Ice fishing with my elderly neighbor.

[Johnny]

Last week and today, my elderly neighbor (retired conservation officer) invited me to go ice fishing with him on a privately owned lake. I'd never been ice fishing, so jumped at the opportunity. Both trips were a blast. And believe it or not, we didn't catch much.

We spent most of our time hanging around a bonfire, bullshitting and grilling venison steaks and sausage. Every once in a while, we'd peer out onto the lake to see if any of our tip-ups had activated. The reason we didn't catch much lies in the fact that a spring-fed stream empties into the lake. That's where all the fish are piled up; exactly where we can't reach them under paper-thin ice.

We're already planning to hit the lake this Summer. He's fished it many times before and knows all the sweet spots.

[baboon]

When I was a yankee Ice fish generally the only thing I caught was a buzz. Ice fishing huts were more about just getting out of the house in the winter, and into a tiny hut that had some pretty impressive amenities.