Ice fishing used to be a sport for the rugged individualist. A few hearty souls, mostly male, sitting on buckets or in a small wooden shanty, dressed in coats and gloves, braving the cold. Times have changed. Now anglers can buy or rent an ice fishing fish house complete with heat, carpeting, kitchen appliances, and furniture.
Battery powered generators operate microwaves and ovens, refrigerators, and heated showers. Attach a satellite dish for TV reception. Deluxe homes can include fireplaces, bay windows, even vaulted ceilings. Many ice fishing houses are designed for use as hunting cabins for the remainder of the year.
Traditional shelters are dragged into position using sled like runners, and there they remain for the duration of winter. Newer houses on wheels are easier to place, and easier to move. Like old fashioned shanty's, holes for ice fishing are cut in the floor. It's important to check local ice conditions and regulations before placing a large and heavy home on the ice. Deluxe houses can weigh over 6000 pounds.
Catching fish in the modern world uses high tech gear to find fish including sonar fish-finders, lake-mapping maps for smart phones, and underwater cameras. Rods that rattle when a fish is on the line let fishermen watch the game or enjoy a game of poker while while waiting for a bite. Bait minnows might be in a built-in aquarium, with another tank to hold the day's catch.
Lake side resorts rent ice fishing houses. Rent for a few hours, overnight, for the weekend, for the week. Rent a basic unit, heated but minus the TV and refrigerator. Or rent a deluxe home with all the amenities and sleeping quarters for 10 or 12. Resorts keep a close watch on ice conditions. They plow roadways. Renters can drive to the door of their temporary abode. Many also offer a shuttle service so renters can leave their car on shore.
From December to March, anglers rent or place their own houses on the ice, creating miniature cities at popular lakes in the wintry north. Last year a city of 5000 plus houses covered Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. Resorts position satellite toilet facilities on the ice for anglers without a private bathroom.
Areas with swift currents can have thinner ice surrounded by thick ice. A visual look can be deceptive. Offshore winds can break up ice leaving fishermen stranded on ice floes. A warming spell can cause weakness in the ice. Conditions can change quickly. Many cars, trucks, SUV's, snowmobiles, and fish houses fall through the ice every year. If you're setting your own house on the ice, consider insurance. Environmental laws require a speedy recovery that may require divers and a helicopter for hauling the lost house out of the water.
Some resorts offer hauling assistance to anglers wanting to place their own home on the ice. Experienced fishermen teach newcomers how to bait and catch fish. Rental homes are usually carpeted, heated, and furnished, with 2-8 holes cut in the floor. Rent a basic unit then head home or to a local motel for the night. Or rent a deluxe shelter with beds, stove, refrigerator, shower, and TV for an overnight or longer stay.
Battery powered generators operate microwaves and ovens, refrigerators, and heated showers. Attach a satellite dish for TV reception. Deluxe homes can include fireplaces, bay windows, even vaulted ceilings. Many ice fishing houses are designed for use as hunting cabins for the remainder of the year.
Traditional shelters are dragged into position using sled like runners, and there they remain for the duration of winter. Newer houses on wheels are easier to place, and easier to move. Like old fashioned shanty's, holes for ice fishing are cut in the floor. It's important to check local ice conditions and regulations before placing a large and heavy home on the ice. Deluxe houses can weigh over 6000 pounds.
Catching fish in the modern world uses high tech gear to find fish including sonar fish-finders, lake-mapping maps for smart phones, and underwater cameras. Rods that rattle when a fish is on the line let fishermen watch the game or enjoy a game of poker while while waiting for a bite. Bait minnows might be in a built-in aquarium, with another tank to hold the day's catch.
Lake side resorts rent ice fishing houses. Rent for a few hours, overnight, for the weekend, for the week. Rent a basic unit, heated but minus the TV and refrigerator. Or rent a deluxe home with all the amenities and sleeping quarters for 10 or 12. Resorts keep a close watch on ice conditions. They plow roadways. Renters can drive to the door of their temporary abode. Many also offer a shuttle service so renters can leave their car on shore.
From December to March, anglers rent or place their own houses on the ice, creating miniature cities at popular lakes in the wintry north. Last year a city of 5000 plus houses covered Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. Resorts position satellite toilet facilities on the ice for anglers without a private bathroom.
Areas with swift currents can have thinner ice surrounded by thick ice. A visual look can be deceptive. Offshore winds can break up ice leaving fishermen stranded on ice floes. A warming spell can cause weakness in the ice. Conditions can change quickly. Many cars, trucks, SUV's, snowmobiles, and fish houses fall through the ice every year. If you're setting your own house on the ice, consider insurance. Environmental laws require a speedy recovery that may require divers and a helicopter for hauling the lost house out of the water.
Some resorts offer hauling assistance to anglers wanting to place their own home on the ice. Experienced fishermen teach newcomers how to bait and catch fish. Rental homes are usually carpeted, heated, and furnished, with 2-8 holes cut in the floor. Rent a basic unit then head home or to a local motel for the night. Or rent a deluxe shelter with beds, stove, refrigerator, shower, and TV for an overnight or longer stay.
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