A Cold Snap!

[Bobby Bass]

Sun is warm against my face as I lean against the thick pine tree. My back turned to the brisk wind that comes across the lake. When I left the cabin the bass thermometer was straining to reach zero. In the middle of a cold snap we are. The walk to the shoreline was loud in my ears, the snow hard and crusty. The muffled sounds of my boot steps were more felt then heard through the hat pulled down tight over my ears. The over sized bibs made that whooshing sound as my legs rubbed against each other with each step. The dragging sound of the sled on its rope behind me. A five gallon bucket holding ice fishing rods and my auger tied to the side of the sled. I had thought it would be a good day to go out and do some fishing, as we all know there is no such thing as a bad day to fish.

From behind the protection of the pine I looked out at the frozen waters of the lake. Snow, well really ice crystals were blowing across the frozen water. I could make out drifts running across the lake and also a few ice heaves that I would have to cross to get where I knew the fish were biting. The wind could be seen on this day as it picked up the ice crystals and danced them across the lake. Some places it would stop and swirl like dust devils in the summer in others it would march across the lake like an oncoming rain storm. Pulling the scarf up a little higher on my face it covered my cheeks from the wind. I am sure I looked like a little kid dressed  waiting for the school bus. But I was warm as long as I kept my face out of the wind. Slipping my choppers through the loops on my ski poles I set off down the slight hill and out onto the ice. Away now from my tree I felt the first gust of wind and the hard snow against my legs. With my head down and my goggles on I put the wind on my shoulder and walked with an easy pace towards my destination. On a good day it is only a ten minute walk to the island and soon I was in my rhythm, step forward, the tug of the sled pulling on the rope looped over my shoulder and then the occasional bump of the sled against the heel of my boot. Another step and another bump.

On a day like today it didn't take to much thought to imagine I was trekking across the Arctic, on a quest to find the unknown. It was sure cold enough to make that believable. I unzipped the coat a few inches to vent some warmth, didn't want to over heat. Halfway there I took a break and looking back watched as the wind quickly covered what ever tracks I had left behind. Sun a little higher I adjusted my course a tad and continued. Five or six minutes later I was at the island, as I pulled the sled behind I escaped the wind and I had to unzip a few more inches of coat. Heading to my spot I kicked snow away from my hole. The auger was unstrapped and roared to life. I make quick work of clearing the hole and the auger was back on the sled. I empty the contents from the five gallon pail and flipped it over next to the hole. The padded seat was attached to the pail and I sat down and stretched my legs. The lid was taken off the old coffee can and a wood match dropped on the waiting charcoal and kindling. Soon the flames licked up the side of the can and I wrung my fingers over the heat. A line was baited and dropped down the hole and I searched inside my coat pocket for my cigar tube.


A few minutes later and I was ice fishing. Bait down the hole, cigar lit and a steaming cup of hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick in my other hand. Sun shinning on my face and out of the wind the only thing that was going to change this picture was a crappie. An hour so later and the sun was getting a little low, the wind had shifted and some of it was sneaking around the island to remind me that it was out there. Cigar in my hand was keeping two fingers warm as the gar was getting kind of small. Coals in the coffee can were turning to ash and I was thinking it was time to head back. Adding some slush with my dipper to the can there was a swoosh and some steam rolling upwards to be swept away by the wind. I packed up and secured everything to the sled including the four crappies that were going to be supper in an hour.

I zipped up and pulling my scarf back up around my face I headed back to the cabin. As soon as I cleared the island the wind hit me and sought out any place where it could blow up and find skin. Stopping I made an adjustment to my cuff and pulled my collar up. Soon I was trekking across the Arctic again with my eyes looking up from time to time checking my progress to the big pine tree and home. I am sure it took me longer than ten minutes to get back, I had to stop twice. The air was cold and the wind was coming more directly at me. I pulled the sled up off the ice and stepped into the deep snow on land.  Sled finds it way back inside the garage and me and the crappies find our way inside the cabin. I pass the bass thermometer on the wall and the red needle is pointing a minus five, Just a little cold snap.