Make the most of a shorter season - Tips to remember

Is the '23/24 ice season a total loss!?!? Let's face it, it's February 1st, we're well past the traditional midway point of the ice fishing season, and the extended forecast doesn't look great. I'm sure some of you have enjoyed some time on the hardwater this year, while others are still hoping to get out for a first time. I make my living guiding clients who are looking to hire me for a safe fishing experience. While most years in late January my number one concern is coaxing hesitant fish to bite, this year it's been concerns over safe ice conditions. Some trips have gone, some haven't. Whether you're a full time guide, or a weekend warrior, you want to maximize your time on the water. Here are a couple of reminders to help you salvage the season.

This isn't new advice, I'm sure you've heard it before in other aspects of life. Try something new, get out of your comfort zone. *This does not imply push the limits and try fishing some ice that you normally wouldn't feel is safe. In fact, I'm saying exactly the opposite! Maybe your favorite fishing hole just hasn't had the ice conditions that you need to safely venture out. But guess what, other areas of the lake, or other lakes all together have had safe ice. Maybe you usually fish walleye, but the only areas that have ice are lakes with stocked trout. Push yourself to try something new. Fish a new area, fish a new species. I'm just as guilty as anyone when it comes to trying something new, or worse yet, something other than what I had my mind set on. It's very easy to get into a slump and/or a negative mood when you can't do what you want. I promise you this though, when you bring that first fish up through the hole, no matter what it is, you start feeling better. Especially if it's the first fish of the season.

Just because you're fishing for something that you didn't really want to, doesn't mean it's a loss. You can learn new techniques, different structure within the lake, and continue to learn more about your gear. Try to learn as much as possible about the action of different baits, play with the settings on your electronics, use that GPS that you've never taken the time to figure out. Do the things you've always meant to, but never have, because you've been too busy with "other stuff". These are the times to become a better fisherman/woman. Fishing is easy when you can go where you've always gone and do what you've always done. Push yourself to learn something new, you won't be disappointed that you did.

Now, prepare yourself for this one... If anything's going to save your season and help you catch more fish, this is it; LESS IS MORE! Yup, that's the secret sauce. Think about it, you're married, you have kids, you have a job, you have responsibilities, fishing comes last. It's an unfortunate reality for most of us. Our time for hobbies is limited. It's Friday night, your friend calls you in the evening, "hey, do you want to fish tomorrow?" You clear it with your spouse, you can go for half a day, you need to be home before your daughters dance recital. You go out in your shed, grab your buckets of ice fishing gear, throw them in your truck and get to bed, eagerly anticipating the next morning.

Your friend shows up only fifteen minutes late, it's now 6:15am. He throws his gear in your truck and away you go. First stop, gas station, you need fuel and snacks. Second stop, bait shop, you need bait and the hottest new lure. Next stop, the lake! After the hour and a half it took for your pitstops and the already late departure, it's now 7:45am. You unload all your gear, carefully place it in your sled, and begin the walk to your favorite hole. Ten yards onto the lake you discover knee high slush, it's going to be slow (and soggy) going. After a 25 minute walk, you decide this spot will do, it's now 8:10am. *Reminder: You PROMISED your wife you'd be home by 1:00pm. You quickly reverse the math, 25 minute walk back, load the truck, 1 hour drive home, you'll need to start walking back by 11:30am if you want to keep your promise. You begin taking out your rods and tip ups, what a mess. Everything's tangled, you don't have any leaders tied up, no hooks tied on, can't find any split shot. But that's ok, you brought every piece of tackle you own. You grab your tackle box, open it up, and spill everything on the ice, in the slush. At this rate, you'll have everything ready to go just in time to start walking back to the truck.

The point is this, you don't have much time, make sure you maximize every fishing minute. If you would have had the truck gassed up, taken the time to get bait the night before, talked to the bait shop owner about current lake conditions, and prepared your gear, you'd have an extra couple hours of actual fishing time. When you only have a morning to fish, every extra minute becomes crucial for success. How many times would one bite make or break your attitude about a fishing trip? Just one fish has the ability to change the mood for the rest of the day and keep the excitement about coming back again. During a year with a shorter season, when time is even more precious, think about limiting what you bring on the ice next time. It's impossible to use everything you own in a mornings worth of fishing. Avoid delaying your actual fishing minutes by cluttering your mind with too many gadgets and gizmos. Maybe you just grab a few pre-rigged tip ups, a bucket of bait and your auger. Maybe it's a single rod, a pocket full of grubs and your spud bar. Whatever that looks like for you, consider minimizing to maximize!

These tips weren't anything you haven't heard before. You might be saying, that was a boring read, why'd I waste my time with that. I'll guarantee you this though, we've all done it. We've all caused ourselves less productive time on the ice. Sometimes even the most basic concepts are forgotten and it can be a good reminder. I also understand that's not the popular opinion amongst bait shops and gear manufacturers (they want you to buy more stuff!), but I'm just an unpopular guy trying to help you catch some fish.

Thanks for reading,

Chris

www.unpopularoutdoors.com