How to build a Ice Fishing House in Minnesota

[Charger-Bodie]

.......And pan fish just plain tast better when they are pulled from freezing water.

[ITSA426]

.......And pan fish just plain tast better when they are pulled from freezing water.

So does beer!

[b5blue]

What do you use for bait? (fish sticks?)

[FlatbackFanatic]

Looking good, Paul. This real cold weather keeps up you'll need a longer auger. 

[ITSA426]

What do you use for bait? (fish sticks?)

I think that's what we call the poles used for catching fish as opposed to the other poles Paul was describing earlier.

[tan top]

what do you fish for Pike    bet they don'y fight much in that tempreture ,    i fish for them in the summer  time , give a good fight then  

[PocketThunder]

what do you fish for Pike    bet they don'y fight much in that tempreture ,    i fish for them in the summer  time , give a good fight then  

I only fish for bottle bass.  But there are pan fish, waleye, and muskies in Lake Minnetonka.  So we'll see what we catch.  My friend who lives nearby is the fisherman, he has the spot marked out for our fish house.

Tonight it warmed up to 16ºF so i went outside tonight after putting the kids to bed and i got the windows installed.  Tomorrow night i hope to start insulating the walls and get the propane heater installed.  I want this thing out of my driveway so i can get my daily driver back in the garage during the week.  

Paul

[ITSA426]

Paul, you're not going north for the mighty eel pout.  That seems the only thing I ever got ice fishing, besides a hangover.

[PocketThunder]

Paul, you're not going north for the mighty eel pout.  That seems the only thing I ever got ice fishing, besides a hangover.

Lake Minnetonka is approx. 2.5 miles from my house.  That way if i catch my limit on bottle bass and i had to walk home i could safely do so.  Or i'll keep a set of cross country ski's handy because the old rail road bed bike trail goes right past my house and its a cc ski trail in the winter.  But, if i get to that point i'll probably be safer staying in the fish house for the night instead of trying to sneak into bed after too many wobbly pops.

[moparstuart]

you mean this  

[PocketThunder]

you mean this  

Oh ya!  Where can i get some of those to keep in the shack?  I'll check my local pop shop this weekend.   

[HeavyFuel]

So do people normally auger the fishing holes out? The one time I went ice fishing I used a chainsaw to cut the hole. It worked pretty good except it sprayed water on my leg.

Christ, Bull.  

I'm glad you didn't spray BLOOD on your leg.

[HeavyFuel]

Hook one of these.

[dodgecharger-fan]

Paul, you're not going north for the mighty eel pout.  That seems the only thing I ever got ice fishing, besides a hangover.

Lake Minnetonka is approx. 2.5 miles from my house. 

I spent a week on Lake Minnetonka one day.
*rim shot*

Actually, it was very nice. I just wasn't prepared for it. I was at Digi for a conference years ago and at the end of the day they took us out for a booze cruise around the lake.
I was still dressed in business casual because I didn't get the memo. Sitting in the hot sun after a long day of dehydrating myself with coffee, I was shackered after three sips of beer and staring intently at the horizon. Cooled off a bit below deck (with my eyes still on the horizon), got a little food and water, then hit it hard for the rest of the cruise.

Man, there's a few "shacks" on that lake, eh?

[PocketThunder]

Paul, you're not going north for the mighty eel pout.  That seems the only thing I ever got ice fishing, besides a hangover.

Man, there's a few "shacks" on that lake, eh?

Ya, there sure are a few "shacks" on the lake.  It would be nice to have some shoreline but I wouldn't want their tax bills.    

I spent a couple hours getting the windows trimmed out with 2x4's, I enclosed the soffits with tar paper, and i started insulating the inside.  I'm on 11 hour days at work now for the rest of the month so work on this ice shack willbe limited, i still plan on taking it out to the lake this weekend because i want it out of my driveway!

Paul

[Old Moparz]

Looks cool & sounds like fun, Paul.   


Except for the being outside in zero degrees & fishing part of it. 

[GPULLER]

Looks good...but I think the windows are too big.  Everybodys gonna see the strippers!   

[dodgecharger-fan]

It needs a name.

"PocketThunder's Minnetonka Madhouse"

[PocketThunder]

Not much new work over the weekend.  I got the inside insulated some more and tonight i put my permit on the outside to make it legal, got the heater up and running, and i have the holes cut in the floor to pull the fishies out of.  Looks like i'll finally get it drug out to the lake later this week.  So i missed half the season of ice fishing already but oh well, thats how it goes, kind of like trying to restore a Charger.  Always takes more time and money that you thought...

Paul

[b5blue]

Look's well done! Good Luck "fishing"! 

[PocketThunder]

Ok everybody, she went on the lake tonight!  This weekend when i can get out there in the daylight i'll take pictures of it with my whole family enjoying our little home away from home... 

Paul






(in fact it was soon to be my home when my lovely spouse told me if that #$%^& Damn thing sits in our driveway one more day you're living in it!)

[b5blue]

WHAT! NO PHOTOS OF THE BIG MOVE! 

[rt green]

needs a mailbox

[PocketThunder]

WHAT! NO PHOTOS OF THE BIG MOVE! 

I was going to but i had my carharts on and my snow boots on and the camera was on the kitchen counter at the far end of the kitchen.  I didnt want to take my boots off to go get it.  Or risk walking thru the house with my boots on and getting caught by my spouse. 

I'll get pictures of the return trip for you.   

[b5blue]

OK!