Vicarious Ice

I admit it. I spend far too much time looking at weather conditions in Minnesota the Dakotas and the rest of ice country. I wonder about how the ice is thickening and get concerned about strong winds or heavy snowfalls that might break up or sink newly forming ice. Most aren't even places I'm likely to travel this winter. When home is Georgia and every ice trip calls for at least a couple of airplane rides, it's tough to bring everything together more than a couple of times per winter. I just like to watch how things are developing and joining my friends in various parts of the ice belt as they anticipate good ice and time on it.

I also enjoy reading the reports and seeing the photos and am thankful that social media sites let me see who is catching what, and where -- sometimes almost as it is happening. Occasionally I even pull up Google Maps, type in a few things and think, "Hmmmm. It would only be a 20-hour drive to..." So far I've only thought about it!

I'm not sure if it's the ice culture, the ridiculousness of the conditions or the fishing itself that I like best. I suppose it's a blend, and I know the visual game of watching fish on electronics and figuring out the bite plays a major part. Whatever the mix of reasons, there's little doubt that I'm way more interested in pulling fish though holes in the ice than are most fishermen who call Georgia home. I have ice plans in mid-January in Western Pennsylvania. Whether I'll make another trip between now and then I'm not sure. If not, I'll have to keep ice-fishing vicariously.