Of ice and angling

Up in Wisconsin, up in Wisconsin
The weather isn't very nice.
Up in Wisconsin, up in Wisconsin
They gotta fish right through the ice

-- Lou & Peter Berryman

Those words from the song "Up in Wisconsin" (sung to the tune of "La Cucuracha") come to mind when I ponder ice fishing (as in ponder actually doing it). Do you ice fish on your lake? Not many people do here on Birch, at least not this year. From our screen porch I can see only three, maybe four shanties. I am told, though, that the winter walleye fishing is good here. I have not tried it.

Well, I did once, last February, when friend Steve drove up from Manitowoc and we set tipups on a rock bar that's productive in summer, and so also should be in ice season. We caught none, and it was a miserable day, single digits, strong wind driving sharp pellets of snow, one of those days where if not for the fact a friend drove three hours for the express purpose of fishing, you would say, "Not today."

The truth is I have some mental hurdles to clear before I become an ice fisherman, It's not the cold: As a sister of mine says, "There is no cold weather -- only the wrong clothing." And even on that single-digit day with Steve all that got cold were my fingers when I bared them to bait the hooks and rig the tipups. 

No, for me, it's the hassle. Summertime, you grab a pole, a lure box and a container of leeches, shove the boat out, motor over to a spot, drop anchor (or not) and fish. In winter there's the shanty (and maybe a heater), the ice drill, the buckets to sit on, the ladle for scooping slush out of the holes, the tipups, the messing with microscopic line with cold hands. And besides that all the layering up with clothes, heavy socks, lined boots. And so thus far, in our second season of being here at the lake often enough to make ice fishing realistic, I have not done it.

I do confess a dinner of fresh-fried walleyes caught from 36-degree water would be superb. And my kid brother did offer to sell me cheap, or loan me free, an assortment of gear. So I must say it's tempting. I am told walleyes can be had just a few yards out from what in summer is the end of my pier, and for that matter from the neighbor's as well. A little shed on shore for equipment so I wouldn't have to lug it up and down the steps each time -- who knows? Maybe it could be somewhat convenient. And I am after all slipping into semi-retirement, so more time is available.

As for now, it's a "maybe next year" thing. If I can talk one of my brothers into coming up and trying it for a weekend, who knows?