Well, I gotta tell you fella's.... some of the best times I've had in my life were either on the ice or in a ice house. I don't like hand drilling holes, but a gas auger makes it a cinche. 30+ inches of ice is pretty safe but hard on you, if you know what I mean. I have a great pair of Sorrels, but your feet eventually get cold. You're standing on ICE!
If you can imagine spending a weekend in an icehouse with four bunk beds, satellite TV (NFL MAN!!! That's why!!!), snowmobiles and 4 wheeler's... and the fish you catch can be as good as anywhere else. When you get bored and your two buddies have argued for the past two hours about who's snowmobile will go faster, then they go race for a while outside the door...Or you go for a drive on the 4wheeler. Love pulling up 3-7lb walleyes out of a 12 in hole in the ice.... nice crappies.... big perch... sweet bass. I've seen my cousin pull up a 15lb northern pike out of a hole, only to have it come unbuttoned and fall back in the hole, he dives across the floor, reach down into the hole and pull it back out. It's a great experience to say the least. But do I miss it? Nah..... it's usually COLD AS HECK! Try -20 degrees and sitting on a bucket. But a little village of houses sitting out on a submerged rock pile in the middle of the lake is a cool experience, I don't care who you are. You meet all types and alot of them would be members here if they knew of this site.
I must tell you, as a born southern boy, I think all of you would have the same apprehension and tightness in your chest when you drive your $35k truck out on the ice for that first time.... and the local you are driving with tells you to roll your windows down and open the sunroof so you can jump out in case you go through. You almost cannot breathe!!! But watching 5 idiots park their new suburbans, and extended cabs all in a row next to each other like they were at a bar or something.... and have them fall through the ice, is priceless.
