I an fairly new to ice fishing, less than five years, and an becoming more and more enamored with it every time out. In my 20s I wanted to experience winter camping, but never could make it come together. Fast forward 30 years and I am now incorporating camping on frozen lakes during ice fishing excursions. For the past few years it’s been in a Clam thermal hub shelter, this year I leaped up to a Firebrand fish house trailer 6.5 x 14.
On previous trips there was substantial snow cover and nights were fairly mild. On my latest trip there was little snow cover and very cold temps on newer ice. I was blessed with fellow fishermen during the day, but nights were solo. I was on a quite large flowage and when the last flicker of ATV lights left the ice an immediate sence of isolation set in. The nights were long and the ice very active with loud noises resembling sonic booms. There were also cracks sounding like near lightning strikes, and rips that seemed to travel from one end of the lake shore to the other. Instinct caused great concern to the point where I was downright scared, but logic told me this was the ice becoming thicker and stronger. I know it would have been a one in a million chance,but the thought of a heave occurring right beneath me did cross my mind. On my last day the wind really picked up, and the thought of ice shoved high against my exit from the lake was my newest concern. Alas my fears were quashed and my exit from the lake was uneventful.
Not far from the launch a fellow fisherman was literally spinning his rear wheels on the ice going nowhere. His four wheel drive would not engage. I towed his ATV and sled to shore feeling bad that his day ended before it even began. I did catch some fish and will be out again soon, hopefully experiencing quieter nights, and maybe even some camaraderie.
