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Ice Fishing


severus

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With regards to fishing, about all there is to do this time of year where I live is ice fishing. I haven't been out much yet, but I made it out last Sunday AM with a friend and managed to catch one perch in 3 hours of fishing. Very slow. It's usually like that it seems - feast or famine. Next time I post perhaps I can show a few fish that I've caught.

 

I use a two-man shanty, or bivvy, with a lantern for heat and light. As you can see, it has four holes drilled inside for fishing and the vexilar probe, and one drilled outside for the video camera. The vexilar flasher unit is at left, and the video screen is at lower left. The video camera wasn't much use that day as the waters were too cloudy from recent snowmelt. The ice was six inches thick here, over 42 feet of water. The rod at right is called a swish-rod and is made for deep-water fishing, while the one at left is a standard ice rod. Both have bite sensors.

 

shanty.jpg

 

 

The view outside. Other shanties with fishermen inside, with a large group in the distance. Note the spots on the ice where other shanties had been. This particular lake is actually a drowned river mouth that flows into Lake Michigan. Newt and Jan took a ferry from here to Wisconsin a few years back. The water wasn't as hard then, however. :)

 

molake.jpg

Be good and you will be lonely.
~ Mark Twain

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Very interesting Sev. That floor answered my misgivings about treading about around a hole - the floor spreads the load a bit. Must also insulate the feet from getting too cold and the ice from getting too warm.

 

Nevertheless, I take it you don't keep the shanty too warm, else despite the insulation it will melt its way through the ice!

 

Is it yellow perch you are talking about?

 

Better luck next time!

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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Actually, many shanty designs have no floors at all, Vagabond. Even if a heater is used to bring the interior to room temperature the ice won't melt fast enough to be a problem. It's very solid. "Permanent" shanties left out on the ice all winter have to be broken free from time to time lest they become frozen solid into the ice surface.

 

Yes. We were after yellow perch.

Be good and you will be lonely.
~ Mark Twain

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Yup. Water was lots softer when we took our boat ride across the lake. 45 knots and over a 1 hour ride to go directly across the lake. Wheeeeee.

 

Did we ever figure out if our yellow perch are the same fish as the UK perch or just very, very similar?

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

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Did we ever figure out if our yellow perch are the same fish as the UK perch or just very, very similar?

 

Its been discussed on AN before. Two separate species, but indeed very very similar.

 

Here is the link

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/Perch-q...perch&st=10

Edited by Vagabond

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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Mostly for eating in the case of perch.

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

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Interesting topic, Severus. Pictures speak a thousand words and explain the style nicely.

 

Thanks for the useful link, Vagabond. I've now bookmarked it.

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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Have always wondered if there is any pleasure to be had playing fish on such tackle or is it mainly done for the pot?

 

Both, at least for me. One has to use mono line no greater than 2 lb test to be successful consistently, so care has to be taken when playing the fish. No horsing. On a side note, everyone who has ever icefished has a story about something they lost down the hole by accident. Car keys, glasses, cameras, ice saws, tackle, and a lot of other things all seem to find their way into the hole. I lost a new lighter last year even before I lit the lamp. It went right to the bottom, just like a magnet was drawing it forth from my hand. Mr Murphy must have been smiling. I wasn't.

 

That is an interesting thread, Vagabond. I had no idea that the two species of perch were so similar.

 

I may go after crappies some night this weekend, if it warms up a bit. Temps have been below zero f. lately and heater or not, I'm a lightweight when it comes to cold weather. More photos to come.

 

Ken

Be good and you will be lonely.
~ Mark Twain

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