First Day of Ice Fishing, St.Paul

With the winter weather being as mild as it's been the lakes haven't been solid enough to go out on. Now, finally it's gotten cold enough that I can safely venture out.

Thin Ice, Bub.

Only 4 inches of ice today.

Tacklebox.

Basic panfish tackle used.

Safety gear.

Ice spikes, worn around the neck, and a signaling whistle.

And now we wait.

Fishing in 8ft of water, close to the bottom.

Wait For It.

And my first fish of the season is..... A CATFISH?

Okay, so that was a bit unexpected. My first fish of the season usually ends up being a crappie or a sunfish. But this guy was a pleasant surprise. And he put up a noble fight.