Ice Fishing for Rainbows with Home Tied Ice Flies

[Mark Knapp 0]

 

 

We've been catching about 40 a day, and keeping some of the bigger ones. The biggest so far was a 21 1/2 inch fish. We're only allowed one each over 18 inches per day.

[mikechell 0]

Stocking up the larder?

[Mark Knapp 0]

Stocking up the larder?

I'm not keeping any fish this year. Last year I kept and smoked a little over 200 pounds of fish caught through the ice. I still have some of them.

 

This year, we only keep fish when I have someone with me that wants to bring them home.

[Poopdeck 0]

Nice shack! Do you drive that down the road and then somehow drop the actual shack onto the ice? How does it work?

[Mark Knapp 0]

Nice shack! Do you drive that down the road and then somehow drop the actual shack onto the ice? How does it work?

Yes, I made it out of my old boat trailer. Do you see the angled slides on the side? When I crank it up with the boat winch, the shack slides up off the ice for easy transport. There is a tour of my house in this video.

 

 

Google "Ice Castle fish houses" if you want to see some really nice ones.

[Steeldrifter 0]

I dunno how I missed this post till just now. That's a helluva shanty Mark. Ice fishing has never interested me much but that shanty is so nice and comfortable looking I think I would give it a try in something like that for sure

[Mark Knapp 0]

I dunno how I missed this post till just now. That's a helluva shanty Mark. Ice fishing has never interested me much but that shanty is so nice and comfortable looking I think I would give it a try in something like that for sure

Come on up, I take you.

[Poopdeck 0]

That's a pretty wizbang set up! If there's a bathroom in there I would have no reason to leave it. I'm bummed because I don't think we are getting any ice this year. It's been three years now without a good deep freeze.

[Mark Knapp 0]

That's a pretty wizbang set up! If there's a bathroom in there I would have no reason to leave it. I'm bummed because I don't think we are getting any ice this year. It's been three years now without a good deep freeze.

Thanks Poopdeck, Like a I say, it's not perfect but we like it. I don't feel sorry for you about your ice situation, I bet you get to fly fish much longer than I do.

[Mark Knapp 0]

This is from yesterday, we kept these 12 out of about 40 that we caught. We kept some of the smaller ones because they were hooked in the gills, we kept bigger ones because they were the bigger ones.

 

[Poopdeck 0]

Some may find this hard to understand but I absolutely hate winter fishing. Right now it's cold and windy and the water is not hard. I hate fishing when it's just about freezing out. I love ice fishing though cause I can warmly bundle up and only expose my fingers momentarily. So I hate winter fishing but I love ice fishing, weird huh?

 

If not for ice fishing my fishing is done from early December until mid March when I get the boat ready for shad.

[vicrider 0]

Nice setup. I lived in northern MN for years and I always used portable shacks for the mobility of them. We had some great stocked trout lakes and they certainly helped make a long winter seem a little more tolerable.

[mikechell 0]

Nice mess o' fish, Mark. But now I'm shivering just from looking at the ice.

[feathers5 0]

That's one great set-up you have there, Mark. Beautiful. Meanwhile on January 22 in central, PA, we can't get any safe ice.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Some may find this hard to understand but I absolutely hate winter fishing. Right now it's cold and windy and the water is not hard. I hate fishing when it's just about freezing out. I love ice fishing though cause I can warmly bundle up and only expose my fingers momentarily. So I hate winter fishing but I love ice fishing, weird huh?

 

If not for ice fishing my fishing is done from early December until mid March when I get the boat ready for shad.

I have to say i'm with you in that regard. I have fished more than a little bit with icy guides though. I would rather ice fish than icy fly fish.