Mistakes made when starting out ice fishing

[DDSBYDAY]

     This thread is meant to help the newcomers out so that they don't make the same mistakes we did starting out. 

      Some of your dumbest mistakes you made ice fishing.

            Tossing 2 ice chisels to the bottom of the lake (not on the same day )

            Burning my coat pocket on the muffler of the auger.

            Hand drilling a hole through 2 ft of ice in 3 ft of water.

            This has not happened to me but it is a warning to all.  The 6-10 inch hole has a super magnetic kinetic force to it.  If you drop something like a cell phone, a camera, an ice scoop, it will go to the bottom of the lake.  It doesn't matter how many bounces it takes. If you drop something it will find the hole.   

         

[MTCOMMER]

Watch where you step and remember where you put your holes when its dark outside (put something next to them so you know they are there)
and....
Make sure you have all your equipment BEFORE you get on the ice - nothing worse than getting everything set up and realizing you forgot the bait - or your poles in the truck!
Oh, and....
Dont leave your bait outside when its below freezing, unless you want to chisel (sp?) out a dead minnow from a block of ice. 

[FireRanger]

Don't walk through deep snow that has gathered up against a deep shoreline........you may just find out that snow is a great insulater for thin ice and fall through.....ruinning your day to say the least!!

oh... and NEVER be the first guy on the ice with your own vehicle!

[beeker]

I had a buddy who didn't have weight to check the depth.. used his keys.. his keys are still in the lake.

[DDSBYDAY]

   Pics from last years get together.  All seasoned professionals so no mistakes were made.    Our Professional photographer did forget the memory card in his camera.  Someone's high tech tip up not only got our attention but caused every property owner on the lake to turn their lights on. The siren sound cause half the ice houses to empty with people tripping over themselves to get off the ice.   Other than that and the grill sinking through the ice no mistakes were made.  Generally  speaking mistakes will be made.  Thats what makes it fun.

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[Lee Borgersen]

                                                   

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[Fawkinnae]

1. Last years Eelpout Festival. Walked in the door at 1 am - an early night. Since I was the last one in didn't turn on lights and didn't want to wake anyone. Immediately stepped/fell into the hole next to my bed up to my knee. Woke up the next morning with my bag of clothes floating in the same hole.

2. When using a rental house be sure and check all knots and terminal tackle if you use any of the lines/rattle reels that came with the house. Lost big fish at Upper Red Lake (at least big in my mind).

3. Grills can and will freeze into the ice after using (see above).

I'm just getting started...

[JECAMERON]

When traveling great distances for a multi-day/ overnight fishing adventure ALWAYS have provisions for a back-up heat source. Spent a few nights on URL burning one pounders in my Mr. heater cooker after Albert Einstien broke our main heater.

[Fawkinnae]

When traveling great distances for a multi-day/ overnight fishing adventure ALWAYS have provisions for a back-up heat source. Spent a few nights on URL burning one pounders in my Mr. heater cooker after Albert Einstien broke our main heater.

Good point JECAMERON. For some reason Albert Einstein often shows up on an ice fishing trip.

[JECAMERON]

And he never fails to be broke as can be, complain about not catching fish or some other award winning stunt to bring down moral.

[thunderpout]

So.... if one see's Albert Einstien whilest ice fishing, shut it down for the night.  Good rule.    But seriously... I like the thread.  I think it is more important NOT to do certain thing while ice fishing than it is to DO certain things, Eh?   That's a good rule in itself.... Beeker, gotta love that one... I promise to never use my keys as a depth finder!   Here's a couple shack rules I have posted on the wall of my ultra-shack....  No eating the bait.     No swimming after 10pm.   No Kimshi allowed! (kind of a gross & long story )

[DDSBYDAY]

 No Kimshi allowed! (kind of a gross & long story )

        That smell penetrates glass.   

[DDSBYDAY]

I had a buddy who didn't have weight to check the depth.. used his keys.. his keys are still in the lake.

     The General actually suggested that at the last ice get together.  He was the only one willing to use his keys.  Unfortunaltly he could not find them.  He had locked them in the car.     At least now we know it could have been worse.

[Retired on Osakis]

Never leave your lure in the water and your rod and reel laying on the ice with the bail closed. If a big enough fish decides to take the bait, you'll have one less rod and reel. I might as well give you the whole story. When I lived down in the cities I had a permanent that I kept on Green Lake by Chisago City. Some of us were out there fishing one day and I had left my rod sitting on the floor of the fish house with the bail closed and the bait down the hole. I heard a clunk and turned around in time to see my rod disappear down the hole. A couple of weeks later, with the house still sitting in the same spot, I looked down my hole and I could see my rod on the bottom. We were in about 12 feet of water and the water had cleared up a bit. The reel was mostly white and I could see it. Took another set up with a heavy lure with treble hooks and managed to fish it up off the bottom. I set the second one back down and was holding the one I fished out while we were cheering and high 5ing. Heard another clunk and turned around in time to see the second one I used go down the hole. That second one I used for fishing out the first one was a lot more expensive set up and I never did get that one back. 

[Go Big Red!]

Never leave your lure in the water and your rod and reel laying on the ice with the bail closed. If a big enough fish decides to take the bait, you'll have one less rod and reel. I might as well give you the whole story. When I lived down in the cities I had a permanent that I kept on Green Lake by Chisago City. Some of us were out there fishing one day and I had left my rod sitting on the floor of the fish house with the bail closed and the bait down the hole. I heard a clunk and turned around in time to see my rod disappear down the hole. A couple of weeks later, with the house still sitting in the same spot, I looked down my hole and I could see my rod on the bottom. We were in about 12 feet of water and the water had cleared up a bit. The reel was mostly white and I could see it. Took another set up with a heavy lure with treble hooks and managed to fish it up off the bottom. I set the second one back down and was holding the one I fished out while we were cheering and high 5ing. Heard another clunk and turned around in time to see the second one I used go down the hole. That second one I used for fishing out the first one was a lot more expensive set up and I never did get that one back. 

I'm sorry but I have to laugh at that one....

We have had the same situation losing one and getting it back.  Lost a rod down the hole and then threw a tip up down the same hole.  The northern that took the rod wrapped the rod line around the tip up line.  Got the rod and the fish!!!!

[dakids]

Remember where and how many tipups you put out.  I've been the first person out on minetonka several times and found tipups half frozen in with the flags up and fish on and nobody in site.

If you are fishing after dark bring a second light source.

If you bring the little ones, bring lots of food and drink, don't plan on fishing much yourself, and plan a short trip.

[thunderpout]

unfortunatly, that one just doesnt happen to people new to ice fishing.... it happens to seasoned hard water folks as well... and not just once.  Seen it many times.  It wouldnt be so bad if we were in the age of the $1.49 jig stick, but now its the loss of a cork handled, high modular graphite rod with a titanium alloy UL reel with premium line and who knows what else... you could be lookin at some big buckolas going down the hole...

[DDSBYDAY]

      Once on Bald Eagle crappie fishing my bud had his rod pulled down the hole and within seconds I was pulling it out of my hole when an aggressive crappie went for both of our minnows.  True story. 

[beeker]

a cheap pair of cleats can save your asz... litterally.  took the kids out on coon one day and the wind picked up.. the kids had a blast riding in the clam... I had my cleats  on and walked em back with the wind pushing them like a sail... the kids had more fun riding in the clam on the way back then fishing.