Ice fishing with friends.

[Mark Knapp 0]

On Friday after Thanksgiving I loaded up my Mobile Ice Fishing Headquarters (MIFH) with gear and friends for four days of ice fishing 100 miles south east of Fairbanks.

My Mobile Ice Fishing Headquarters, a 1991 Jamboree by Fleetwood.

The sled loaded with the escape pod, gear and lunches.

Here are some of the usual suspects, my cousin Dianna and her most significant other, Erik. I'm warming up to Erik quickly because he takes me to remote places in his airplane. At first I wasn't too sure about him because he was just some guy she met on an airstrip and she fell for his best pick-up line, "You want to go flying?" His airplane is a chick magnet. Now that he takes me flying too sometimes, I think he's OK.

Steve, another one of my best buds. He's praying to the fish gods.

Dave with one of our best fish of the trip, a chunky 20 incher.

And then there was me, sometimes they call me "The fishin' magician" a nick name I reluctantly accept, what are ya gunna do? I'm double fisting it with two jigging poles.

The escape pod all set up and ready to go with a full moon in the clear morning sky.

Dave with a nice stocked king.

The Cuz. with her first of the day. We're using home tied jigs and home cured baits.

Erik with a nice rainbow.

The geezer with one of seventy five we caught in the four days.

Our biggest of the trip, a 22 inch rainbow.

A pretty one. This is one of the five we kept for eating.

Another good'n. I like to fish one un-baited pole and one baited one.

The sun sets on another fantastic trip. The MIFH is parked way over there. I can't wait to go again.

 

 

 

[Steeldrifter 0]

Great pics Mark, looks like a fun time and some dandy trout that should make for some good eatin!

[jamieofthenorth 0]

Looks like fun, Mark! Still way too warm here in Maine to even think about ice fishing much, unfortunately. Did you guys have traps set up or did you just jig?

[chugbug27 0]

Tundratastic, good times

[Mark Knapp 0]

6 hours ago, jamieofthenorth said:

Looks like fun, Mark! Still way too warm here in Maine to even think about ice fishing much, unfortunately. Did you guys have traps set up or did you just jig?

We each fished two holes. I like to jig in one hole and use a bobber in the other. Some of my friends fished both holes with bobbers. I think that tip-ups would be very ineffective in this lake. None of the fish in this lake are aggressive biters. Tip-ups would just snap the baits away from fish as they gingerly tried to de-bait the hooks.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Thanks all.

[TIER 0]

Nice! You are going to be eating well

[mikechell 0]

Except for the cold, the ice and the crowded conditions ... it looks like a fun few days fishing.

Pretty fish.

[Mark Knapp 0]

21 hours ago, mikechell said:

Except for the cold, the ice and the crowded conditions ... it looks like a fun few days fishing.

Pretty fish.

Well, we don't have to worry about keeping drinks cold. Don't have to worry about putting the fish on ice, they're already on ice when you catch them. No bugs and we don't have to carry sunscreen. And, we don't have to worry about someone coming by in a big boat and swamping us.😊

Oh yeah, and we don't have to worry about poisonous snakes, anacondas and gators.😁😄

PS, a lot of times, when we go during the week, we will be the only ones on the lake. Crowded conditions?

[skeet3t 0]

Never went ice fishing. It was a fun time on Lake Erie out of Marblehead, if I recall the correct location. Shanties were laid out in streets, had a mayor, police chief and post office.

BTW, regarding the guy in the green jacket. What exactly is he doing? Hmmm.

[Mark Knapp 0]

2 minutes ago, skeet3t said:

Never went ice fishing. It was a fun time on Lake Erie out of Marblehead, if I recall the correct location. Shanties were laid out in streets, had a mayor, police chief and post office.

BTW, regarding the guy in the green jacket. What exactly is he doing? Hmmm.

He's watching down the ice hole to see fish. The water's only 10 feet deep and very clear. We can see everything that goes on down there.

[skeet3t 0]

52 minutes ago, Mark Knapp said:

He's watching down the ice hole to see fish. The water's only 10 feet deep and very clear. We can see everything that goes on down there.

I recall seeing Eskimos who shaded the spot with an animal hide to cut glare and see the fish. Quick jab with a harpoon did the trick. 10 feet of clear water is a rare thing in many places.