If You Have Never Gone Ice Fishing, Here’s Why You Should

This past weekend I went ice fishing for the first time in over 15 years and now I’m wondering why I waited so long to do it again.

Back 80s and 90s I would go ice fishing in Maine with my brother, cousins and friends every year. Let’s face it, when you live in a part of the country that has at least 5 to 6 months of cold weather, you might as well make the most of it.

Now, when I say ice fishing, I’m not talking about going out to some lake or pond with an ice auger and drilling a hole and sitting over it with your line in the icy water waiting for a bite, I’m talking about doing it in style.

The best ice fishing involves a shanty or a shack that is heated with either a wood stove or a propane heater. Ice fishing in the freezing cold outdoors is not that fun. When you have a shack that can hold between four and six people, the comfort level is superb. You have room for folding chairs, a cooler, snacks and of course, whatever fishing gear you want to bring.

Most “ice fishing camps” as they are called, feature a variety of size shanties depending on how many people are with you. They have dug out ice trenches on both sides of the shack, and they will supply you with drop lines and hooks. A good camp will also provide you with worms for bait. I recommend you bring your own fishing pole, because the drop lines are very boring to use because you just wait for them to get a fish on and start moving around. With a fishing pole it is a much more active experience because you are working the rod and reel.

We went to an ice fishing camp, called James Eddy Fish Camp in Dresden, Maine. It’s located on a brackish river (meaning it’s part salt water because of its proximity to the ocean). You are primarily fishing for smelt, a fresh water fish that is typically anywhere from 5 to 8 inches long. They are quite delicious when breaded and fried on a good old-fashioned skillet.

We had the shack for six hours and had a great time, the best part is just enjoying the company of friends or family in the warmth of a good old fashion shanty. We didn’t catch more than a dozen or so of fish, but that was OK because we enjoyed each being together.

The location is so remote that you do not get a lot of cell phone service, which forces you to actually be in the moments with your friends without the distraction of being on your phone. That alone is a great reason to go ice fishing, catching the fish and having them as a meal later is actually just the icing on the proverbial cake.

Although it has been over 15 years, since we have done it, we all vowed that this will once again be an annual event. So if you have never tried ice fishing this way, I suggest you give it a try next year.

Last weekend's massive snow storm that dumped up to 18 inches of the white stuff in a few Massachusetts towns was a good reminder that you should be prepared for the big one. That's why we have put together the 5 Essential Things You Should Have In Your Car To Survive A Nor'Easter.

We were lucky that the storm took place on Saturday and Sunday as opposed to a weekday event that would have potentially caught people commuting in their cars. If you are old enough to remember the Blizzard of 1978, then you know how huge it was and it caught a lot of people by surprise.

Sure back in '78 the meteorological world was not as advanced as today. There was only one local weatherman back then that had a good read on what was going to happen. His name? Harvey Leonard, the living legend. He was certain that it would be a snow event like no other and was spot on.

Vehicles were stuck and stranded on Routes 128, 93, 95 and dozens of other highways and byways. People were trapped in their cars, some for days and sadly there were those that lost their lives.

Of course weather forecasting has come a long way since then. There was no such thing as Doppler Radar Weather that all of our local television station use and there's been so much help from computer models. The chances of being caught by surprise are a lot less now.

If in the unlikely event that you do get caught in a major snow storm and are unable to move your car you have to be prepared for what could be a very scary situation. Experts have told us what we should always have in our car (or trunk) to be able to handle being stranded. They are all common sense items but, we have a tendency to either forget or take it too lightly.

We should have a mini first aid kit in our vehicles regardless of the season. It's smart and a very non expensive item to keep handy. You can grab one in most big stores or places like CVS and Walmart. You can also find good kits online. Leave it in your trunk and you will be ready if needed.

These tools are small and easy to keep around. I personally keep one in my glove compartment at all times. I can't say how many times I have used it over the years for things you wouldn't imagine. They are reasonably priced and you don't need a brand name or something too fancy. You want one with a knife, scissors, file and even a corkscew.

If you're stuck in your car in a blizzard you will not be able to continue running it because you want to preserve as much fuel as you can. A nice thick blanket will help do the trick. Get a qood quality blanket that you can wrap around yourself and keep that precious heat in. You can store in the backseat or the trunk.

Every vehicle needs a good flashlight, don't rely on your phone's you want a strong halogen type that can light up the night in case you're trapped after dark. Plus you will want to preserve your phone's battery for communication reasons.

Number one is the good old fashioned snow shovel. You can pick up a small handle snow shovel in most automotive stores that can be placed in the trunk and left there. A good shovel might be just what you need to dig yourself out of trouble.