A tip-up, not tipped up
Ice fishing is an activity in which you risk your life by venturing out on ice which may or may not be strong enough to bear your weight, hack at the ice right under your feet with an ax to make a hole, bait and set a gizmo called a tip-up, and sit outside in the cold watching the flag on the tip-up stubbornly refuse to tip up.
The flag is attached to a spool of fishing line, which is attached to a baited hook. In theory, the flag will pop up when a fish takes the bait, or when hell freezes over, whichever comes first.
People argue endlessly about whether, if a tree falls in a forest and nobody’s there to hear it, it really makes a noise, but everyone seems to agree that when you go ice fishing and there are no fish to tip up your tip-up, it’s still called ice fishing.
This activity shouldn’t be called ‘ice fishing.’ It should be called ‘freezing.’
Ice fishing is very strenuous
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I just don’t think you drank enough, that’s all.
I love ice fishing but it has been many years since I have done so. Many fond memories of packing up lunch to spend the day on ice. It can be very romantic as long as one brings some sparkling wine and the best thing of all is you don’t need an ice-chest to keep it cold! It’s too late in my area to start up this season, but I am definantly breaking out my gear for next. Thanks!
Well, there’s fishing, and there’s catching…
Paula and River-Rose — Sounds like the common thread here is alcohol. Perhaps that’s where I went wrong.
Patti — That’s a distinction I’m all too familiar with!
I like ice fishing in my fish monger’s display case. There’s plenty of ice, lots of good lookin’ fish and no real danger. Also there’s a lot of alcohol on hand, ready for purchase, very close by.
Hi Tamar,
Don has one word for you….PHEROMONES He says perhaps the fish don’t like the smell of alcohol!! Start smelling more like fish!!
My dad had the all time best method. Set up 6 tip-ups and then tell your daughter to keep an eye on them while you and your buds head down to the bar on the corner.
This method works great as long as you aren’t actually hoping to have any fish for dinner.