience. We cleaned him up and back down the hole he went.
So, there I am sitting on my bucket with my $2 pole catching sunnies and this other fisherman comes over and asks if I’d like to get out of the wind. The guy has an insulated Otter, two seats, heater and a Marcum LX-7 with enough bells and whistles on it that you could talk to the space station. Totally beyond my ice fishing skill. Turns out he is Bob Bohland, a Pro Ice fisherman. So, he teaches me about 500% more then I know about ice fishing, flashers and ice jigs. It was like getting 10 yrs of ice fishing experience in a couple of hours. I admit that after spending time in his Otter, with all his equipment; sitting in the cold on a 5 gallon bucket wasn’t cuttin it anymore (LOL). Ol’Buzz might just have to start considering ice fish’n a little bit more seriously.
welcome back !!! 
