Why is icefishing fun?

[super mario]

Originally Posted by Walleye101

The whole body of water is accessible without a boat. It can be a lot of work searching for and chasing fish but once you find them, it becomes very rewarding. I personally don't find it very relaxing because I'm the type that gets up at 3am to drive 3-4 hours and then fish hard for 8 hours constantly moving around in search of the little bastards. Then drive home and get back at 10pm. Everything frozen C!#% stiff, body aching, fish to fillet the next day. Bank account a little lighter. But I love it and will continue to do it because I love fishing...

x4

[Mitchthefisher]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Try targeting whitefish. I'm a flyfisher like you and look so forwards to that first trip on the river. It is pretty equal for me ice fishing for whites. I sight fish for them and can't get enough. Challenging too. Throw in electronics like an underwater cam and you can catch but more watch and learn how fish react. It is a unique experience.

And, ice fishing is a very social sport. As much as I strive to find that "quiet" place on the river, I look forwards to shootin the bull with buddies on the ice. Stuff like "big fish coming your way!!". ...."Oh ya, I see it! I got it, I got it"....back to me "you $#$%ing bas$%d"....
Stuff like that

Could not agree more, whitefish are hands down the most fun fish i have targeted through the ice!

[-JR-]

Good Question ..... What makes Ice Fishing enjoyable ?

I don't understand why watching hockey and football is enjoyable either !
Can you tell me ?

[jkbloom]

Originally Posted by sanjuanworm

Can someone explain to me why ice fishing is exciting and relaxing?

I've been thinking of getting in to it but I'm curious how everyone else feels.

I just want to relax for once.

If you come up to Cold lake this winter, I will take you out and show you why it is the best fishing of the year, private message me and I will take you out

[densa44]

I've always wondered too, why people ice fish and on top of that are passionate about it.

I see there are a variety of reasons and that makes sense. Well enjoy yourselves.

[Mad_On_Fishing]

for me its the reward for studying the lake and finding what spot to go to and catching fish at that spot. i will usually spend hours studying the charts for a lake.

i also find that i have longer fights with fish while ice fishing and using a sonar to temp can be insane.

also, ice fishing was the only way i copuld get on the lake up until this spring, so naturally, its great to have mobility to get to where you want to try.

[sanjuanworm]

Well I picked up an Ion auger today along with a jaw jacker and rod. Now I'll let my brother take care of a shelter and heater.

[brohymn2]

Originally Posted by sanjuanworm

Well I picked up an Ion auger today along with a jaw jacker and rod. Now I'll let my brother take care of a shelter and heater.

Sick I just got the same auger

[EZM]

We probably set up like a sponsored team filming a fishing show ...with all the tents, electronics, augers, heaters, tip ups, tables, chairs, and gadgets ..... so it's far from sitting on a bucket freezing your pants off. It's like sitting in your warm living room with a fishing rod.

It's just so fun to watch a fish come in on the camera and study your lure or bait and play with him until he strikes it ........

It's also pretty fun boiling up a pot of coffee and accidently spilling a little bit of good boos in the cup - maybe cook up some lunch on the BBQ and sharing with the neighbors - just like your camping.

I've made Jambalaya, Beef Tips, steak and all sorts of great little lunches out on the ice. Heck there have been days All the groups were fishing and all I do is make coffee, drinks and tapas (small appys to share with everyone) - hardly wet a line.

It's a social event - a few groups of people in a few tents and some comradery.

I just have to learn how to catch a whitefish ..... so there's still some challenge in it for me ........ I can't buy a whitefish !!!!!!

[morinj]

Just because a person enjoys fishing, doesn't mean they will enjoy ice fishing.
I enjoy both. One would say that staring into a hole is boring, and I would have to agree, however when that one nice size rainbow or Brookie wanders under your hole, everything comes into perspective, and it's enough to make your heart skip a beat, plus if you enjoy eating fresh fish, cold winter water is the best place to get it. Let's not also forget how nice it is to get out of the house, and into the wilderness. Don't forget, that if the fishing is not active, you can always resort to alternatives like shooting your . 22 or having a huge fire.

[Boomko]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Good Question ..... What makes Ice Fishing enjoyable ?

I don't understand why watching hockey and football is enjoyable either !
Can you tell me ?

I imagine almost everyone in Alberta will be watching football this weekend vs fishing.

[Unregistered user]

I like it because I can park my r.v. over top of fish, no camping fees, get gooned and not worry about having to drive home until the next day.

[The Reel Deal]

I'm not gonna lie... It can be boring sometimes!
I still love it and can't stop thinking about it! I'd lose my mind if I sat in the house all winter long.

Everyone's has hit it on the head already with the scouting, cooking, comradery, and sight fishing...

[Newellknik]

I just got the same auger ....I think it's definitely more social
Than boat fishing . When younger 100 days a year in Manitoba
Where real ice lives . Southern Alberta definitely tougher ....
Chinooks are not your friend . It's getting out in the great
Outdoors ... I'm itchin for some drilling .

[does it ALL outdoors]

Finding someone else to drive so I can drink all day. Even if I'm not catchin fish I'm still catchin a buzz

[the pilot cock]

I grew up in Saskatchewan where my family had a cabin and a boat and I was young and had nothing better to do than fish all summer. I would see people sitting on frozen 5 gallon pails freezing to death ice fishing and thought it looked like no fun at all. When I moved to Alberta, open water fishing came to screeching halt. I no longer had a boat. I had no where idea where to go, and even if I figured out a lake to go to, I'm now a family guy and the summer responsibility list has gotten pretty big.
I had always hated winter and so I decided to see if I could get a winter hobby. That's when I went to Wholesale sports and discovered that ice fishing has come a long way in the past 20 years or so... I love ice fishing because I can access anywhere without a boat. I got a GPS with depth charts and I can drive straight to the spot I want to explore and start drilling holes. Even in the cold, the wind, the snow or freezing rain, my tent is calm, dry and reasonably warm which is something I could never say in a boat. I never get wind blown off the spot I want to fish. I have sonar and a camera and can see down the hole so it's way more entertaining and I've learned so much about how the fish I'm targeting behave. I bring my BBQ and some awesome food and a good friend or my kids and we make a day of it in a climate controlled atmosphere.
For me, hard water has become far more my passion than open water ever was. Now I get excited as the weather gets cold instead of sinking into seasonal depression.

[JohninAB]

Originally Posted by EZM

We probably set up like a sponsored team filming a fishing show ...with all the tents, electronics, augers, heaters, tip ups, tables, chairs, and gadgets ..... so it's far from sitting on a bucket freezing your pants off. It's like sitting in your warm living room with a fishing rod.

It's just so fun to watch a fish come in on the camera and study your lure or bait and play with him until he strikes it ........

It's also pretty fun boiling up a pot of coffee and accidently spilling a little bit of good boos in the cup - maybe cook up some lunch on the BBQ and sharing with the neighbors - just like your camping.

I've made Jambalaya, Beef Tips, steak and all sorts of great little lunches out on the ice. Heck there have been days All the groups were fishing and all I do is make coffee, drinks and tapas (small appys to share with everyone) - hardly wet a line.

It's a social event - a few groups of people in a few tents and some comradery.

I just have to learn how to catch a whitefish ..... so there's still some challenge in it for me ........ I can't buy a whitefish !!!!!!

This sums it up for me. I never saw the lure in ice fishing. Went once with a group off of here. Been hooked ever since.