Hard Water Fishing Show
The Hard Water Fishing Show is a podcast founded in 2017 that focuses on ice fishing and having fun. Typically we publish episodes during the ice fishing season starting in November and Ending in Feburary
Listen on:
Episodes
Friday Jan 21, 2022
Friday Jan 21, 2022
On this episode of the Hard Water Fishing Show we talk to Roger Houck about yellow perch fishing in upstate New York. You can find more information about Roger and Roger's Rigs on his website https://bit.ly/3fJVCCz He is also on Youtube https://bit.ly/3IqFwKl
Friday Jan 14, 2022
Friday Jan 14, 2022
Jeff and Jason talk to Brian "Bro" Brosdahl about all things ice fishing. For more information about Bro check out his website https://brosguideservice.com/
Current Events
Hard Water Freaks Event
We will be attending the Hard Water Freaks Event in Wisconsin at the end of January, you can find more information on the event here https://bit.ly/3rgKylV
Hard Water Fishing Show Fish Donkey Tournament
The hard water fishing show now has a tournament open on fish Donkey. It's your chance to win some HWFS Swag.
Cost is $5
To Enter
1. Download the Fish Donkey app on your phone
2. Search for Hard Water Fishing Show 2022
3. Join the tournament
Gear
Fish Monkey Mitts https://amzn.to/3Kb6Pdl
I got a new pair of Fish Monkey mitts, they arrived in the mail today. Will be putting an review out soon on how well they work.
Boots Red Head Snow Machine https://bit.ly/3npgrrn
My Kamik boots were warn out also. I found a good pair of pull on boots at Cabelas. Will be doing a review of them soon.
Frabill Magnum Bait Bucket https://amzn.to/3tr8Pbr
My Frabill bait bucket which I love got a bit stinky because I left my bait in it. I talked about a few tricks to get rid of the smell. Will be following up in a future episode on how my de-skunking of my bait bucket goes.
Friday Jan 07, 2022
Friday Jan 07, 2022
Jeff and Jason talk about recent ice fishing trips to Lake of the Woods and Mille Lacs Lake. It is the first week of January 2022.
Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Report
Jeff was fishing out of the Red Door Resort on Mille Lacs Lake. Walked out to the first break and caught some walleyes and perch. I was fishing out of my one man Frabill Recon 100 ice shack. Its super tiny but just big enough for me to fish out of and super light to walk out with. I have no seat so I use one of those tripod chairs. Not everyone likes them but I find them superior to bag chairs where you sit to low. I can fish out of them for hours. This is not the one I have but its similar https://amzn.to/3JTnMsA
For Presentation I used a few different lures. I was using a perch talker 1/4 oz drop chain with glow pink and white. You can find a three pack here. https://amzn.to/3n4eAIa . This lure got bit off on a big fish and I only had one. Still searching for a replacement. That is why I always buy two of them incase you loose one or to lend to Jason. I also used a glow spoon, I have talked to a few anglers that have had success with these. They work even if your glow stick is not glowing anymore. I would go for the green and gold ones. https://amzn.to/3zvdKJy https://amzn.to/3JOdf24 And get some extra glow sticks too. I prefer the red glow sticks https://amzn.to/3G79a6T red seems to work the best for me.
I am running 6lb Trilene fluorocarbon line https://amzn.to/3q3EEFh This stuff is a bit stiff and can have some memory, but I have been told it superior. I switch back and forth between this and mono. I have a ant swivel https://amzn.to/3f5nPn7 on this to take the twist out. Also running a quick clip https://amzn.to/3qVH4oF from northland to switch lures super easy.
For location I was fishing on break from shallow to deep with a rocky bottom in about 19 feet of water.
Lake of the Woods Fishing Report
Jason was fishing lake of the woods on the Canada side, and had a ton of success. He ran into some rod issues because he was using the wrong action rod for the target species of walleye. He was running a medium light rod from St. Croix. Because it was to light it did not have the backbone to get the fish through the hole. Also it was not giving him the action on his lures he was looking for because the tip of his rod was to quick. He will be looking for a new rod very soon with medium action when targeting walleyes.
For Lures he used a few different ones but found that the VMC Rocker spoon really worked well. https://amzn.to/3t8F1R0 . He also found success with a red buckshot https://amzn.to/3G6iqbm and of course the go to glow perch buck shot https://amzn.to/3n8JhvY
Legend
Last week I forgot my bibs when I went ice fishing. This caused me to have to drive 45 minutes to Brainerd to find something to wear the next day for ice fishing. It was an adventure for sure.
Friday Dec 31, 2021
Friday Dec 31, 2021
We talk to Max from Strike and Catch learning about the ice fishing culture in Sweden.
Current Events and Listener News
Hard Water Freaks Event
Jeff and Jason will be attending the hard water freaks event for more information go to the event page. https://bit.ly/3He0Zpg
Brandon - Big Northern
We discuss what is the best way to get a big northern out of the hole, like the big one Brandon caught and send a picture in of a 38 inch 19lb Northern.
Lisa G - Fly Fishing in Alaska
We discuss fly fishing in Alaska with some help from former guest Colby Sabutis.
Question
I enjoyed the interview with Colby. I was especially curious as both a fly and ice angler/guide, was there any fly techniques or tricks that he uses for ice.
I am up in Alaska and have fun jigging flies under the ice (woolly buggers, beaded nymphs) with good success. We can’t use any live bait to ice fish.
Colby's Answer
Use the VMC bull fly jig similar to this one https://amzn.to/3Ho6cLr for both applications. No bait just the fly/jig. When using a woolly bugger I usually jig up then let it flutter down like you would in normal fly application
Trzebiatowskihunts
Wrote us that he is having a hard time finding some fish. We give a few ideas
1. Head to a local bait shop and ask
2. Don't feel bad, we go fishing all the time and don't catch fish.
3. Look for a Pike and Crappie lake.
4. Sometimes when you are on the lake people will share information about the lake.
5. Ask your local Fishery department
"Old Tricks Still Work" by Vick Attardo December 10th Outdoor News
Vick listed some old tricks he used for ice fishing in this article. A few of them were discussed on the show.
1. Put minnows in a jar and drop to the bottom of the lake
2. Don't shock your minnows, add some lake water to your bait bucket to equalize the water temp
"Staying warm on ice from head to toe" by John Teruliani in Outdoor News December 10th
We agree with a few of the points made in this article
1. Eat oatmeal or pancakes, carb load, instead of protein before you go out on the ice for the day.
2 use toasty toes in your boots to keep your toes warm
3. Gloves vs Mitts - Jeff suggests mitts are better than gloves.
Fishing Report
Mille Lacs Report
Jeff was out on Mille Lacs he did not catch a fish, Jason suggested that he should just record a clip as it happens to often.
Southern Minnesota Fishing Report
Jeff and Jason met in southern Minnesota at a small lake. Fishing was slow but a few fish were caught. It was a great day, the weather was so mild we did not even put up a shack. Kept on drilling and moving until we found some fish.
We used Jason's Eskimo Pistol bit https://amzn.to/3qzMHIO and a DeWalt cordless drill and it worked really great for what we were doing. We went through a 5AH battery. The light weight was much appreciated as we were walking.
The ice was clear and you needed yaktraks https://amzn.to/3EuVMru for sure or you would fall over. We saw someone ice skate across the lake.
When to Talk to People on the ice
A great time to chat with people on the ice is when they are on the move. This changes on different lakes, each lake has its own culture.
Gear
Beaver dam tip ups https://amzn.to/3sVZngf are still one of my favorites.
Max Losche from https://strikeandcatch.com/
We talk to Max Losche from Strike and Catch about ice fishing in the Baltic Sea and smaller inland lakes in Sweden. Max tells us that pimpling is actually a verb. In Sweden a pimple is a small spoon used for ice fishing. It' s more about the method than a lure. For an auger Max uses hand augers, they don't use any power augers. They use Mora augers similar to the same thing you can buy in the US. They hole size is 8 to 10 inches but in Sweden they use the metric system so we had to do a conversion.
When fishing in the Baltic for Pike a wooden stick that you ram into the ice and a spool with some basic ice line with a metal arm with a red tip. You put a loop in the line on the red indicator, then the flag goes up. Everything is above the ice unlike the beaver dam tip ups.
These are also used to catch Zander which are like walleyes but larger, up to 40 inches. Mostly Zander are targeted with dead sticks running bait feeder reels. These are put on a quick strike rig, or leader with two trebles on a wire leader.
Ice houses or shelters are not used really in Sweden, most just fish on a chair on the ice. Heaters are not used much nor are fish finders.
Friday Dec 17, 2021
Friday Dec 17, 2021
In this episode of the Hard Water Fishing Show Jeff gets out on first and and we talk to Erika Blegen from Women Anglers of Minnesota (WAM) about there upcoming ice queen fishing tournament. You can find there website here https://bit.ly/3JbjDAb for more information.
Fact Checking
Jason and Jeff Clarify what Ole we are talking about.
Lil Ole said that North woods Dave should have used aluminum studs in his ice shack.
North woods Dave was to busy to do any additional fact checking.
Current Events
Outdoor News "Long Rods" by Vic Attardo
Vic talks about not casting a shadow over his hole. He believes you will catch more fish if you cast over your hole. Jason thinks this may be lake dependent.
Outdoor News "Shallow Walleyes" December 3rd Outdoor News by Jason Mitchell
Jason Mitchell recommended fishing in shallow water for Walleyes, if you can find them there in the summer you can find them there in the winter. He also talked about how electronics are not as useful in shallow water. Jason talked about some experience from Matt who fishes in shallow water and his flasher is only showing 2 inches of the bottom. Sometimes fish can be attracted to noise. Both Jeff and Jason has experienced noise can trigger bites.
Nevada Dave - how to secure a hub?
- answer is to put a stake in the ground and put a guy line on it first. Then you will be good.
Gary does Noise Effect Fish?
The short answer is yes.
Gary asked if fishing with a generator will scare the fish away.
Fish will scatter even with an electric auger. A generator will affect the fish how much very hard to know. Gary was fishing for Cusk.
Sometimes when you are doing combat fishing and moving you could be pushing the fish. Maybe you would be better off just sitting and one spot and drive the fish away. You have to make sure you sit long enough for the noise to get quiet and let the fish come back.
Gear
Snyder 360 death roll https://bit.ly/3mhyhf4
I would like to get one of these and try them out, its a spoon that rolls over
Ruffian Snow Bike https://bit.ly/3FaS1bG
Its like a snow dog with a ski on the front its the size of a pit bike. Looks pretty cool
Berkley Trilene Fluorocarbon 6LB https://amzn.to/320Rif9
I just put this stuff on 4 of my rods. Seems to be pretty good stuff. Used it last weekend. Still not as easy to use as mono.
First Ice
Drove two hours north to ice fish, and did not catch a fish. Was fishing for Crappies in a place I have caught some really nice fish. The ice was 6 - 8 inches but very inconsistent. Had to read the ice to get around the cracks. Had full on safety with ice picks. Also have a long rope on my sled.
Frabill I-3 Ice Bibs https://amzn.to/3pZzwkg
These are the ice bibs I use. They work great.
Guest Erika Blegen
Talked with Erika about the ice Queen ice fishing contest and Women Anglers of Minnesota. Also discussed the 77 inch lake sturgeon she caught, that is recorded on the master angler program. Ericka describes how she fishes with a "ball or crawlers" on a hook. For an auger she uses a kDrill and drill multiple holes to get the hole big enough to fit the big fish through. Mud puppies can be a problem when fishing for lake sturgeon so watch out for them.
Wednesday Dec 08, 2021
Wednesday Dec 08, 2021
Jeff and Jason attend the big one, the St. Paul Ice Fishing Show. We meet up with A few listeners and friends and have a great time looking at all the latest ice fishing gear and gadgets.
Beer
The Statement of Purpose Martin House Brewing - A Peanut Butter Golden Stout https://bit.ly/3Ir8kDk
Turkey Mountain Ale from the mountains of Iowa - Jason is drinking a home brew qualifies as an old man beer
Patrons
Chris moved up to the Legend status, so will be sending him out a hat. Thanks for your support Chris. A zoom meeting will be coming up soon for our patrons. We also talk to about how to get discord on your phone. Here patrons can chat about ice fishing. We ran into Leo a patron on the second floor at the ice fishing show. Its always great to meet our patrons in person. We tried to meet some other patrons at the show but were not able to connect.
Show Business
Please use our Amazon Affiliate link https://amzn.to/3BBw6YN , its a free way to support the show
Swag - You can find shirts and hats with our log here https://Hardwatershow.com/merch
The best places to interact with us on social media Instagram and Facebook
Find our website hardwatershow.com
We have a YouTube page where our videos are posted
You can email us at hardwatershow@gmail.com
We ready everything, even if it does not make it on the show!
Listeners News / Current Events
Aaron G
Sent in a picture of his new HFS sweatshirt, thanks for purchasing one.
Kris ZCooler Case for your Camera https://bit.ly/3DCpHgW
Screen is in the lid and he has a direction finder to show what way his camera is going. Different than a panner. Unsure why this is better than a case but I suppose its kinda cool? Love that its home made
Tri-pod Camera Mount
He put his Marcum 5+ camera https://amzn.to/3pCHlvX on a tripod at amazon https://amzn.to/3Gq05Wn and used a Marcum camera compass https://bit.ly/3dwtJgn to control the direction of the camera. He said it works really well. My brother in law used a similar setup last year.
Calibrate your Ice Chisel
Jason talks about how to calibrate your ice chisel as you gage the amount of ice on the lake. Things such as your arm strength and chisel or spud bar type can affect how thick you are testing the ice. As always there is no safe ice and be careful early season.
Tim Asks About Minnows
When do you use a full minnow, head vs cut off the tail. Charlie says to cut the tail off if your minnow is to active. If the fish are finnicky use a fish head to get the fish to bite the hook. Jeff has used minnow heads less than tails. Jason says minnow heads and Cheetos are a bad combination. Start with a whole minnow, if that is not working then switch to a minnow head or tail. If your bait is getting stolen then move to minnow heads.
Q: Critical things to increase your odds on the ice
A: Hope and Prayers
Check out hard water freaks for there big event Saturday January 29th. Looks like a great time and we would love to go. https://bit.ly/3rL9G69
Topic - St. Paul Ice Fishing Show
Jeff and Jason get together in person since last ice in March 2020.
Ran into Joe Ole and Original Ole. Who is the OG Ole we just don't know. Ran into Brian from the short rod show, Corey a Patron and Brian from Red Door Resort. Its like a big family reunion.
Fish Daddy LED Spoons https://bit.ly/3IvJvWV
We are going to try these out, why they could be better than the snap glow jigs
Wallace Decoys https://bit.ly/3lNHjQT
Jason's wow moment was Wallace Decoys, he makes incredible works of art. Jeff's favorite was the sun fish.
Ice Spy by Winter Recreation Tech https://bit.ly/3lOwH45
Its a righteous buoy, it freezes into a lake and uses cell or satellite signal as the ice freezes to say how thick the ice is.
Eskimo Outbreak 650XD https://amzn.to/3oACY5d
The one with the full door. Brother Matt explains that people are not he shape of triangles so doors should not be that shape. This ice shack is a hub shack with a full door to the ice. So when you have all your heavy gear on you don't trip over the door. Also much easier to get your stuff in the shack.
Adapter for Auger - Deep Freeze https://bit.ly/3rNGo6N
Jason uses a drill setup on a Pistolbit https://amzn.to/3oADKz9 auger. This lets you disconnect your auger from your drill quickly and then drill in your hub ice anchors then quickly connect back to your auger.
Blue Tips https://amzn.to/31Gm7FB
Is a blue tooth transmitter that you put it on your tip up or trap as they call it in the NE. It uses blue tooth to transmit to your phone when your trap is tripped and alerts you.
P3 Plastics https://bit.ly/3Ir90IS
Made out of Winona Minnesota. Jason is going to try some plastics this year on the ice. They had a really nice booth with a bunch of different plastics.
Smart Stop Micro https://amzn.to/3pDOHzh
These are unique bobber stops that are small. Use these with a foam yellow calm ice buster bobber. The bobber stops I find the string is to thick, so this is an alternative. You need a special pair of pliers to these on. Jason is very skeptical of these fancy bobber stops.
Line Cutterz as Seen on Shark Tank https://amzn.to/3rMR4CL
This will cut your line instead of your teeth or tweezers. This works even on braid, which can be a problem with some other line cutters. It also makes a clean cut for super thin line and small lures. Sometimes you bite this line and it will flatten the line and not go through the eyelet of your lure. You wont have this problem with line Cutterz.
Okuma Bait Feeder Reels https://amzn.to/31DZ4v7
For a dead stick or bobber setup, the line comes out of it instead of leaving your bail open.
Legend
Jason tells the legend about how the ice show is a bunch of middle aged men walking around saying "that will do the trick"
Friday Dec 03, 2021
Friday Dec 03, 2021
Jeff and Jason discuss buying a used portable ice shack. You can often find something really good for a fraction of the price of a new shack.
Current Events
The St. Paul Ice Fishing Show is this weekend. This is the big one! https://bit.ly/3EaEZup
Minnesota Record 55LB Muskie caught in Mille Lacs Lake https://bit.ly/3dbEsMW What a monster of a fish.
Listener News
Seth E reported four inches of ice reported near Alexandria MN. Also sent along a nice picture of a pike and a sunny.
Sam D asked about some intel on Kabetogama lake. This is a lake near the Canadian border of Minnesota near Voyagers national park in St. Louis county. This lake is 25K acres and is one of the big ten lakes in Minnesota. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabetogama_Lake Tons of structure. Jason gave some very general information about fishing the windward side, or find the mid lake humps bars and transitions. In reality we need to ask our listeners for help on this one.
Andrew Checked in from Minnedosa Manitoba Canada. They have 8.5 inches of meh ice. Hard sided shacks reported. They had the dreaded snow then ice.
JoePete sent an email about our bands to put your reel on the rod. So you are using a total of four bands. He said to double them up or use zip ties! And zip ties have a lot of utility. As we digress you should always carry a role of duct take and zip ties in your car. That and a small tool kit you can just about fix anything.
Other Current Events
Monofiliment turns 70, and still has a place in our world. Both Jeff and Jason use mono all the time.
Spinner Blades naming in outdoor news by Joe Fellegy, also the author of classic Minnesota fishing stories
Fact Check Alert, North Woods Dave may have gotten out ice fishing this past weekend.
Girl of 1000 lakes had a video about going in a float suit https://bit.ly/3ly3lXO
Outdoor news had a great write up of some of the best ice fishing lakes in Minnesota and the outlook for each. Make sure to subscribe and check it out.
Gear
Coffin Minnow https://bit.ly/3G7wMaS
The coffin minnow is a new Northland tackle lure spoon out this year. Its a top weighted spoon that would be used to bang off the bottom of the lake to attract fish.
The "Brad Hawthorn way" to fish, as he talked about on youttube https://bit.ly/3xWwfWC
Use 6lb floral for line, a very small swivel https://amzn.to/3pjVzBG and a leader and a fast snap https://amzn.to/3xSKL1s . The swivel gets rid of the line twist and the fast snap lets you switch your lure really fast. I am trying this out this year, rigging two of my rods in this way.
Jointed Pin Head Minnow https://amzn.to/3DzsO9z
Ordered a few of these to try out, Jason has had some good success with these lures in the past.
Colors - UV Green, UV Pink, Gold
Reel Size
Get a Bigger size reels to reduce line twist. Get the 30 size instead of the 10, 20 or 25 size.
Digger Ice Angels - https://amzn.to/32ZMnv1
Want to try these out to anchor my hub shack quicker. I have wanted to try these for a few years.
Beaver Dam Tip Ups https://amzn.to/3rA3T39
Jason got some artic fisherman beaver dam tip ups for $22 a piece, they were from the 80s.
Fire House R-Tek Tip Up https://amzn.to/3GcZ6Zz
This is what I carry in my ice bag all the time. It works and is very portable.
Pro Pod Cast Tip
Most pod cast apps have settings where to speed up and remove white space. This allows you to listen to more podcasts! But a good thing you cannot filter meaningless content because there would not be much left of our show.
Topic - Buying a Used Portable Ice Shack
When you look at the new stuff it is really good, but it can get expensive. We walk through a checklist of what to look for when buying a used ice shack. This is for the buyers and sellers to. Maybe you want to upgrade and it can be a great way to get rid of your old one so you can put the money toward the new shack.
Where to look?
Start with Facebook marketplace, Craigslist and some local shoppers. If you are looking for something specific try a in search of (ISO) and let people come to you with there shack they have sitting around. Try different search terms such as Ice Shack of Clam Shack or Fishing Shack.
Categories
Suitcase style
These will be the cheapest ones, you can get one for under 100 bucks.
Hub
This is the next cheapest ones. They are not as desirable as flip over shacks but are still worth looking at.
Flip over
These are going to be the most expensive but you can still find good deals.
Thermal Ice Shacks
You are going to pay more for thermal, get a good condition non-thermal shack and put some reflextex in it.
What to look for in a hub shack
Check out the zippers, if they are shot don't buy it. Mouse holes can be patched, you can find some good deals if you find one with a few mouse holes. You can fix poles, but you are better off finding one with all the poles working. Pay attention to where the tie downs are. There are three generations of tie downs. Tie downs in the skirt of the shack. Second generation had the tie downs on the inside of the shack. The third generation has guy lines on the outside of the shack and you skip the skirt. Windows will crack, and don't worry about them. Just get some packing tape and fix them. If you can find one with a door that goes to the floor buy it, they are really nice. Some advantages of hubs are the size and weight. They are not mobile but they are portable. If you have a bunch of people to fish with get a hub shack.
Smell
Make sure you can deal with the smell of the shack, they can get really stinky.
Suitcase Style
If you like having a floor get a suitcase style shack. They can be less than a 100 dollars that works great. Look at the hinges that they work. Make sure the poles are all there and that they work. Make sure all the connectors are included with the shack. Does Clam still make a suitcase style shack? We find a really old one that has a exoskeleton where the poles are on the outside.
Flip over Shack
For one or two people the flip over shack is what you want. Jeff thinks the canvas is the most important, but Jason disagrees that the tub is key to a flip over. Make sure the poles and connectors are in good shape, they can be hard to find. It can help to check on the manufactures website to see if parts are still available. Seats are not usually great, but you can always improve these in the future. Make sure to not buy to big of one. If you are hand pulling it don't get a huge one.
Legend
Jeff tells a legend of a suite case style shack he got off of a shopper website with a sketchy propane heater.
Friday Nov 26, 2021
Friday Nov 26, 2021
In this episode of the hard water fishing show Jeff and Jason talk to Colby Sabutis, who is a ice fishing guide based in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Current Events
Catch and Cook https://www.catchandcook.net/
On of my new favorite you tube channels is Jay Siemens https://bit.ly/3nQdXmh He is also the creator of catch and cook. A great alternative to shore lunch for cooking fish. I had some this summer and it was excellent. Probably even better because someone else cooked it for me. FYI no sponsorship for this, just a product I like.
Here is the video we spoke about with fly in fishing https://bit.ly/2ZtFtg8
Here is a video about first ice https://bit.ly/2ZtFtg8
Utility Trailer to ice fishing shack
Listener Cody sent in some pictures of a converted utility trailer to an ice fishing shack. These are posted over on Facebook and Instagram.
Rogers on Red
Predicting fishable ice first week on December, but we will see. https://bit.ly/3I012Xc
Gear
Home made ramp for ice shack
Get a aluminum extension ladder, used for cheap. Cut it down and put a series of rollers to get your shack on and off of your pickup truck. Jason will post some pictures on our page. You can also get a winch and mounted in the front of a picket, mount the winch in the front of the pickup and then you can use it to load and unload your heavy ice shack without risk of injury.
Pickup Truck
Jason gave some great advice on pickup truck buying. If you want a fast pickup truck get a red one. The red ones are always faster than the blue ones.
Lure Storage
Jeff talked about using tackle box containers and how they are making a mess. I am thinking of changing the way I store tackle. I am thinking of getting similar smaller ones that are fully open and then put some foam in them to prevent damage. Basically remove the cons from these two products.
What I am using right now
I have one of each of these https://amzn.to/3FUgXEx or this https://amzn.to/3FQDdPv .
This is a trophy angler box I used for my tungsten jigs It has foam on one side and on the other we have hard plastic. This is what I used for my smaller panfish jigs. https://bit.ly/2ZploHG
Pros
1. You can fit them in your pocket
2. They are cheap
3. You can have on per species or fishing type. I have one for tip ups, one for pan fish and two for spoons.
Cons
1. They can get messy fast
2. The hard plastic can damage your lures
Hard Water Expo https://bit.ly/3xs8epX
Attended the Hard Water expo It was a small show and I did not stay to long, but found a few new notable things.
Fish Daddy Lures https://bit.ly/3cRsJmz
Specializes in LED jigs. We had Andy from Fish Daddy Outdoors a few seasons ago, you can find the interview here
S2E9- What Food To Bring Ice Fishing and Interview with Andy from Fish Daddy Lures
They have a new lure out that looked interesting the jig flare spoon, an alternative to using those glow stick spoons. https://bit.ly/3nX0s4t
Go Athletic Apparel https://bit.ly/3cP5Gcb
Got a head sock and also a neck Gater at the show. https://bit.ly/3DW5BiP
Balaclava https://bit.ly/3CWP5h9 can you eat Baklava in your Balaclava?
They are made in the USA. My plan is when I am on a snowmobile to wear these to keep warmer.
BassKhang https://bit.ly/3xquW1K
These shuttles look really cool. Looking at them they seemed very high quality. Maybe Jason can field test one in the future with his helix 7. This caused Jeff to digress into talking about how it can be hard to use his Helix 7 outside on very sunny days, and how a traditional flasher may be better.
Clam x100 Pro Thermal https://bit.ly/3xsPjLz
This is a one man clam that looks like the ultimate, really like this. The poles are huge but they don't collapse so you can move quickly. This thing is super spendy though and super heavy.
Clam Kenia https://bit.ly/3nUBeDB
This one is another really comfy option that I look at every year. I like that it has poles that don't have to extend and also its much lighter. Jason talks about how even on his Nanuk he does not collapse the poles because you can move quickly.
Eric Wallace Decoys https://bit.ly/3cRv0OD
Eric Wallace had these awesome decoys for spearing. I lack the words to describe how beautiful these are. I would feel back using them on the ice. Jeff and Jason talk about our one failed spear fishing attempt. The water was so cloudy we could not even see the decoy in the hole. Here is a video we spoke about https://bit.ly/3HTFiMv where his work was featured on Minnesota Bound
Listener Request
Jason is requesting a picture for a better setup for his Camera. He is not happy with his storage and how its hard to use. He would like to make it easier to deploy the camera. Please send us your idea and pictures hardwatershow@gmail.com If you have something awesome maybe we will have you on the show to tell us about it.
Guest / Legend
Colby Sabutis is an ice fishing guide in NH and we are super excited to have him on the show. He tells us all about ice fishing in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Also a fly fishing guide
Local Fire Department in NH
Works for Woodstock inn and resort https://bit.ly/2ZpytRi as a fishing guide https://bit.ly/3nUg9ZU
Beverages
1911 Cranberry Hard Cider
We did beverages with Colby. Colby brought a 1911 hard cider out of New York it sounded really good. Here is a link to the page for more information https://bit.ly/3CX1v8L
Great Lakes Brewing Company
Eliot Ness https://bit.ly/3xozrtL
Old Milwaukee
Jason continues his tour of old man beers.
Species
Colby targets trout a lot more than in the mid-west. When they fish in Vermont the will target Crappie, Blue Gill and Pike. For trout we are talking about Rainbows, Brooks, Browns and Lake. Cusk AKA eel pout or Burbot. Also maybe Toad or Lakers. White perch and yellow perch.
What is Different about ice fishing in New Hampshire?
Ice castles, are not really used, usually Bob houses are home built items.
Ice Fishing Traps?
This is similar to what we would call a tip up in the Midwest. But they are different than a beaver dam. Heritage Laker Traps more information can be found here https://bit.ly/3FQhPKh
You can have 2-6 lines per person depending on the regulations on the lake.
Colby uses Ifish Pro also. These seem to be coming more popular. Here is a link to Amazon https://amzn.to/2ZwMEUU . This is a tip up rig for your rod.
Auger
Started with a hand auger, but moved to a Jiffy. Partnered with Eskimo fishing and have a gas auger from Eskimo now.
Lures
Here are a few of Colby's favorite lures.
Clam Leech Flutter Spoon https://amzn.to/3nVl7G7
Pinhead minnow https://amzn.to/3p6P05k Jason has also had some good success for Walleyes in the mid-west with this lure.
Swedish Pimple https://amzn.to/3oXPTNI
Clam Dingledop https://amzn.to/3lc7uAe
Clam Epoxydrop https://amzn.to/32pyyFJ
Bait
Shiner and smelt live smelt
Rods
- 28 - 36 inch heavy or medium heavy ( limit creek outfitters)
- Colby uses Limit Creek rods. Here is a link for more info. https://bit.ly/3FNcBio
- Also working with Driftwood rods https://bit.ly/32pxVvR I did not see ice rods on the website I think they might be new.
- 2 in is longest rod Colby uses for Lakers.
Reel
Colby uses Pflueger or Shimano spinning reels. This Pflueger reel is one both Jason and I like. https://amzn.to/3D8b8BH the 20 or 30 size works nice for ice fishing. I have started to prefer the bigger size to reduce line twist.
Line
Braid with a floral leader. 6,4, or 8 lb test depending on situation.
Lake Winnipesaukee Ice Fishing Derby https://bit.ly/32D5kn1
Colby talks about a huge ice fishing derby he has participated in the past. In 2022 its February 13-14
Electronics
Garmin Striker with a boat transducer and a Lowrance hook 4 also use Navionics
Fly Fishing
We also talked about fly fishing, Colby has been fly fishing for a bit over 11+ years. Attended Orvis advanced fly fishing school. Have been two years as a guide at the Woodstock Inn. Colby did 100+ fly fishing tips this year!
Legend
Colby tells a legend about catching over 55 Lakers in four and a half hours. Talks about how to stuff your lake trout with crab meat and bread crumbs and how great that is.
Friday Nov 19, 2021
Friday Nov 19, 2021
In this episode of the hard water fishing show Jeff and Jason talk about ice rod trends.
- Jason tells a story about the time the bait bucket iced up the fishing rods.
- Don't put your leaky bucket next to your reels. Jeff wants to figure out how to be a beer can story writer.
- We are looking for a future guest who is a professional beer can story writer.
- Jeff Sings (prepare yourself) Real men of Genius, Mr. Beer Can Story Writer!
Beer
Jason admits that bud light is not an old man beer, but totally redeems himself by cracking open an American classic born in the land of the sky blue waters, a Hamm's. Jason pairs his Hamm's with an iced oatmeal cookie from his custom built iced oatmeal cookie dispenser.
[put iced oatmeal cookie picture here]
Jeff is drinking a Kid Kölsch from New Glarus Brewing https://newglarusbrewing.com/beers/ourbeers/beer/kid-klsch. It is a great beer from Wisconsin.
Gear
Flame King Heaters https://amzn.to/3kNWEjN
Few More Details on the flame King Heaters
- They are a little more expensive and weigh a bit more.
- It comes with a thermostat vs low, medium or High.
- Buy one and give us a review, we would like to learn more about this heater.
Buddy Flex Heater
- It has surround heat because of the shape
- Is said to be less sensitive to bumping than the buddy heater
- Has an accessory to put a cooker on the side, Jason is skeptical if its a good thing.
- Buy one and give us a review, we would like to learn more about this heater.
Super Capacitor ( Not Flux Capacitor) https://amzn.to/3coztIm
- Used to start your car from a low battery.
- Not for time travel
- Could be better than a jump pack.
- Will it work at -30 we are not sure
- Never tried this but would like someone to and see how it works out on the ice or in the cold.
Versa Auger Carrier https://icerunnerhouses.com/versa-auger-carrier/
- something to carry your auger outside of your ice shack on your snowmobile or ATV.
- having quick access to your auger makes you more mobile.
Mudhole.com - rod building supplies https://mudhole.com/
A place to get everything you need for ice fishing. ( no we are not sponsored, just a cool site)
Ice Fishing Rod Trends
We go in depth in ice fishing rods, we go down the rabbit hole. Ten pages of notes to talk about ice fishing rods, so buckle up.
Action
Blank Type
Seat
Eyelets
Grip
Guides
Length
- Weight is a big deal in a rod
- bent handle rods are not talked about here, maybe called the duck
Action
From Overton's https://blog.overtons.com/fishing/how-to-choose-perfect-ice-fishing-rod
Ultra-fast action: Rod bends only at the tip
Fast-action: Rod bends only at the tip
Medium-action: Rod bends to the middle of the blank
Slow action: Rod bends to the bottom of the handle
Rod Blank
Fiberglass and Graphite are the two main options. Graphite is more popular and sensitive, but fiberglass still has a place in the ice fishing world. One of the main benefits of fiberglass is they are more durable than graphite, and you will have less broken rods. Jason compares rod quality to 100% orange juice and 5% juice. Pay attention to the action of the rod and not just the price. If you get a cheap combo that is slow action you are going to struggle. The action of the rod is more important than what it is made of at lower price points.
We both agree that buying rods and reels separate is better than combos generally.
Seat
Jeff and Jason both agree that bands do not hold your reel on your rod. If you get a reel the best way to wrap your reel with electrical table then put the reel on and they put another layer electrical tape. That way you don't damage your cork. Low end rods typically come with a seat, high end rods do not.
Eyelets/Guides
Jason pays attention to the first guide, if its to small it freezes up. Having two different rods one for outside with bigger guides and smaller guides for inside.
Heated Eyelets vs Not
Jason found a patent for heated eyelets on a ice fishing rod. This could be great or the next jig up. Jeff imagines that this ice rod could look like a Ghostbusters proton pack.
https://patents.justia.com/patent/20170325439
Split Grip v Full Grip
Split grip is suppose to be lighter more sensitive, better balance and they look cool. Full grip is more traditional. Jason says it really does not matter when you have gloves on. Jeff is told by sales person at Cabela's that men of a certain age like the full grip, and was in that category.
Jason recommends putting your finger on the line and take the rod out of the equation.
Foam v Cork v Carbon Grip
Jason and Jeff both prefer cork. EVA foam can be more durable than cork. Jason has found that if you take the plastic wrap off the cork before you use it you may feel the fish better. Even if the plastic makes your cork look nice longer.
Carbon is something neither one of us has used, but think it might be pretty sensitive.
Rod Covers and Lure Covers
Use rod slicks and lure covers to keep your rods safe. Here is an example https://bit.ly/30FGTEH I also like the lure covers like these that allow you to keep the lures on without making a mess. https://amzn.to/3nsVcW2 I have not used this specific brand but have similar ones and they work great.
Legend
A legend from ice fishing related to a cell phone.
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
In this episode of the hard water fishing show we talk to North Woods Dave from Nunya lake about his custom wheel house build. Its green and its green. Jason tries to tell us that bud light is a old man beer, and fails. Jason east a ice oatmeal cookie from the iced oatmeal cookie dispenser and does not die.
Listener Questions
In reader questions Jason decides that Steele Reserve is the best tall boy gas station beer. And we decide that you can go from couch to ice fishing for less than the price of a video game.
Gear
Clam Lock Hub Accessories
Clam Lock Accessories for your hub shack. You put an adapter on your clam, and put this rod holder or cup holder. This can be a problem in a hub when the hole is slushy. I saw these used to mount accessories on a snow dog also. The price of these seemed pretty reasonable. These can be used on your hub shack or anywhere you can mount them for accessories in your shack.
https://amzn.to/3k70sfF
https://amzn.to/3GKj9Qd
HIT Lures
A small custom lure maker of plastics. They have many colors and are scent infused. I thought they look like a caterpillar, but you have to break each one and use on a tungsten jig.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hitlures
Arctic Anchor
Rescue your ATV when it goes through the ice https://arcticanchor.com/ . Jason Reminds our listeners to put something over the top of the line when winching, for safety to keep it from snapping back at the vehicle.
Matts Off Road Recovery Rope
Here is the Matt's off road recovery rope we spoke about, its a great Youtube channel and a great way to get unstuck https://mattsoffroadrecovery.com/collections/recovery-gear/products/matts-recovery-rope
Buddy Flex Heater
We have not tried this, but you can cook and heat your shack. I like other buddy products. Tell us if you like it. https://amzn.to/3BFUqbP
Topic - The 2000 yard ice shack Green Shack
North woods Dave sheds some light on building his custom wheel house, from purchasing a donor ice shack, modifying the frame and building it back up to a functional wheel house. He was able to upcycle and build this for much less than the cost of a new ice castle.
Prior to the build Dave had a converted camper that sat 12 feet ooops I mean 12 inches off the ice and put plywood around the shack. But he needed an upgrade.
The projected started with a dilapidated ice shack on Facebook for sale. The ice house was junk, the walls were rotten but the frame was decent. The shack had good bones, spine or feet to build on. Tore the shack down to the frame and converted it from a 8x18 to a 6x14 to save weight and meet his needs. The weight savings will enable it to be pulled by a wheeler on skinny ice.
After the frame was in place the base was built with green treat plywood, The floor is screwed and glued. On top of the plywood is recycled/upcycled 2x2 carpet squares and carpet that was "borrowed" for the flooring. Jeff questioned the choice of carpet, as he prefers rubber floor. But the carpet was free and also worries about a slick floor with vinyl.
The walls were made of 2x3 they are the goldilocks of studs. 2x4 was to heavy, 2x2 was to light so 2x3 were perfect. If he was Ole he would have used steel studs. Windows are sliders on all sides so see your tip-ups. The exterior is made of steel siding for a pole barn. The door is a regular exterior house door.
The shack is wired to run 12 volt or 120 for tv's.
The insulation was made of spray foam, that gives up to 60 percent more rigidity to the shack. The foam also does not suck up moisture. Dave does not want to test if it floats.
The inside was finished with cedar that was recycled from a porch found on Facebook. Cedar was used because it does not shrink and expand
Also built was a tow dolly to tow the rig behind a four wheeler during early ice.
Heat is provided by a vent less heater.
Things to remember
- layout is really important, make sure to get that right and plan ahead.
Legend
A legend from the book Classic Minnesota Fishing Stories by Joe Fellegy. https://amzn.to/3whtHkR He is also in the fishing hall of fame, you can find out more here https://www.fishinghalloffamemn.com/hall-of-famers/joe-fellegy/
The legend was about Jerry Fuller of Park Rapids who had one of the longest running fishing contests in Minnesota. It was about a fisherman who put rocks in a fish to make it weigh more in an attempt to win the context.