Yeah Smitty, it's alot of fun, but can be work too. Our Pioneer makes life so much easier. Allowso for us to go where the fish are. Our local lake is 4 miles wide and 7 miles long, so we can pack up and try different spots if the fish aren't biting, just like one would in a boat during warmer weather fishing. And since we always have 3 to 5 people, sometimes more, it's nice to have the room for everyone to hop in, hook up the trailer and go in search of the big ones, lol!
Ever lose your white Pioneer against the snow back drop? HA
Used to go to Canada fishing for two weeks every summer, Id take my 20 foot 200HP bass boat. I sure got a lot of strange looks from the locals. One day a local asked me how I could fish out of it, later that day a squall blew in, water got real rough, so we battened down the hatches and hammer down. Passed running 50 MPH the guy that had asked me the question and had by boat secured at the dock and was fixing to go to the cabin when he pulls up. He said to me there wasn't any thing in the water but your lower unit, I said yep, thats how you fish out of them. HA
I would love to go back and stay during the ice out till ice in. Been told the Lake Trout fishing is great during ice out.
Funny you should ask that. Immediately upon delivery our 15 year old daughter, (who I believer has put the most miles on so far), quickly announced that the name of the machine would be "Whiteout". So that's what it's known as around here, lol. Even the wife takes "Whiteout" to work on nice days, or to town to shop for groceries or stop at the farmers market. She came in the other day to tell me "Whiteout" was low on gas.....appropriate name for this time of year. But so far, haven't lost it in the snow, but do need to take caution on snowy days on the lake as you get snowmobiles flying across the lake at top speeds, and if conditions are bad, I'm sure it would be harder to see than the red one. I was hoping they would have offered the orange model in a deluxe, but wasn't waiting for more colors. As soon as I could get my hands on one, we jumped on it. Glad we did, Whiteout is a great addition to the family.
When in doubt....power out! No substitution for horsepower and/ or cubic inches. Which is why I love diesels....and our Whiteout! (In response to your story of fishing in Canada!). We fish year round, when there isn't anything to hunt, and we trap. Love all sorts of fishing. Really enjoy Lake Trout too. Our lake here is 150+ feet deep, and has a really healthy population of Lakers. We fish them on Tip Ups with smelt, or blue minnows. Ice is dangerous right now with all the warm weather we have had this past week, but more cold on the way, and we'll be heading back out the local lake hopefully next week....maybe sooner! Going to look at some other lakes in the area for smaller fish. Shallower waters with thicker ice, so we should be good to go.
Walleye is the only fish that spooks easy. On days we know we will be out for a big part of it, we pop up the six man shanty that is in the sled I pull, throw in a couple buddy heaters, turn on the radio, sit in about 65 degrees and fish, shoot the bull, maybe have a couple barley pops, fire up the little gas grill and cook a few of our catches. Just spend the day there. Perch and other panfish is good for that. Walleye though, got to be quiet, at least in the areas we fish. They just don't like alot of noise. People say it's BS, that they can't hear what goes on above the ice, and that may be true, but we always do better on Walleye when we go into somewhat of a quieter mode. Boring though, so we don't do it that often....lol!
I've never been around that much ice but that sounds fun. Just out of curiosity have you ever ran over a hole with your rig that another fisherman cut? Or does it freeze over quick? Or are y'all limited to the size hole you cut to be safe?
Thanks! I learned something new today.
Last time I went to Canada it was a trip paid for one of my suppliers, guided w/ fly outs every day, we fished Walleye first till we got enough for shore lunch, first day out our indian guide took us to a Walleye hole, baited my hook and I dropped here in, had been several years since I'd been Walleye fishing, closed the bail and missed the first Walleye, guide said rock, the next time I had my index finger under the line w/ the bail open, caught a nice Walleye, the guide netted it and I looked at him and said rock, for the rest of the trip after every fish he netted I said rock. He/we had a great time.
That's awesome Smitty!! Funny how a simple trip outdoors stays with us the rest of our lives. Can't get that time back so all we can do is get out and make more memories. I find this more true the older i get, and the older the kids get. #1 reason I purchased this machine....although I can get my kids and wife outdoors to hunt and fish with me, they only do it if I'm home and push them to get outside. Otherwise, they stay inside and make up reasons that they aren't getting out, (as they stare endlessly into their phones all day and night). But that hasn't happened since we made the purchase for "Whiteout". Now they are out even when I'm not around, which makes me feel better about dropping 19k. Smitty.....I'll be starting a new tradition next time I'm out fishing.....Rock!! Thanks for the story!
