favorite hard water wind story

Twin Valleys · #1 12-18-2018, 07:12 PM

here in Southern Alberta decided to go check the ice thickness on reservoir before the extended family lands here for Christmas - managed to get auger into back of truck but literally couldn't get back into truck with howling winds - decided this was a dumb idea - got me thinking about several windy stories ice fishing over the years - trying to pick one hard - I'll try this one - out on Duck Lake in Montana one year with buddy who had a broken leg and cast from toe to crotch; looked out the ice shack and looked like truck was moving in the wind; stepped out to check and the shack took off in the wind with buddy inside - chased the shack down the lake with propane bottle flipping over and over went past a group in their trucks, they must of thought they were at drive in movie with us the entertainment, finally grabbed rope from shack and brought it to a stop with no skin left on knuckles, buddy hops over with rum bottle proud that he didn't lose a drop (well we had different priorities in those days); made sure didn't skimp on the climbing ice screws from then on - anybody else have a windy story, man, I have a few . . .

2alarmfishing · #2 12-18-2018, 10:43 PM

Slayed walleye in the morning on Lessar Slave narrows. Unzipped tent to a whiteout. Tracks blown in, knew I had to go south and cross two heaves. Drove around a long time and ended up on the north shore. Crossed like 5 heaves. Had to find access off lake. Found a fresh bladed cutline and made it to a winter haul road. Had to drive the long way around the west side of the lake to get home. Lucky to be alive.

PerchBuster · #3 12-19-2018, 07:46 AM

One time about 30 years ago fishing Bay of Quinte in Ontario for giant hog Walleyes. Two of us fishing comfortably in a shack, group of 6 of us out fishing in different locations, when we heard what we thought was thunder?? middle of January, thunder? Ice is fairly slick no snow cover. Next thing we know the wind picks up to Mach speed and the shack starts moving. Reel in quick, jump out and the shack takes off. It’s heading down the bay at about 40 km/hr in no time with our gear and everything else in there. We are getting blown across the ice as well. Standing up it was like being on skates with the prop of an air boat strapped to your backside. Me and buddy got blown right across to the other side where we got picked up by a group of fisherman on quads that got us out of there. Our 4 other fishing buddies had similar experience that day. We were all separated didn’t know where each other were until we all got rides back to where we were staying in Picton (before cell phone days). Never recovered our fishing gear that went down the lake with our shack, she was all gone, but we were sure thankful to just get out of that situation as we literally got blown over 2km across to the opposite side from where we were fishing, it was crazy!

spoiledsaskhunter · #4 12-19-2018, 09:43 AM

wasn't it only a couple years ago the university prof and a couple of her friends got blown across the ice in a fishing tent in montana?..........blew them into open water and they all drowned.

i hate ice fishing anyway.....my toes get cold!!

thumper · #5 12-19-2018, 04:20 PM

Ice fishing isn't really fun - it's just making the best of a bad situation. And wind just makes that situation worse!

Hunter4ever12 · #6 12-19-2018, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thumper

Ice fishing isn't really fun - it's just making the best of a bad situation. And wind just makes that situation worse!

Only thing I agree with here is the wind sucks. I may be one of the few but I look forward to the hard water season ever year,enjoy it more then open water to be honest.

Fishwhere · #7 12-19-2018, 05:06 PM

Not quite as much of a wind story but itll do... ice fishing with the gf for the first time who is now my wife and the first thing that happens is the entire bottom of the auger falls down the first hole after i drill it. So we eventually set up the tent over the hole in wind and i didnt have any screw down anchors. So with the help of a shovel and some truck straps i managed to hook the auger leg off the bottom of the lake and pull it up to bottom of ice. Had to strip shirt off to reach arm up to the shoulder and grab it. Mean while the gf is attempting to hold the tent down and hold strap hooked on to auger at the same time. Pretty eventful first ice trip for her. At least we caught some after that. Hahah

kinwahkly · #8 12-19-2018, 05:19 PM

Years back at Pine Coulee reservoir my father and I hit the ice one Feb day. Lots of ice but a wind warning was in effect. Drove on to lake ,got out and set up. We coukdent put a tent up as the winds were close to 80 to 90 kms . We had to stand beside truck to block wind. At one point the back end of the truck moved at least a foot from wind blowing. Wind took my dads pail and blew it across the lake. I was wearing ice cleats. So i took off and the wind knocked me down and blew me across the lake as there was no snow and ice was smooth. When i got to the end of the lake i picked up my dads pail and most of the contents inside. Now i had to try to walk back to the truck. Trouble was going straight into the wind. The truck was about 1000 yards away. It took me over 45 minutes and i had to ditch the pail as i couldent hold on. For every step forward wind pushed me back 3 steps. Now I'm a pretty hefty guy and without cleats i would have never made it back .

dodger · #9 12-21-2018, 07:14 AM

I have lost enough lawn chairs on McGregor over the years that somewhere there is some really good Walleye structure.

Dodger.

Ranger CS · #10 12-21-2018, 07:23 AM

Not a fishing story, but saw a recent video of the wind down here in southern Alberta blowing a big round hay bail across a hay field and it did not stop until hit a fence post at the end of the field. Nasty

Ranger CS · #11 12-21-2018, 07:32 AM

Last year while driving from Fort McLeod to Pincher Creek I saw a Jet Ranger
helicopter one half a mile ahead of me flying west into the wind paralleling the highway. Approximately three kilometers east of Brocket I over took and passed the Jet Ranger as it fought it's way west into the wind. When I arrived at Pincher Station I pulled over on the highway and stopped. I waited for five minutes before the chopper finally made it to Pincher Station. This was one time I was glad to be on the ground and not in the air.

saddleup · #12 12-21-2018, 09:57 AM

Not a fishing story, but one year down here in southern Alberta on a really windy day while out horse back riding, I had to stop and take the saddle blanket out from under the saddle. Tied the saddle blanket to the horses azz, to keep the bit from poppin outa his mouth.

Stinky Buffalo · #13 12-21-2018, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinwahkly

For every step forward wind pushed me back 3 steps. Now I'm a pretty hefty guy and without cleats i would have never made it back .

Whenever that happens to me, the way I get to where I need to go is simply turn around and head in the opposite direction...

Dean2 · #14 12-21-2018, 12:29 PM

Coming back from a fishing trip, traveling through North Dakota. Wind was so bad it was blowing the Suburban we were driving across three lanes of Interstate and into the median. Did this twice, and the second time we were only doing 40 mph. We were down to 30 mph to keep the truck on pavement but we were still using 2 lanes. Finally found a Motel and pulled in for the afternoon and overnight till the wind died down.

MooseRiverTrapper · #15 12-21-2018, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saddleup

Not a fishing story, but one year down here in southern Alberta on a really windy day while out horse back riding, I had to stop and take the saddle blanket out from under the saddle. Tied the saddle blanket to the horses azz, to keep the bit from poppin outa his mouth.

Lol