Hard water or soft?

[Christian Gervais]

Have you ever smashed your face doing skiing or wakeboarding....the water is not SOFT...hahahahaha.

Me too, prefer on the water with the bassboat.

No fishing at casting distance, I've seen that TWICE with TWO boats on at the SAME tournament....let's just say that I was boiling and maybe let out a word or two but hey, what can I guy do?

[Yakster]

Have to go wit the soft water....nothing like running down the lake with the wind running through the bits of hair I have left.
much easier to get on the water when its +20 then when minus a billion.

Ice fishing just passes the time...otherwise I'd have to clean the house!

[smitty55]

There are an awful lot of fishermen, new and experienced, who don't have a big boat, let alone a small tinny. Maybe only a canoe or yak for some of them. Ice fishing allows them to fish in areas that they would never be able to otherwise, plus you can't even come close to the social aspects of it compared to being in a boat. And there is no comparison to sitting in a toasty ice shack that you drove to, getting away from home and relaxing with two lines in the water. Simple is best sometimes. No boats and trailers to maintain, launch and reload. Winter time also gives access to those back lakes that you could never fish properly in the summer without a boat, let alone get into, although sometimes that's not always a good thing for some trout lakes. Then there's a place like BoQ. In the winter, anyone has a good chance at getting huge Walleye, not the same in the summer when they're not even there near as much.

All in all, ice fishermen tend to fish all year long, which certainly can't be said of fair weather summer fishermen who only bass fish in season when it's nice out lol.

So to answer the OP. BOTH! Fish on.

Cheers

[smitty55]

Soft water for sure! I am not to sure of this ice fishing thing. I don't care how thick the ice is, you would be hard pressed to get me out there. I know Lvace is sure trying hard..

I'm curious Adam. Do you have a fear of going through? It's not unheard of. I know one old guy who will ice fish but never travel on the ice in a vehicle or even on a sled, no matter how thick the ice. To each their own of course, I just have a hard time understanding it. I mean, 8 inches of good ice will support a truck. Ever try to break ice in a puddle when you were a kid? Anything much over an inch is almost impossible. I can understand why some people are leery of ice less than a foot I guess. It can be a bit unsettling for some to feel the ice move when a vehicle drives by, or when it's real cold out I always get a chuckle when people freak out over the ice cracking and groaning, which is actually a good sign.
A lot of folks don't realize how flexible ice actually is.

Please don't take offense personally. Absolutely none intended. Just wondering. Cheers

[TheMaverick]

And there is no comparison to sitting in a toasty ice shack that you drove to..........which certainly can't be said of fair weather summer fishermen who only bass fish in season when it's nice out lol.

Irony 101

[lape0019]

Smitty,

It is a combination of a few things but mostly, yes it is the fear of going through. That isn't to say I haven't been on the ice before.

I have gone and sat in a shack for a few hours with a few buddies. There was almost 2 feet of ice that time and we drove out there. I was uncomfortable but trusted my buddy wouldn't do something stupid with his pride and joy of a truck (it now sits in the garage unless it is sunny, no chance of rain, and it's a Sunday... He is a new member here so this may get his attention... Lol)

But as a child, I almost drowned in a pool (during the summer) and ever since then I have been a little hesitant around water. Now, I know how to swim but during the summer you can easily come back up. When it's frozen, you have to find the hole you fell through to come back up.

So I guess it is a fear of falling through and then getting trapped that keeps me away.

Plus, if I were to start ice fishing, it would be yet another set of gear that my wife would hate and the off season is "her time" so she probably wouldn't be too happy with me either.

Adam

[Dcaster]

I Don't care if the water is soft or hard, as long as a line is getting wet I'm happy!

But if the question was "pick one forever"........i take limpy water.

[TheMaverick]

So I guess it is a fear of falling through and then getting trapped that keeps me away.

Just saying!

[StarTzar]

Smitty,

It is a combination of a few things but mostly, yes it is the fear of going through. That isn't to say I haven't been on the ice before.

I have gone and sat in a shack for a few hours with a few buddies. There was almost 2 feet of ice that time and we drove out there. I was uncomfortable but trusted my buddy wouldn't do something stupid with his pride and joy of a truck (it now sits in the garage unless it is sunny, no chance of rain, and it's a Sunday... He is a new member here so this may get his attention... Lol)

But as a child, I almost drowned in a pool (during the summer) and ever since then I have been a little hesitant around water. Now, I know how to swim but during the summer you can easily come back up. When it's frozen, you have to find the hole you fell through to come back up.

So I guess it is a fear of falling through and then getting trapped that keeps me away.

Plus, if I were to start ice fishing, it would be yet another set of gear that my wife would hate and the off season is "her time" so she probably wouldn't be too happy with me either.

Adam

Adam,

I completely understand the fear factor of walking on ice.
Here is my experience with going through Ice.
To protect their identities, the names are fictitious.

A long long time ago when I was 14 years old (I turn 64 on March 3rd), five of us went on a weekend winter camping trip.
That was in my scouting years. We had planned to go camping (drink and smoke) at Green's Creek.
It was toward the end of March and the weather was somewhat mild.

We had a favorite spot close to where they built the Regional Detention Center adjacent to the Pine View Golf course.
Of course we had told our parents that this was an approved outing.
Approved was the term we used to make our Parents believe that our scout leaders were going also.

Anyway, to make a long story short, one of the guys (Bob) went through a snow covered crevice and was submerged in the flow.
All we could see was his hands grasping to the edge of ice and snow.
A very quick thinking friend (Andy) lunged out (belly flop type) and grabbed him by the wrists.
Bob was able to lean up against the ice edge and pulled himself out as quickly as he had gone through.
Everything happened so fast. It's a blur in my memory but as clear in my mind as the day it happened.
What a shock that was. We had gone over the same path. Bob was the trailer.
I always thought and still do today, that I could have gone through that crevice.
I am not afraid of going on ice; but I always recall the incident when I go near or on Ice.

N.B.: I'm always extra careful when using an axe or pocket knife or butcher knife.
I'll tell you why on some Thursday night.

Haven't seen Bob since. But I do know that he turned out to be a top agent for one of the biggest life insurance company's in the Country.
Later on in life, I found out that Andy had spent some time at the Detention Center while awaiting transfer to other long term facilities.
I started Golfing in 1973 and my first outing was with my Father ... Guess where we played.

That wasn't the worst that happened on that infamous weekend.
Going back home walking along Cyrville road, (Bob Andy and Myself) were picked up by the cops.
They were looking for five teenagers that had been spotted cutting down trees on NCC land.
Unbeknownst to us, there was a fine for cutting down trees on NCC land.
The fine was total circumference times $2.00 per inch. They had counted nine trees.
What can I say ... We needed lots of firewood ... It kept Bob warm and cozy.

Needless to say that the crap hit the fan and the term "approved" was never again believed by my parents.
Never found out the total inches and who paid the fine.

[ShawnD]

Wow!

[Oneeleven]

Now that I've ice fished, while I enjoyed it immensely, and can't wait to go again, it's just too much.... waiting, and I feel like you're not in control of your outcome enough.

I'm not even patient enough to master techniques that require a slower retrieve on soft water. (Something I've vowed to change in my 2015 season )

I just love fishing structure or weedlines. Nothing is quite as exciting as seeing a deadfall, or sundappled dock, where ya just know the big-guns are hiding! <3

So ice fishing, love. Soft water.... love a thousand times more!

[swampdonkey]

Now that I've ice fished, while I enjoyed it immensely, and can't wait to go again, it's just too much.... waiting, and I feel like you're not in control of your outcome enough.

I'm not even patient enough to master techniques that require a slower retrieve on soft water. (Something I've vowed to change in my 2015 season )

I just love fishing structure or weedlines. Nothing is quite as exciting as seeing a deadfall, or sundappled dock, where ya just know the big-guns are hiding! <3

So ice fishing, love. Soft water.... love a thousand times more!

haha you forgot one place where they hide I strictly pound heavy cover for the big gals and it's payed off beyond belief the last few seasons! The boat has seen more water than any other boat can! nothing like rooster tails and screaming braid