Getting prepared for the ICE an annual ritual

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/10/2020 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I don’t know about you, but I was pretty disappointed that fall was cut short two years in a row. This year, probably more than most, people want to enjoy their outdoor pursuits as long as possible. Most falls, I am fishing open water at least until the end of October. Last year I managed to get close to that but not this year. Way below seasonal temperatures made it a risk to be out in below freezing temperatures. I can remember one such fall back in 2012 when the average windchill on the water was -12 Celsius the four days we fished. Combine that with a tough bite and it was a trip I didn’t want to repeat.

Instead, I got my boat put away with gasoline stabilizer in the tank, the lower unit free of water and all the batteries charged up for the winter.

In preparation for the ice fishing season, this past week I took my ice auger blades to Cameron Tait for sharpening. He runs a small business called The Razors Edge. A professional chef by trade he is an expert at sharpening knives and auger blades. You can find him on Facebook and Instagram.

Getting that out of the way, I moved on to charging all my batteries that I use on the ice. This now includes a lithium battery that I bought to use with my Helix 5. They are a hot item these days but well worth it. Being considerably lighter than a regular lead acid one, they are much easier to drag around all day. I also charged up the lithium battery for my ION ice auger.

One of the keys to battery life is maintenance. This means disconnecting them from any source that causes a constant power drain, including fishing electronics and electric ice augers.

Next on the list are my ice fishing rods and reels. I want to make sure all the lines are fresh and ready to go. Make sure to clean your ice fishing reels and use a light lubricating oil to allow smooth operation in cold temperatures.

For those with portable shelters you might be in for a rude surprise if you didn’t rid them of moisture before storing for the summer. At the end of ice season, it pays to set them up in the sun to make sure they are dry. Then add a couple of air fresheners inside to make sure they are good to go come the new ice fishing season. Store up off the ground if you can to keep unwanted creatures out.

First ice is not far away, and it pays to be ready when the time comes.

Friends of mine are still out on the water trying for that elusive 50 plus inch musky. Trolling at this time of the year allows you to cover water and stay a bit warmer if you have a console boat. Having a windshield and a top along with a heater onboard allows it to be bearable. Speaking of musky fishing I got an email recently from hardcore musky angler Brodie Edmondson. He wanted to share a story from this past summer.

“As an avid musky angler, nothing would make me happier to one day get my son a musky. We rented a cabin in Kenora for a week in August to enjoy Sunset Country. To take a six-year-old out on a normal musky day just isn’t realistic. I took my father and Hunter out walleye fishing one evening on a nice calm day. (Certainly not musky weather). After catching our limit of walleye for lunch the next day, we decided to hit two musky spots on the way home. I would cast out for Hunter and let him reel it in, honing his “figure eight” skills with each cast. To my surprise, the last cast on the first spot raised one. As quick as it came up, was as quick as the fish disappeared.

Our next spot was one that I had confidence in. On the fourth cast, Hunter brought in the #8 blades with a musky following an inch behind the bait. Before any of us could think, the fish inhaled the blades on the slightest turn of the “eight”. Immediate chaos set it in as my dad grabbed the net and slid the fish in. This musky was certainly more memorable than any other fish we had landed and one I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Anglers Notes

It has been a couple years in the making but Humminbird has come out with a new LakeMaster map card for Manitoba.

It features over 100 HD surveyed waters in one foot contour detail. This is actual boats on the water surveying from Humminbird’s team of surveyors. This includes ALL of Lake of the Woods and Rainy River, also in HD. Retail for this will be around $180.

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