With the coming of the ice fishing season, take some time for yourself and plan an outdoor adventure.
Ice fishing, in my mind is the great equalizer. Gone is the need for a boat and motor. All that’s required to get on a lake and go fishing is the mobility to get there and an auger to cut a hole. That’s it. The next thing is to plan a trip to somewhere cool, because that’s fun. Find a place you’ve always wanted to fish, firm up a date with a buddy or two and make the arrangements. Hotel it for a really great weekend away or, for the real adventurous try a fly in. I did that to Leland Lake with Andrew Lake Lodge some years ago. I went there with my buddy Brad Fenson and caught the largest laker of my life.
Using an extra huge sized herring suspended 15 feet or so down I tagged a monstrous lake trout that would measure 43.5 inches long and weigh 28 pounds. It was so huge that it literally squeezed up the 10-inch auger hole and a plug of water spilled out onto the ice when I pulled him through. It will always be one of my most memorable fishing experiences. A winter adventure afield doesn’t have to be that exotic; there are all kinds of places to go and try.
I’ve ice fished the aerated lakes around Peace River area and connected with some amazingly large rainbows and browns. I’ve headed west and stopped in the shadow of the mountains where I found incredible brook trout fishing at places like Muskiki Lake. I would drill my holes mere steps off shore in water so shallow I swear if I reached down fast enough, I could actually touch the fish as they swam by.
A couple winters ago I gave myself a treat and went out with Ayr Miller to Cold Lake to ice fish for lakers. I always promised myself I’d make the trip and finally, during a cool winter day, we made it. We even caught lakers. I brought a beautiful 9 pound one home for the smoker while Ayr kept a 12 pounder. These adventures and so many more are out there just waiting for you or I to discover them.
Considering that the fishing pressure is almost non-existent on many of our lakes come winter, it is a great time to get out and go exploring
