The Good Life - January/February 2014

Catching Fish
andGood Times
By: Jessica Jasperson
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: Bret AMundson
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO ICE FISHING
A
s the temperatures
drop and the days get
shorter, people are
limited to the outdoor
activities available in
the winter. Ice fishing
scratches that itch for fresh air and
time spent with friends and family.
Bret “T-Bone” Amundson fished in
the summer while growing up, but
very little in the winter. About five
years ago Amundson picked up the
winter pass time of ice fishing and
shares his tips for the beginner ice
fisher.
The Good Life: What did you learn
your first time on the ice?
Bret Amundson: It’s not much fun
without electronics.
GL: When is the best time of the year
to ice fish?
BA: Early ice, or early in the season
when there is enough safe ice to fish
on. That’s when fish are starting to
fatten up for the long winter ahead,
so fishing can go really well. Late
season can be a good time as well. Of
course you’ll find exceptions to this
throughout the season.
GL: How do you find a prime location
for ice fishing?
BA: Scouting! A lot of times you can
find fish in the same places as late
season or early season open water
fishing. Otherwise prepare to drill
lots of holes and don’t be afraid to
look for active fish on other spots on
the lake.
GL: Do you always need a shelter
when ice fishing?
BA: No, I used to think this too. An
auger, a bucket and a pole is all you
really need. Dress warm and you can
have a great day fishing on the ice.
Some days, it can be sunny and 30
degrees out and you’ll hate spending
that inside a shelter. Plus you can be
more mobile without one.
GL: If a shelter is used, what kinds of
shelters are available?
BA: There are a number of shelters
you can use from lightweight
portable shelters that are similar to
pop up ground blinds. You can get
pop-ups that are built into sleds that
fold down for easy transportation.
Mine even has a snowmobile hitch
attachment. There are wheel houses
that you can pull behind a vehicle
and they look like enclosed trailers.
Some resorts also have “sleeper”
“An auger, a bucket and a pole is all
you really need. Dress warm and you
can have a great day fishing on the
ice.” — Bret “T-Bone” Amundson
houses that include bunks, satellite
TV, portable toilets and more luxuries.
You’ll even find some private houses
that are nicer than some people’s
homes.
GL: Do you build your own shelter
or purchase it?
BA: You can buy kits to build your
own, but it still might cost in the
thousands. Most people purchase
their own and they might own a
portable and a wheel house for
later in the season. Every one will
generally be heated. The portables
will include a small propane heater,
while the bigger houses could have
wall heaters built in.