The One Thing You Haven’t Prepped…

Everything has fresh line, your MarCum battery is charged, and you’re ready for ice. Yet there’s still one thing you haven’t gotten ready: a plan to try something new.

While you probably don’t have a list of dates, times, lakes, and fishing buddies, let’s be honest. By now, you have your bites figured, and you know generally speaking where you’ll be and when for much of the ice-season.

But what about something new and cool? Fish you’ve never fished for? Destinations you’ve never been to? A lake you’ve always wanted to hit but haven’t? In talking with ice fishermen over the years, I’m always amazed at the regularity with which we do things. We’re creatures of habit, but most ice-fishermen seem to only move onto something else when what we had has been taken away or is gone.

I’ve always considered fellow IDO’ers to be abnormal anglers; folks that seem to take their ice fishing to a new level and are just plain more serious about it than most. I’ve learned a ton over the years just by frequenting these forums, and think I’m talking to the right folks with a post like this. With that said, what new area are you going this year…..what different fish are you fishing for…..what new wrinkle will you add to your arsenal?

Joel

Great Reminder!

Just yesterday I spent about 3 hours looking at data and such for new lakes I have never been to. Last year I tried a new one and found a new lake for my list of must fish and the year before the same. Years before that I was in a rut hitting the same lakes and not finding good fish. For every lake that pans out that I go to there is really only one that does not. Research really puts good fishing in your future!

Well fishing mostly in ND we obviously dont have the number of lakes MN does, and also i rarely get to fish for crappies/pannies. Ive spent most of my fishing life after walleye and perch which is great dont get me wrong, we have some absolute awesome fisheris here. This year however i have put more research into some lakes around the detroit lakes area. Ive got a good list of smaller bodies that i want to try this year…. I do need to get some pannie gear now tho…I see another trip to scheels in my future!!

I’m still relatively new to ice fishing, only been doing it a few years and get out maybe a dozen times each year. Last year we took a trip up the Gunflint trail and stayed at the Gunflint Lodge. My wife and in-laws don’t ice fish so I hired a guide for a half day of chasing lake trout. These fish thrive in cold weather and in a half day we had a few nice lake trout all around 20 inches to show for it. It was a lot of fun fishing for them as well as being the only people on the lake. Even better got to take them for dinner that night in the restaurant they did a nice job preparing them. If you are looking for something different I would suggest it.

My gear, checked, tested, ready. Batteries charged, tested, ready. New reels rigged, ready. The ultimate forgotten test is the test of how many hours on ice will the wife allow? That is the true test.

With my newfound freedom to cross our northern border I plan on hitting winnepeg for giant green backs and Kenora Ontario for lakers and giant gators. Plus the usual Mille lacs,NE South Dakota,LOTW and local pan fish. I don’t plan to be home a single weekend from now until ice out!

I’ve been dying to get out to some of those farm ponds in South Dakota…I hear you can find a few gems.

With the lower then normal river stage, it should make for some better then average ice conditions on the channel.. There are a ton of great spots to fish that only a hover craft or air boat could get to..

I’m hoping for a good freeze before any big snow fall comes so I can explore some more this season !!

Uggh, still have to get all the reels spooled up (have been in bird hunting mode until this past weekend) but then we don’t get ice as early as you folks.

Dave,

When you get the hoover craft, I’d be happy to join you. Last year Petewell was the new spot. I like that one but it is a little far to go. I can see Mendota from my new office so I will be watching the movements during my breaks and get after the big lake. I’m also intrigued about doing some monster cats through the ice. I know they are there.

i want to do more river backwater ice fishing this year. i always seem to just head towards lakes/ponds and never give the backwaters much thought. perhaps its because we only get 2 months if that of a season down here so spending 1/2 a day wandering around getting skunked hurts in the short term.