Ice Fishing

I decided I wanted to go ice fishing for a day in Upper Michigan for my birthday the beginning of March.  I never had been ice fishing, so this was going to be a new experience for me - one I've always wanted to try.  Our friend on Lake Gogebic agreed to be our fishing guide for the day.  There was one major problem though.  Two days before our fishing trip, they received 14" of wet heavy snow which was going to change the environmental dynamics of the day on the lake - and boy, did it ever.

Instead of being able to walk out approximately 1 mile on this particular lake where we were going to fish, we could only walk out a short distance because the snow was so deep and the weight of the snow was pushing the water up through the holes that were drilled, thus making a mushy, slushy watery mess to trudge through.  It was so hard to walk.  And by the end of the morning, my feet were wet and cold as the depth of the slushy snow we were trapsing through eventually made over the portion of my boots where water could seep.  But in the end we caught 17 average bluegill (which I didn't even take a picture), the scenery was exquisite, and I could finally say I logged in my first ice fishing experience.  I think I could get to like it.  I could see when the weather conditions are good, how fun it would be to just pull up one fish after another.  The fishing is usually always that good on this lake, so I hear!

Pulling our fishing gear out to the lake

The slushy messy snow we were walking through

The drilled ice fishing hole.  There was about 2 feet of ice.

Russell ice fishing

A beautiful photo of someone's wood shed on the lake

We spent the rest of the day visiting with our good friends.  Our friends then showed us toward the end of the day how they call the deer in to eat on their property.  Jerry walks outside with some corn in a coffee can, shakes it, and calls them " C'mon boys and girls, it's dinner time."  And all of the sudden about 15 deer come running out the woods to eat this corn that he throws to them. 

And on the way home the next day, we spotted a bald eagle in a tree along the highway and was able to stop and zoom in on him with my telephoto lens.

It was a great getaway for two days, and a memorable birthday.  Thanks again to our hosts!