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.
All shelters are built with several fishing holes cut into the floor. Traditional shelters are loaded onto ski-like runners and pulled onto the ice. Anglers must choose their spot carefully because they're difficult to move. Newer styles are transported on wheels. Hydraulic lifts place larger homes on the ice. Follow local regulations to be sure you're placing your shelter on thick enough ice to support the weight. Larger homes can weigh more than 6000 pounds.
It's not a primitive sport anymore. Anglers pick their fishing holes based on information gleaned from lake-mapping apps for smart phones, sonar fish finders, and underwater cameras. While the fish are away, anglers can enjoy TV, snacks, a game of poker with their buddies. Built-in aquariums keep fresh bait at hand, and keep the catch of the day fresh until it's frying time.
You don't have to buy your own house to enjoy an ice fishing adventure. Local resorts rent shelters from basic models with heat, carpeting, and comfy couches, to deluxe models with beds, showers, appliances and TV. They plow roads so anglers can drive right up to the door of their rented shelter. Many also offer shore to door shuttle service. Stay for a day, a couple days, or enjoy a weeks vacation camping out on the ice.
Popular lakes sprout miniature cities during the ice fishing season from December through March. In 2013, anglers occupied over 5,000 shelters on Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. Resorts place satellite toilet facilities for use by anglers with basic shelters not including 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.
Rentals are typically heated, carpeted, and furnished, usually with 2-8 holes for fishing. Sleeper houses have bunks, bathrooms, and stoves. A deluxe home can be used for fishing, sleeping, watching TV, even entertaining. Or rent a small shelter, return to the comfort of the shore, home, a cabin, or motel room for the night. Many resorts offer hauling services to help fishermen with their own houses get set-up on the ice. Some offer guides to assist newcomers in the art of ice fishing.
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.
All shelters are built with several fishing holes cut into the floor. Traditional shelters are loaded onto ski-like runners and pulled onto the ice. Anglers must choose their spot carefully because they're difficult to move. Newer styles are transported on wheels. Hydraulic lifts place larger homes on the ice. Follow local regulations to be sure you're placing your shelter on thick enough ice to support the weight. Larger homes can weigh more than 6000 pounds.
It's not a primitive sport anymore. Anglers pick their fishing holes based on information gleaned from lake-mapping apps for smart phones, sonar fish finders, and underwater cameras. While the fish are away, anglers can enjoy TV, snacks, a game of poker with their buddies. Built-in aquariums keep fresh bait at hand, and keep the catch of the day fresh until it's frying time.
You don't have to buy your own house to enjoy an ice fishing adventure. Local resorts rent shelters from basic models with heat, carpeting, and comfy couches, to deluxe models with beds, showers, appliances and TV. They plow roads so anglers can drive right up to the door of their rented shelter. Many also offer shore to door shuttle service. Stay for a day, a couple days, or enjoy a weeks vacation camping out on the ice.
Popular lakes sprout miniature cities during the ice fishing season from December through March. In 2013, anglers occupied over 5,000 shelters on Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. Resorts place satellite toilet facilities for use by anglers with basic shelters not including 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.
Rentals are typically heated, carpeted, and furnished, usually with 2-8 holes for fishing. Sleeper houses have bunks, bathrooms, and stoves. A deluxe home can be used for fishing, sleeping, watching TV, even entertaining. Or rent a small shelter, return to the comfort of the shore, home, a cabin, or motel room for the night. Many resorts offer hauling services to help fishermen with their own houses get set-up on the ice. Some offer guides to assist newcomers in the art of ice fishing.
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