The Ice Shack Cometh

Verily, tis homesteading vacation.

Wheels are spinning, self-confidence is decreased, bank account depleting...

Here in New Hampshire, the snow is a an on again, off again no-show as of Dec 14th. Not that I'm complaining, as the frozen wasteland of my driveway and front walk and sidewalk and back yard dog run and my elderly neighbor's property squeezes the vinegar out of me each year. Shoveling snow is not fun. (But snow blowing with our Mahindra tractor is...)

However, snow is not required for lake and pond ice to form. We just need cold weather, of which we have decreasing mercury in spades. Tonight, in fact, we're looking at some serious sub-zero potential. The stream coming into the lagoon is still flowing, but not for much longer. Homesteading was for us not only about having a small, independent farm, but also being lakefront.

We certainly succeeded in that endeavor.

Granted, I won't be seeing the action of Big Lake Winni anytime soon. Bigger water takes longer times to freeze over, but there are other bodies of water- Back Lake, Mendums, Massebessic - all great places with enough ice, guaranteed to not crack should I put on an additional 550 lbs. And, of course, our own private little stretch of ice on Bow Lake here in Northwood.

I fish, and that is no secret.

An Ice Fishing Secret

Ice fishing for me is not about the fish. It's about sitting in a small shack with a heater, my brother and some beer.

Now don't take that the wrong way. To catch a fish at any time, in any place, is a thousand times greater for the karma bank than putting in time in cubicle land. A million times better than working retail. 

A quadrillion bazillion times greater than listening to your wife bitch at the kids. Gear for ice fishing is simple: a rod and reel, a method for boring through the ice, bait, basic knowledge. To be comfortable and actually enjoy the experience, you might need a few extras: a bob-house (ice shack), heater, aerator for bait bucket, tip-ups, beer, radio, sled, warm clothing, beer, and beer. 

And a deck of cards. Are we going for the big lunkers this year? Of course. Do we care if we don't hook 'em up? No.

We love sharing our homesteading adventure with you all, and hope to hear from you in the conversation below-

Stay warm.