# CATCH OF THE DAY



## NorthernWinos (Dec 2, 2008)

Well, it's that time of the year again....

The neighborhood ponds are freezing over, the bigger lakes still have open water in the middle....

The 'Natives' are restless....
All the guys are venturing out checking the ice depth of the lakes and putting out small portable fishing and spearing houses....

Guess the average depth now is 6-8" of good clear ice.

Jim and the neighbor have been out scouting and put up the portable fish spearing shelter yesterday...They saw a few but didn't bring any home....

So, today I gave orders that I am hungry for fresh fish.....Jim brought home this one...4# 12oz....Not bad....But he did a 'clean miss' on a larger one.







I'm going out with Jim tomorrow.....





*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Wade E (Dec 2, 2008)

NICE!


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## vcasey (Dec 2, 2008)

My ever curious son wants to know what kind of fish? And what time is dinner well that was until he saw Northern Minnesota. A tad bit to cold for us Floridians. I did have 6 inches of ice today but it was in my ice tea. We whine when the temps drop below 60.
VPC


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## Wade E (Dec 2, 2008)

I would say that is a Northern Pike.


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## smikes (Dec 2, 2008)

How do you deal with those bones?


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 2, 2008)

Yes, it's a Northern Pike...aka...Slough Shark...Snake Pickerel...etc.

Jim has a knack of getting all the bones out....pretty neat trick.

http://www.northern-ontario.com/How-to-remove-the-Y-bone.php

http://www.boois.com/y-bones.htm

The fish is yummy and no pesky bones.....





*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## grapeman (Dec 2, 2008)

I saw a show on a while back where they were spearing fish in Minnesota. I actually saw what spear they use. It looked like a Trident Spear. Is that what you guys use? It would make it easier to hit those slippery "suckers" so to speak.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 2, 2008)

Appleman....I couldn't find a good photo of spears....Here they are infront of our 'lake-home' late in the season last year....


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 2, 2008)

The spears make short work of the fish if you connect right....Sometimes it's a struggle to get them off the spear. 

My spear has a bit more radical barbs.

It's a fun sport....

First you drill, chip and pull the ice blocks out of the lake in the size of the hole in the floor of your spear house...Set the house over the hole....






Then you sit and stare into the hole looking at the bottom of the lake...
You hang down a decoy to lure the fish in to look at it....






Then a fish appears and your heart starts pounding...






Then you trust your spear into the fish...and hope he stays on....

The house out on the lake now is a small collapsible portable house...only 4'X6' [cosy] with a very small hole.

Better luck tomorrow...


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 2, 2008)

*HINT:
Norther Pike are not at all slimy if you wrap them in newspaper as soon as you catch them...The paper sops up the slime and they are much easier to clean that way.


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## Wade E (Dec 2, 2008)

Very nice slide show NW!


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## grapeman (Dec 2, 2008)

Do you ever put hooks on the decoy and catch with fish line? I bet a 10 pounder would put up a struggle! I'll have to check and see if we can spear them. Some nice big ones in King's Bay by the border with Canada.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 2, 2008)

Starting last year we could angle with a hook and line in the same hole as the decoy....I fished for Sunnies and Crappies....It was fun because you could see them and move your bait over to the bigger ones.

I think I scared the Northerns off. 
When you'd catch a Pan Fish they'd get all tangled in the decoy string....so it was a mess.....Fun tho!!!!


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## hannabarn (Dec 3, 2008)

Congratulations, NW! I just noticed you finally got an avitar!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 3, 2008)

Our day at the lake was very 'refreshing'...

Thought it would warm up, but left the house at +6°F...the windchill was brutal!!!

We had about ¼" of snow last night...just enough to hide the slick ice....Luckily we wear 'Ice Creepers' [Ice Cleats] on out boots.






Was only a skiff on ice over the spear hole...
This is Jim's 'red neck ice scoop' [fashioned from an old hard hat....






Not much action, so we decided to move the house across the lake....
We ventured over there and Jim chipped and sawed a hole..then he pulled the house across...The wind actually blew it past him a few times....I was just lucky to stay on my feet.

Saw a few pesky little guys....They just kept hanging around wanting to die...But we spared them...






So, now the house is on the other side of the lake ready for tomorrow. The wind blew the small amount of snow we had off the lake and you could ice skate if you were so inclined.

Got to a blistering +13°F today but with the wind it was rather blustery out there. Glad I put up the outside Christmas Decorations yesterday when it was above freezing....

Tomorrow, Jim's buddy is going with him...Think I'll stay home, have some Cappuccino and put up the Christmas tree...
I'll let Jim bring home the 'bacon'.

Life is Good!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 6, 2008)

Was a cold one today...got to a blistering +3°F....dropping fast...Going to be a cold one tonight.

Jim brought home another nice fish....6.1#....






Good eating size...Might put this one in the freezer.
I might go out tomorrow morning with Jim, tho, it is going to be really cold....Will consider it anyway.....

Have about 2 inches of snow now and expecting more tomorrow PM....so the fish might be moving with the weather change....

Life is Good!!!!


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## grapeman (Dec 6, 2008)

Seems like it was just summer.Where did the warm temps go Nice size pike. That one should be easy cleaning and give a nice few meals for you two.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 6, 2008)

Where did the summer and warm temps go is a good question......?

-9°F [-22°C]....suppose to cloud over and warm up a tad during the night.

Next week the days start getting longer...That's a pleasant thought.


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## Wade E (Dec 6, 2008)

Just started snowing here!


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## jobe05 (Dec 7, 2008)

Went to the City of King Christmas Parade yesterday. Just as the parade was ending it started snowing a little bit...............

Lasted 10 minutes and then nothing......................... sigh..........

That fish looks great NW! I do miss ice fishing once in a while. We use to have a 10 x 16 yellow tent (like the ones the utility company uses) hat set up in a few minutes and we heated it with a Kerosene heater for the day. It was the only time of year I liked to eat Perch for some reason, they taste better when they come from cold water.


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## grapeman (Dec 8, 2008)

Thanks a lot NW- you sent the cold weather over here now!







Yesterday afternoon I was outside sitting in a blind trying to make it until dark- last of late season hunting. It was snowing like crazy when I went out and I snuggled in thinking "This isn't bad". It snowed quite heavily and added up about 2 inches in no time coating the trees. Within another few minutes the wind came up and the temps plummeted. Talk about blowing snow! It kept making snow devils and was blowing the snow off the trees. It kept dumping down on top of me. I stayed out until 4:30 and gave up- just too danged cold.


It was predicted to get down to about 8 degrees F. This AM on the back deck it read -8F. Well in there defense for the prediction, they didn't say above or below zero. What makes it worse is the 20 mph wind, but that is finally dying down. Today cold- high of 10 tomorrow snow changing to sleet and by Wed almost 50. The weathermen around here will just need to start using NW for predictions- we are just a couple days behind.


Nice and balmy in my office this AM- in the work side this time of year 55, and the unheated side 32.


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## smurfe (Dec 8, 2008)

I would say I hate you LOL. You have made me miss the north once again. I really miss ice fishing. It is my second favorite type of fishing after fly fishing a mountain stream for a trout.It was one of my passions. I live now in Sportsman's Paradise but rarely go fishing due to the heat, snakes, bugs, gators, etc. It just isn't fun here. Everyone here love deep sea fishing. I hate it.


I had a shack like that years ago. I didn't spear fish though. I used the little mini poles. The interior on our shack was actually nicer and more comfortable than our house. Even the days I went and sat in the open on a five gallon bucket hunched over a hole with pole in my hand was a very enjoyable experience.


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## Wade E (Dec 8, 2008)

What was fermenting in that bucket Smurf, were you lagering?


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## suprasteve (Dec 10, 2008)

vcasey said:


> A tad bit to cold for us Floridians... We whine when the temps drop below 60.
> VPC


being a Floridianis not without its perks, however







oh yeah, and GO GATORS


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## vcasey (Dec 10, 2008)

Yep! That's why we tolerate the 3 H's (heat, humidity, and the biggie hurricanes). Of course the downside is we still have to mow the lawn every week. That looks like a great dinner!
VPC

Oh yeah ...... Defiantly GO GATORS! 

*Edited by: vcasey *


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## Wade E (Dec 10, 2008)

Thats quite a catch there Steve!!!!!!!


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## rgecaprock (Dec 12, 2008)

Wow, Steve!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 12, 2008)

rgecaprock said:


> Wow, Steve!!!



Ramona....are you WOW for Steve....Or....for the fish?????

[eye candy either way]


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## rgecaprock (Dec 12, 2008)

*Keep you guessing!!!!!*


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## grapeman (Dec 12, 2008)

At least she didn't say "Nice Pecs, Steve". You would still wonder if she meant the fish (pectoral fins)or Steve.


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## rgecaprock (Dec 12, 2008)

LOL....apple


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## suprasteve (Dec 13, 2008)

wow guys, way to make me feel awkward.... no more pictures!


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## Wade E (Dec 13, 2008)

Uh oh, the picture Nazi has spoken!


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## rgecaprock (Dec 13, 2008)

OH, No....don't stop with the pictures....I love fishing!!!!


Ramona


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 19, 2008)

Meanwhile....Back at the Ranch...

Jim took the big fish house out to the bigger lake today. The ice is thick enough to hold up jalopies....so he could drive out to the old fishing spot.

Once set up he watched the fish for a couple hours and brought home a nice one....7# 2oz....






Guess we will get through the pending snow storm with some food to eat....





Life is Good!!!!


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## grapeman (Dec 19, 2008)

Jim seems to be doing better this year than last. Did he use the Deere to get the shack out on the ice?


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 19, 2008)

No, he didn't use the Gator....kind of parked that out of the way now.

He can drive the old jalopy Dodge out there...Enough ice to drive trucks out there now.

We can't have a group fish fry yet....He has to get a few more fish first...This was the best one that he saw.....




.


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## Bert (Dec 19, 2008)

Nice fish...will be some good eats there....


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## Waldo (Dec 20, 2008)

Another nice one NW..Do you grill, bake or deep fry them?
I personally can visualize that rascal stretched out across a bed of charcoal.MMMMMMMMM


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## uavwmn (Dec 20, 2008)

NW, SWEET!!!! Like Waldo said, that ole boy would look good on a grill!!


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## uavwmn (Dec 20, 2008)

Suprasteve, Supra-SWEET fish!!!!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 20, 2008)

We do grill the really big ones....then you can pick out the big bones.

These are really boney fish...Jim can get all the bones out when he fillets them....Mostly we deep fry them with Shore Lunch, Fish Crisp or beer batter...

They have really good flavor....

It's all good!!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 21, 2008)

Was blowing pretty hard today, lots of drifting snow....We can never tell how much snow we get because it blows around so bad.

We got to the lake and plowed through pretty deep snow and drifts, it was -4°F....sunny and bright.

The guys had set the fish house up a couple days ago....The water isn't that clear, but the fish were moving pretty good and visible....a small taste of what we saw....

BASS....






WALLEYE PIKE.....





13 NORTHERN PIKE...[#13 was taken for a future fish fry]








THIS IS HOW THE SPEAR GOES DOWN [this fish was too small and was free to swim away]





Saw countless schools of Sunfish, Crappies and Bull Heads.....
Was fun to be out there....stopped at the neighbors big angling/spear house for a few beers...

Was -14°F when we got home...

CATCH OF THE DAY....5# 7oz Northern Pike and a small Crappie donated by the neighbors for the fish effort.





LIFE IS GOOD!!!!


*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Wade E (Dec 21, 2008)

Just good fishing!


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## JWMINNESOTA (Dec 21, 2008)

Nice catch, its amazing to watch them come to the decoy.


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## Waldo (Dec 22, 2008)

Crappie.......Now your talking some really serious, make you slobber all over yourself fish


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## Wade E (Dec 22, 2008)

When did you catch those Waldo and whats that blue container to the right of them, it looks like 1 of Appleman's primary buckets!


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## grapeman (Dec 22, 2008)

Wade, that looks like a minnow bucket. I don't think I would want to use that for a primary. "Excuse me sir, what is that bouquet I can't quite place in your wine?" 
Why Mr., that is Ode de Minnow.


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## Scott (Dec 22, 2008)

Northern Winos said:


> We do grill the really big ones....then you can pick out the big bones.
> 
> These are really boney fish...Jim can get all the bones out when he fillets them....Mostly we deep fry them with Shore Lunch, Fish Crisp or beer batter...
> 
> ...




NW, one batter I have found to be very good is called Andy's Red they also have a white but the red is best, something to try? I have seen it in your area Fleet Farm anyways.


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 22, 2008)

Always looking for new batters and fish coating....

There is one from Canada that is good, it is a beer batter....find it in the fishing tackle area....

Waldo....Nice catch of Crappies....


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## dragonmaster42 (Dec 22, 2008)

Waldo, what lake did you pull all those slabs out of? There's a lot of good eatin' there!


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## Wade E (Dec 22, 2008)

Northern Winos said:


> Always looking for new batters and fish coating....
> 
> There is one from Canada that is good, it is a beer batter....find it in the fishing tackle area....
> 
> Waldo....Nice catch of Crappies....



You do know this is primarily a wine forum, hows about wine batter!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 22, 2008)

wade said:


> You do know this is primarily a wine forum, hows about wine batter!



I'm working on Garlic Wine Marinade....did an Apple/Jalapeño Wine for sipping and marinade....Should be able to figure out some kind of wine to put in fish batter....a good project for the new year.


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## dragonmaster42 (Dec 22, 2008)

Okay, it isn't a batter, but it how about this:


FISH FILLET WITH WINE &amp; TOMATO SAUCE 
1 onion, chopped
2 to 3 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. white wine
2 tbsp. safflower oil
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 lb. fillet of red snapper, sole, halibut or other white fish


1. Saute vegetables in small amount of wine until tender.
2. Add oil, tomato sauce, parsley and remaining wine.
3. Simmer 15 minutes.
4. Pour 1/4 of the sauce into a baking dish, arrange fish on top. Cover with remaining sauce. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.


Might have to move this to the recipe forum at this rate


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 23, 2008)

That sure sounds good...sautèed in wine....hummmm


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## Jack on Rainy (Dec 23, 2008)

Nice picts Waldo and NW! 
I live at the same latitude as NW, in fact I'm a little north of them and we are starting to see ice houses out on the lake too. There are a whole bunch of people here trying to find slabs like those Waldo. As they say.."Nice Fish!"




This year's snow is going to make lake access here a challenge. The ice was only 12" to 15" when we gota couple of fairly heavy snows.Thin ice + snow= slush! How is your access NW?


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 23, 2008)

> Jack on Rainy... Thin ice + snow= slush! How is your access NW?
> 
> We have about 15" of ice....The snow varies in depth and has drifted over the roads people have made....so rough going against the roads.
> 
> ...


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 23, 2008)

Jack on Rainy...You are living in the land of the BIG fish....Do you go out onto the big river and lakes and get your share????


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## Jack on Rainy (Dec 23, 2008)

I've never fished the river just the lake. But my share? Not likely. Mary out fishes me 3:1 so she might get close! 
I just went thru a few picts but don't have much to share here. Lots of sailing but not much fishing. 
We do enjoy a meal now and then but you know there are funny local cultural things even in fishing northern MN. Nobody here eats fish except for walleye. Mary doesn't let aNorthern in the boateven tho I think I can make it so she could not tell if it was walleye or northern, assuming a fish taken before July 1. We don't eat Smallmouth bass at all even tho we enjoy catching them. Crappie is another thing. We would eat them if we could find them! Tough to do that here.
We live on a lake where people still were drinking the water untreated ten years ago. And, now giardia has us all on the run. (Sorry about that! Too close to a pun and an even lower form of humor...)But, we only eat one kind of fish.
As to big fish, we haven't caught many. The biggest I've boated is a 28" walleye and I haven't kept track of the largest SM Bass, Northern, or Muskie. Caught a 17" crappie a few years ago though, and that is worthy of note. Wish I could stumble on a few more. 
It is fun even thinking about it now as we have 18" of snow on about as much or more ice...


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## Waldo (Dec 24, 2008)

dragonmaster42 said:


> Waldo, what lake did you pull all those slabs out of? There's a lot of good eatin' there!




Those actually were caught out of the Ouachita river and indeed they were good eating


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 28, 2008)

We took the morning shift at the spear house today....

The fish were fairly active and aggressive.

We only saw one worth taking...

Sunday dinner on ice...


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## Waldo (Dec 29, 2008)

Looks like the makings of a mighty fine dinner NW


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 10, 2009)

Have been getting a touch of 'Cabin Fever' so went to the lake to look at some different scenery....









The Sunnies were thick today....






Saw a few Bass....






3 Walleye Pike...
28 Northern Pike....some looked pretty tasty to me...
Jim always hopes for bigger ones...










They don't have to be big to have an attitude and bite at the Teaser and Decoy...






Finally it was time to 'Head for the Shed' and we took a small one for a meal....






Feeling so Fine....
Life is Good!!!!


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## jobe05 (Jan 10, 2009)

Tell Jim that the small ones freeze up as well as any.......... so he can take them all!

Thanks for sharing. It's tough for some of us to find the time to enjoy such activities, and impossible for others. I truly enjoy living the dream through your post.


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## grapeman (Jan 10, 2009)

You can stop sending that cold weather this way right now Miss Northern Winos! It got up to 5 deg today, -5 last night and then it is supposed to get colder all week. I think you need to keep it there to keep those little lakes frozen up good for fishing.


What was that little one, a small 5 pounder?


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## rgecaprock (Jan 10, 2009)

NW, Are you seeing all of these fish in one ice hole? I guess they are all looking for food and converge on the same food source. It must be interesting what you see swimming by. What is the biggest that has cruised by your bait?


I would love to ice fish!!!!


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## Jack on Rainy (Jan 10, 2009)

Good picts N Winos,
But Ramona, They are probably looking down that hole 5 or 6 hours a day! And they take picts at 1/200 or less so most of the time there is a blank green screen to look at



. Bird watching is MUCH more action



! 


We're at about the same latitude as N Winos so have similar weather. This is the most snow in December that I can remember in my 30+ years here. That makes for thin ice. I heard yesterday tha one of our neighbors can't plow a road to their island because the ice can't support a plow. All that snow insulates the ice so the cold weather isn't helping ice conditions. BTW -33F last Monday!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 10, 2009)

Jobe...Your right...They all taste the same in the pan.....

Ramona....We offer not food nor bait...only flashy plastic and steel to lure their inquisitiveness...and then....do a selective harvest of their flesh for our tables...as for big ones...over the past few years we have been going out there 8...12..17...and 19 pound fishes we have eaten...this little lake has an amazing production.

Appleman....the weather is predicted to become very cold...lows in the -20°s F or more for the week ahead...one of those winters the old timers talk about...Wait a minute....WE are the old timers.

Right now it is an adventure just to get out to to our little shanty, about 1½ miles across the lake. Follow a plowed road winding through ice fishing shanty villages...and then bucking snow about 2 feet deep the rest of the way ...Our 4X4 pickup jalopy leaves impressions of it's 'punkins' [transmissions]...dragging it's bottom all the way to the end of the trail through the deep snow...

It's kind of neat to sit in a dark house and watch the bottom of a frozen lake and see all the life that exists where no man would care to be...Beneath the ice.

I have been under the tropical sea [scuba] and was so enthralled by what I saw...this the is a poor man's ocean...Not so pretty, nor so colorful, but life that not many see...The ocean has colorful and bountiful fishes....the small lakes of Minnesota has it's own beauty and food for the poor men.

Life is Good on the frozen Tundras....We find beauty in the snow, ice and boney fishes presented before us....

Life is only as Good as you make it.


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 10, 2009)

Jack on Rainy....We can take about 4 hours at the spear house and I get a stiff neck looking down the hole...Kind of interesting tho...seems that the spot we are at, usually some kind of fish is in view..even the unmentionable..Bull heads. Had company today, some friends stopped out to check on their big house ..... visit and show their kid the fish in the hole.

We have been -24°F a few times already this winter...It can get a lot worse...Was -7 when we got to the lake today.

They are saying maybe -30 this coming week, but hope not. 

Once it gets so cold and few more degrees doesn't really matter...the snow just squeaks a bit more when you walk on it. 

For you Southern Folks....The snow is very crunchy when it gets below zero..It squeaks beneath your feet...Your doors squeak when you open them...and some other things as well...Like the starters on your cars.

The birds are very active at the feeders...The deer are thick in Jim's corn that he left in the field...the strong will survive. 

But...you can never breathe air this fresh....Nor, see stars this bright.
There is beauty here...
But...
We are sick of it already!!!!


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## whino-wino (Jan 10, 2009)

Jack on Rainy said:


> Crappie is another thing. We would eat them if we could find them! Tough to do that here.




Jack, 


Not sure where you'd go in the winter as I've never fished Rainy through the ice, but if you want crappies in the spring/early summer head to Black Bay. I go up there every year and we catch more than we can keep, big ones too. 


We went out last July and launched from Voyagers. There's a landing there right at Black Bay (since you live there I'm sure you know where this is). We basically went straight across from the landing and started working the shorline in about 10 feet of water with 3/8 oz jigs tipped with a fathead. Cought some nice slab crappies and a few very large perch.


I've noticed the same thing about people up here. Most will only eat Walleye. I guess I'm an oddball. My favorite beyond a doubt is sunfish, perch would be my second and Walleye a distant third. I can't stand Northern Pike. That's why I don't go spearing, looks like fun though.


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## admiral (Jan 11, 2009)

Northern Winos, what beautiful prose to describe your environment. Itopens forus, here in the sunny South (Kentucky), whole new vistas. I can't imagine gearing up to go fishing in such an environment. -20 degrees! Yikes! I get reluctant to go out if the temps are in the 30's. Thanks for sharing your views of a part of the country that many of us have never experienced.


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## gaudet (Jan 11, 2009)

admiral said:


> Northern Winos, what beautiful prose to describe your environment. Itopens forus, here in the sunny South (Kentucky), whole new vistas. I can't imagine gearing up to go fishing in such an environment. -20 degrees! Yikes! I get reluctant to go out if the temps are in the 30's. Thanks for sharing your views of a part of the country that many of us have never experienced.



And way down here in the Deep South, we shudder to think of fishing in weather colder then 50 degrees. I was outside early this morning and its had to be about 55 degrees (winter in New Orleans). The wife commented that she wouldn't want to be out fishing today...... Maybe I should show her your pictures Northern


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## admiral (Jan 11, 2009)

gaudet said:


> admiral said:
> 
> 
> > Northern Winos, what beautiful prose to describe your environment. Itopens forus, here in the sunny South (Kentucky), whole new vistas. I can't imagine gearing up to go fishing in such an environment. -20 degrees! Yikes! I get reluctant to go out if the temps are in the 30's. Thanks for sharing your views of a part of the country that many of us have never experienced.
> ...




I guess it is all a matter of what you get used to. Although, -20 degrees? How do you get used to that?


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## rgecaprock (Jan 11, 2009)

*Yes gaudet, a little dip in temps from 80 degrees this week. I was checking out my epiphyllums(jungle cactus)yesterday and they have new growth on them. And I spent some time potting up some new cuttings that I just received from California so it kind of feels like spring here. I don't know if we are going to have a winter.........so to speak.*
*Ramona*


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## Waldo (Jan 11, 2009)

You are because of where you were when !!!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 14, 2009)

Our cold weather seems to be stuck here....It didn't want to warm up today....
Was a mere -27°F this morning, a tad warmer than yesterdays -35° to start the day.
We hung out for awhile and then head to the lake when it got to -25°...had to make an appearance there and clear the ice from the hole before it got too thick...Had about 6" in the past 2 days since Jim had been there, he had to saw and then pushed the ice chunk under the ice...

The fish were very active....





Had 4 Northern Pike in the hole at once...only caught 2 in this shot..





The sunfish were just thick...





We stayed for a few hours and enjoyed the warmth of the shanty and watching the fishes...Didn't take any today they were all too small.

Sure was lonely out there...only 2 other pickups....Had warmed up to -19° when we got home...The wind was bad today....

Dropping fast now to -27° already...suppose to be the coldest night tonight.....Glad we did our road trip yesterday when there was no wind....

You folks in the NE...be prepared...this is nasty frigid weather...Warmer by Sunday with snow.

So it goes.


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## kdcurl (Jan 14, 2009)

NW


Do you get those pics with a flash, or do you use a light?






Keith


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## Jack on Rainy (Jan 14, 2009)

Great Picts NW! 
It is easy to agree on the cold. -42 here both yesterday and today and it might do it again tomorrow. Causes me some distress in the cellar though as the remote thermometer on the lowest shelf with wine on it showed 46.2 yesterdayso I banked the door with snow last night and it came up to 48 today. Colder than I would like and than I have seen in the pastbut I didn't have a remote thermometer in that spot either so who knows.
Fire in the stoves tonight, Mary off to a meeting but with a cell phone and me here doing wine stuff on the computer. To quote you "life is good"!


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## kdcurl (Jan 14, 2009)

Only -15 here right now, But it has been ugly these past few days with wind chill and all.


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## OilnH2O (Jan 14, 2009)

Forgive me NW and kd.. but I'm almost a little embarrassed to admit that even though it's after 7 in the evening, it is STILL 41* outside -- kd, what's that, 5*C? Now I'm not complaining, but it is January in Montana, and I know it was warmer than that this afternoon, but I don't know HOW warm. But don't get me wrong: I'm appreciative!


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## kdcurl (Jan 14, 2009)

NW
I forget the diff. between C and F. Iguess that would be +6F
Keith


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 15, 2009)

kdcurl said:


> NW
> 
> 
> Do you get those pics with a flash, or do you use a light?
> ...



No flash...just the camera. It is dark in the house, so the hole kind of illuminates...The snow has drifted up around the house, so it's now blocking some of the light now.

Our friends pulled their big house off the lake [many have pulled off]....They plowed us a beautiful road with a turn around area...we could take the car out there. We took the old jalopy out yesterday, it groaned and squeaked in the cold...but once it warmed up it purred right along....

Won't be going out there today....


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 15, 2009)

kdcurl said:


> NW
> I forget the diff. between C and F. Iguess that would be +6F
> Keith



Some of the temps are like this...

-0°F = -17°C
-19°F = -28°C
-25°F = -31°C
-35°F = -37°C
-40°F = -40°C.......After this nobody really cares....


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## Jack on Rainy (Jan 15, 2009)

kdcurl said:


> NW
> I forget the diff. between C and F. Iguess that would be +6F
> Keith


F=1.8C + 32
or
C=(F-32)5/9


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## admiral (Jan 15, 2009)

- anything = cold


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## vcasey (Jan 15, 2009)

Anything below 60 is cold. We are in the middle of a cold snap, for Florida, right now. Lows are in the 30's and highs in the 60's, with a couple of days not even hitting 60. Even the dog had no interest in going out this morning.
VPC


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## kdcurl (Jan 15, 2009)

+6c here today, which is roughly+42*F. Big change from the -35f with 20 mph wind chill we have been having for the past couple of weeks . Yea CHINOOK WINDS!!!


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## kdcurl (Jan 15, 2009)

Northern Winos said:


> kdcurl said:
> 
> 
> > NW
> ...




The coldest temps. I have worked outside in is -73c and believe me you really cares


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## kdcurl (Jan 15, 2009)

Jack on Rainy said:


> kdcurl said:
> 
> 
> > NW
> ...




Jack


It has taken me 40 yrs. to get thinking metric, don't confuse me.
Keith


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## kdcurl (Jan 15, 2009)

Northern Winos said:


> Appleman....I couldn't find a good photo of spears....Here they are infront of our 'lake-home' late in the season last year....


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## kdcurl (Jan 15, 2009)

Northern Winos said:


> Appleman....I couldn't find a good photo of spears....Here they are infront of our 'lake-home' late in the season last year....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 16, 2009)

Figured we should go out to the lake to clean the ice out of the spear hole after the record cold days...There was a fair amount of ice built up...

Thought we'd sit and watch the fish for awhile....

The usual run of the mill..
Actually a few less than usual...











The Sunfish weren't as thick as usual, and sometimes a whole school would stop and back out...we were joking that there must be a big Northern Pike around for them to act like that...

We were getting a little bored as we said we'd only stay for a couple hours...

Then the big bitch slid in and....
*Gotcha!!!!*....





Jim let her sink to the bottom and suck up some sand for awhile...

She was a beauty and really strong....13#





A good day at the lake...





Life is Good!!!!


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## rgecaprock (Jan 16, 2009)

That must really get your adrenaline going, She is a beauty and huge too.


Ramona.....Looks really cold there..........Brrrrrr


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## Jeff D (Jan 16, 2009)

How deep is the water there? We ice fish here but never new of anyone to spear them. I wonder if it's legal in Colorado!


Jeff


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## grapeman (Jan 16, 2009)

I am surprised at how fat it is for this time of year. There is certainly a lot of food under the ice, but you would think the cold weather would slow them down a lot from feeding.


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## Wade E (Jan 16, 2009)

Thats a sweet fish there NW, Tell Jim I said good catch!!!!!!!!


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## admiral (Jan 16, 2009)

Nice fish!


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## JWMINNESOTA (Jan 16, 2009)

Nice slab of dinner!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 16, 2009)

Ramona....She is a beauty and will fill many plates. It is pretty exciting when a big fish slides into your view...after all the waiting, You don't really have time to think.. it was actually warm today, +8°F feels warm after the past week.

Jeff D..We are set up in about 10 feet of water...Just a few feet away is a bar [not the kind you drink at....it's a sand bar] The depth is only 3 feet deep not far away. So, lots of structure that tends to make the fish take a route. Not many States allow fish spearing, it is an exciting sport, fun to watch the bottom of the lake and all it offers, and selectively 'harvest' only the ones you want.

Appleman...This is a female fish...The big ones are always females. I figured she'd have had a one pound perch or Walleye inside her belly, but only a small Sunfish...and a big sack of fish eggs. [caviar...NO we don't eat them] It's kind of sad in a way to see all those eggs when you butcher her...So it goes.

It actually weighed 13# 11 oz....Quite a nice fish...








It had a scar on her side where someone had speared her at another time, maybe a year or so ago, it was all healed over....her battle scars.

So, this is a good day for the fisherman and a bad day for a fish.
Such is Life.


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## rgecaprock (Jan 16, 2009)

Questions:
I guess you must have to apply alot of force to spear them depending on how deep they are? And what factors determine when you spear them. And I guess you aim for the head area since you don't want to mess up the meat and I know they have a real hard head. Just wondering what the dynamic is that goes into landing such a fish and they must fight like crazy. I've caught Pike on lures in Canada and they appear to be a snag on a log at first and then the fight is on.


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## whino-wino (Jan 17, 2009)

Very nice fish


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## Waldo (Jan 17, 2009)

Try this NW...When you get ready to fry that sucker up coat a couple of pieces in mustard first then meal it and fry and see what you think.


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 17, 2009)

Ramona...The spear is pretty heavy and you pretty much just drop it...Seems if you pump the spear to thrust it the aim is off.



The determining factors of taking the fish is it's size...how hungry you are and if you can get a good aim without moving around too much and scaring it....you can talk all you want, but sometimes feet moving will scare them.

Your right you do try to hit it right behind the head, as to not harm the meat...the spear can bounce off the head....This one really put up a fight, sometimes they are just stunned and come up like a log. 

This one was a real fighter....we thought she's get off, so, actually we did put another spear in her just to be sure....


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## grapeman (Jan 17, 2009)

Some day turn on the video recorder in the camera and get us a film of Jim battling one, but I am actually quite amused imagining the battle going on in that little shanty.


Giant of a man battling a #15 pound fish, trying to keep from falling in a huge hole in the ice while being rooted on by his tiny little lady. After an hour of a frantic battle she wields a second spear, misses the first time, hitting Jim in the foot.



He's cussing and a swearin'



and She perseveers though and WHAM BAM Thank You Sam, she hits the fish again and together they haul that sucker - er Pike in and collapse on what little floor there is. There's food for the crew tonight at the Wino House.


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## Wade E (Jan 17, 2009)

LMAO!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 17, 2009)

Some of them do put up a good fight considering what they are dealing with....

This one had plenty of spunk...

When he tried to bring her up she would swirl around taking the spear and rope with her...Into the weeds, wrapping them around the spear, as well as herself.....When half the weeds from the bottom of the lake floated to the surface...we decided to get the other spear....

I ran out to the pickup, grabbed the other spear, the protective wood block was frozen onto it...Got it ready...Tied the rope to my wrist....He brought the fish into view and the spear went down...Usually try to get it into the tail, but with so much sand and weeds getting stirred up we couldn't see...The spears were totally crossed....but well secured...She came up and fought inside the house too. I usually have a Spearing License so usually have the extra spear inside the house....

We put her outside to cool off....I went outside with our fish knocker to put her out of her misery....Put her in our fish box and brought her home.....

Northern Pike are notoriously slimy....we find if we wrap them in
newspapers as soon a you catch them the loose the slime. I had wrapped
her out on the lake and when Jim unwrapped her....she came back to life......Jim put it on the freezer top where he cleans the fish....He said this fish is still alive...I went over for a closer look...She did a two ended jump [Like a Billy Bass]...... I screeched......she flopped onto the floor landing on another piece of newspaper....rolled around wrapping herself tightly in it...I got my trusty hammer and ended the battle.....*I am one mean old lady.* A nasty job, but someone has to do it.

It was actually really funny at the time...Poor fish.


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 17, 2009)

Waldo said:


> Try this NW...When you get ready to fry that sucker up coat a couple of pieces in mustard first then meal it and fry and see what you think.



Waldo...I tried this tonight....Mixed Sweet Brown Mustard and Yellow Prepared Mustard, coated it with that and then in the flour mixture and fried it right...

It was very crispy and nice...
Thanks for the suggestion...


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## farmer (Jan 17, 2009)

Have you tried baked northern with stuffing ? My uncle made a stuffing with carrots , onions and bread ( not sure what he put in it ) rolled the fillet's and stuffing in foil and baked, it was great.


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## whino-wino (Jan 17, 2009)

farmer said:


> Have you tried baked northern with stuffing ? My uncle made a stuffing with carrots , onions and bread ( not sure what he put in it ) rolled the fillet's and stuffing in foil and baked, it was great.




Try this:


1 pkg wild rice and mushroom stuffing mix
1/4 C butter
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 C half and half (milk may be substituted)
1 1/2 lbs fish fillets, skin removed and cut in half crosswise (1/4" thick, cut thick fillets horozontally if needed)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
2 Tbsp finely chopped almonds
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley


Heat oven to 350°. Prepare stuffing as directed on package. Set aside. Melt butter over med-low heat. Cook just until butter begins to brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in flouer, salt and pepper. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Add half and half and return to heat. Bring mixture to a boil over med-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat and set aside.


Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with nonstick vegetable spray. Spread stuffing evenly over one side of each fillet. Roll up each fillet and secure with toothpicks. Arrange in the baking dish and sprinkle each fillet evenly with lemon juice and orange peel. Spoon white sauce evenly over fish. Sprinkle evenly with almonds, parmesan and parsley. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes ore until fish is firm and opaque and just begins to flake.


Enjoy!


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## grapeman (Jan 18, 2009)

That story is even funnier than the original one I imagined! Thanks for the laugh this AM. Now go catch another one before it gets cold again!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 18, 2009)

The stuffed fish sounds really good.

Jim really liked the mustard coating....


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## Waldo (Jan 19, 2009)

I love the mustard on catfish too NW


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## whino-wino (Jan 20, 2009)

Seeing all of NW's posts on spearing gave me the itch, so I just had to go out tonight to my secret Crappie hole deep in the White Earth State forest:












































GOTCHA!!












The fishing was actually a tad bit slow and the fish were on the small side. I only ended up putting 4 crappies in the bucket although I graphed an awful lot of fish. Threw back another 3 fish as well, including the one above. They just were not interested in what I had to offer tonight. Was out here 2 weeks ago and caught our limit with 3 people. My brother in law pulled in a 16 inch Crappie that day. I almost cried when he cut it up.


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## whino-wino (Jan 20, 2009)

By the way, I do a variation of the mustard thing too. Dredge the fillets in flour, dip in egg and roll in crushed mustard pretzels....


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 21, 2009)

Your breading sounds really good.

Better luck next time....Hope you limit out.


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## Wade E (Jan 21, 2009)

Is that fish finder for ice fishing?


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## rrawhide (Jan 21, 2009)

youse guys sure know how to have fun!!!




rrawhide


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## kdcurl (Jan 21, 2009)

NW


AS THIS ISPRIMARILY A WINE FORUM TRY THIS ONE ON A PIECE OF THAT PUPPY!


DONNA'S WHITE WINE SAUCE


SAUTE-2 TBSP BUTTER 


-2 CLOVES OF GARLIC FINELY CHOPPED


-2 SHALLOTS FINELY CHOPPED


-ADD 2 TBSP LEMON JUICE AND 1 BOTTLEOF

CHARDONAY(OR W/WINE OF CHOICE) 1/3 AT A TIME


-REDUCE DOWN UNTILL IT STARTS TO THICKEN


PUT A LARGE PIECE OF TINFOIL ON A COOKIE SHEET &amp; SPRINKLE ON SOME SEASONED SALT, LAY THE FILLIT ON THIS &amp; PULL THE TINFOIL IN AROUND THE FISH. COVER WITH THE SAUCE, CLOSE TINFOIL UP AND BAKE AT350* UNTILL DONEENJOY


KEITH


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## whino-wino (Jan 21, 2009)

wade said:


> Is that fish finder for ice fishing?




Yesit is. I almost consider it cheating, but not quite. Here's a closer pic:








There is a solid bar straight down right at the "10" and going left. You can't see the color very well in the picture, but you can see the reflection of it off the sides. The 10 indicates my depth. Thebottom knob on the right is set to X2 so you double it. In this picture I'm sitting at 20 feet. Starting there and going left it's solid red for about an inch, then turns yellow and eventually green. This whole mass of color indicates the bottom structure. This particular spot is solid, but not really solid (like rock). Most likely I'm sitting over sand or gravel. If it were mucky or muddy down there the red band would only be about 1/4" To the right of the "10" there is a thin green band. That's my jig and minnow. If I were to lift it up and drop it down you would see it move counterclockwise when I lifted and clockwise when I dropped. When a fish comes within 6 feet of my lure I'll usually see an yellow or orange band slightlywider than the green band. If a crappie sees your presentation and comes up to it you watch until you see the band turn red. At this moment you know the fish has flared his gills out and is inhaling your jig. I don't even wait for the bobber to go down. If I see red I count "One One Thousand" and set the hook. Works like a charm






Sorry for the long explanation but it's such a cool piece of equipment I wanted to explain how it worked. 


It is specifically for ice fishing.


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## Wade E (Jan 22, 2009)

Very cool!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 24, 2009)

Jim went out to the lake with the neighbor today...It was blowing and
drifting...-6°F for a high temp with a -30°F windchill...a good day for
me to stay home and my mighty man to 'bring home the bacon'...




What we lack in quality...we make up in quantity...

2- fish slightly under 6# each......








They got to the spear house okay, but with all the blowing got stuck many times getting off the lake....

Life is good in the house feeding the wood stove and mixing up a batch of wine...I love my job!!!


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## Wade E (Jan 24, 2009)

Now thats a damn good man!


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## Waldo (Jan 25, 2009)

Do ya'll clean your fish in the washing machine NW ?


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## grapeman (Jan 25, 2009)

Nice Wash Board Collection! Maybe you can get a few more on your trip to Mexico. He is getting quite a few fish this year.


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## uavwmn (Jan 25, 2009)

You are a lucky woman, NW.


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## uavwmn (Jan 25, 2009)

kdcurl, that sauce sounds pretty darn good. wonder if it would taste good on a salmon steak??


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 25, 2009)

Waldo...no, we don't clean them in the washing machine, he cleans them on top of the freezer.

Appleman....I sold most of my washboards when we moved...I had the wall of the laundry room covered with them...I only kept the ones people gave me....You never know when hard times will set in and you'll have to use them.

uavwmn...anything is good on salmon...I'm sure that wine sauce would be great....So many recipes....So few meals.


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## kdcurl (Jan 25, 2009)

uavwmn said:


> kdcurl, that sauce sounds pretty darn good. wonder if it would taste good on a salmon steak??












THAT IS WHAT WE USUALLY USE IT ON!! YUM


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## hannabarn (Jan 25, 2009)

uavwmn said:


> You are a lucky woman, NW.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 29, 2009)

The phone company came this morning and hooked up our fiber-optics cable....This Internet thing might be a little quicker now.



So, being as the house was totally torn apart I stayed home and did my
wifely-duties...Put things back into place, dust parts unknown, scrub
the floors where the dudes walked...and mixed up a batch of wine.



Meanwhile...Back at the Lake....


Jim had to go out and jack the house up incase there would be flooding
and clear the ice from the hole.....Not wanting to come home too early
and get involved in the house affairs he sat for an hour....Was about
to leave and saw this fish and once again...


Brought home the bacon....








It was a long thing...Big head and only weighed 10.3#....thought it would be more because the head was so big....

Fish fry soon....


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## grapeman (Jan 29, 2009)

Wow, if that had been a mid summer fish, it would have been huge. I would be afraid to swim with the fishes with that thing in there!


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## Wade E (Jan 29, 2009)

Looks more like a Barracuda! What kind of damage could that fish do, could it take your finger off!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 29, 2009)

Sometimes these bigger fish have a fair sized fish inside of them....This one was lean and empty. 

She did have a nice sack of eggs....this time of the year most of our fish are getting fattened up and getting ready to spawn....

When I was a kid we were at a lake in Northern Canada and a kid did get his leg bitten by a Northern Pike...Pretty rare.

They are the Tigers of the Sea...Small Sea...but they are pretty aggressive....

The other day a small Perch came through the hole and suddenly it came back full speed and had a small Northern Pike after it...Quite a show.

They are our local Sharks.

Many people don't care for them, but we like them. 
The Locals are more prone to want to eat an elusive Walleye Pike or Crappy...The more elite fish.

We are but poor country folk.


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 29, 2009)

wade said:


> Looks more like a Barracuda! What kind of damage could that fish do, could it take your finger off!



You don't put your fingers near them while they are still alive.


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## Wade E (Jan 29, 2009)

Could it take your finger off or just cause some severe discomfort?


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## grapeman (Jan 29, 2009)

Well gee Wade, why don't you drive on over to Minnesota and find out. Jim could use your fingers as a lure!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 29, 2009)

Much discomfort....


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## Wade E (Jan 29, 2009)

Maybe a little Penguin Plunge is in order!


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## rgecaprock (Jan 29, 2009)

Jim is really hauling them in. I would have hated to miss that action. Would be great if you could video the adventures....starting from getting out to the shanty to sitting down with a glass of wine and the fish on the dish!!!!




Great catch Jim!!!!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 29, 2009)

wade said:


> Looks more like a Barracuda! What kind of damage could that fish do, could it take your finger off!



Wade....THIS is a Barracuda...






And...THESE are Grouper...






These are photos of your friends who have a house in Mexico where we are going in March....

Life is Good!!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 12, 2009)

Fishing has been slow....

We've been bringing home an occasional small one and have seen a fish
lurking in the sidelines...peeking in, backing out of the
hole.....slipping by the side.....sneaking around....Finally today Jim
got a poke at it high under the ice and brought it home to Mama.....It
was a trick shot....sidewinded it...7#-7oz...











Guess he and his buddy want to move the house as the lake is flooded with
several inches of water on top the ice. The fish are running out of
oxygen and traveling high under the ice. The Sportman's Club has
turned on the aeration system near the public access....In past years
we have found the fish will school up near the open water....So, with
only 10 days left in the season it seems like a lot of work, but,
that's what they like to do to pass the time....So, Moving Day is
coming next.


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## grapeman (Feb 12, 2009)

Good luck to Jim in moving the house. Still getting some good fish there Jim









I can't believe they would end season so soon. The ice won't be out for quite a while will it?


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## Wade E (Feb 12, 2009)

Id like to see a good tooth shot next time!



Nice dinner, er, I mean catch there Jim!


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 12, 2009)

The season for Game Fish ends Feb. 22nd this year....it gives the fish a chance to prepare to spawn....They are really loaded up with eggs now. 

The season remains open for pan fish...Sunnies and Crappies all year...as well as some rough fish like Suckers, etc.

Game Fishing season reopens in May....YeeHaw!!!


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## Waldo (Feb 13, 2009)

Can hardly wait for a good mess of fresh crappie. Grilled to perfection..............omg...im slobbering !!!


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## Cracked Cork (Feb 18, 2009)

That little red and white guy is pretty brave! So what country wines go good with a Northern? Crackedcork


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 18, 2009)

Cracked Cork said:


> That little red and white guy is pretty brave! So what country wines go good with a Northern? Crackedcork



ALL wines go good with Northern Pike....

We have to tether the red/white decoy so he sticks around...


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