If you scrolled thru my icefishing page, to February of 1998, you found the story and pictures about my Missouri buddy, Melmac and myself icefishing in Minnesota.

Melmac hasn't been able to make it back up here for another trip on the ice, but this winter (2000/2001), it was colder than many of the past winters in Missouri, so Melmac decided to have a crack at the fish thru the ice in his own state.

Melmac called me on New Years Day, to tell me this tale, and subsequentely sent me the pictures that follow. Melmac took a friend of his - David - along. David wasn't to sure about the whole idea of "walking on water" - even if it was "harder than normal". Melmac assured him it was ok having checked the ice earlier in the week. He told David of the rule of thumb we use up here - that 4" of clear, blue, or blue-black ice is safe to walk on. So Melmac took out his tire iron, and started chipping a hole - at 6" of ice, and no water, he proved his point - there was plenty of ice.

But what to cut the fishing holes with? Not having an auger or chisel, Melmac had a stroke of inspiration, and got out his chain saw. Vioala!! Ice fishing hole, made to order.

Mel cutting a hole. Notice the audience? Is that a cordless drill?

But that caused a problem - namely - they were fishing a pond on private property, which was pastured by the landowner. Now the landowner had several head of cattle and horses in the pasture - and the watering hole that the landowner had cut for the animals had frozen over. The animals smelled the water from Mel's hole, and came a running. Needless to say, Mel and David didn't need one of the critters slipping and falling on the ice, or even worse, breaking thru the ice, so they to chase them (animals) back off. This took some time, but eventually they got the animals off, and Melmac ended up cutting them a hole to water from.

It was rather cold and windy, so what about some shelter and heat?

Once again - Melmac used his head. He had a old pup tent from camping years ago. After drilling some holes in the ice with his cordless drill for the pegs, they set up his tent, and then used his Coleman stove for heat - heating coffee and soup while waiting for the fish to bite.

Melmac's Fish House - Coffe and Soup just $2.50 - get it while its hot!

So there they were, fishing on the ice, out of the wind, warm and toasty, with hot soup and coffee. What of the fish?

Take a peek - here's David, with a his first fish caught thru the ice - a fat blue gill. Think he'll go again?

Melmac managed to get out on the ice several more times, with differant friends of his. He was very disappointed when the the weather his way began to warm in late January, and the ice went bad.

** Note to readers of this page **

Ice is never 100% safe, always check the surface, especially in times of seasonal temperature changes. Missouri is much further south than Minnesota, and as a result, is in what is considered "marginal" ice fishing territory - that is - some years they get cold enough for fishable ice, and some years they don't. If you live in a margin state, please be cautious - check the ice as you venture on to it, have a buddy with you, and a rope.

I myself get impatient waiting for weather cold enough to make good, solid ice. But I'd much rather wait than to risk my life, or that of family or friends on something I should have never been on in the first place.

J.L.

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Copyright 2001© Jim Laumann.