Ice fishing 2011

Three years ago Faith and Andrew were invited to go ice fishing for the first time with by my dad and a friend of his who has an ice shack on a nearby lake. Thinking it would be the last thing Faith would want to do I was surprised when she said she was really looking forward to it. Andrew enjoys at least trying new things was really excited about this as well. I brought them to the lake (and walked out to the ice shack with them) then left not having any appropriate winter gear. They had a blast! Last year it became a tradition and I did not participate again due to lack of winter gear. This year having winter gear I had no excuse when they asked if I'd go too, dang it! So I drove them out to the lake, donned on my winter gear, grabbed the camera and headed out with them. Mind you there was a windchill factor of minus 15, yes, that's right -15 degrees which was crazy cold!! I was so thankful for the huge glasses I'd grabbed as I left the truck, they blocked a lot of wind as they covered a lot of skin! I pulled my hat way down and put the hood up and was thankful I'd had the foresight to buy hand and toe warmers before we left town. Oh. My. God it was c.o.l.d.!!!


Mr. Harold came to meet us and give the kids a ride out, they loved that!

One of the several traps the group had out.

Several baskets for carrying traps and gear.

Making sure the bait was still on the hook as they weren't getting many flags.

Sick of waiting on flags Faith started 'jigging.'

As did Andrew.

Finally a flag with another small pickerel, they were happy.

My nephew thought he needed a picture taken with the fish as well. Won't his mother be proud?! After this shot was snapped he sent the fish back down the hole from whence it came.

In all honestly I had a nice enough time, but will also add that ice fishing is one of those things I've done as an adult that I can cross off never need to do again list. Just not my thing, but I'm glad my kids enjoy it and hopefully next year will have one of their own traps and a chance to go more than once.