As I go through my gear list for a day of fishing in the back country, there are a few extra things to consider. This particular chunk of wilderness allows no motors (including power augers), glass or cans. All ice fishing equipment must be hauled in a sled or on my back. I like to rig up a harness that runs from the sled to my backpack. I hook the harness to the waist strap and leave my hands free. This relieves the pressure on my arms and hands. This setup allows me to travel long distances in relative comfort. I use an Eberlestock Dragonfly pack. It’s light, tough and gets the job done. You can make your own harness or buy one pre-made: The choice is yours.
Our hike will be around 2 miles on the frozen landscape. The only thing we hear is the crunching of the snow under each step. Wilderness: there’s nothing like it. As we round the corner of the lake we pass a few ice shacks. This is the last we’ll see of anyone. Like in most wilderness settings to the further we travel, the less likely we are to see others. We finally arrive at the location that we plan to fish: a bay that attracts large bluegills and crappies. Now the holes need to be drilled, old school and by hand. There is no time to get cooled down on this trip. It’s time to shed a few more layers of clothes after a 2-mile walk, plus hand-drilling multiple holes. Holes drilled, tents set up and it’s time to start fishing.
This is also helpful when the fish move so you can stay on them. In this particular bay the pan fish suspend about half way up the water column. This is where wilderness and the latest technology meet. Our Vexilar FL-28 fish locators prove to be priceless when precision fishing for picky panfish. I wonder how we ever caught any fish before?
“There is no time to get cooled down on this trip. It’s time to shed a few more layers of clothes after a 2-mile walk, plus hand-drilling multiple holes. Holes drilled, tents set up and it’s time to start fishing.”
I drop my Vexilar transducer down the hole and, in stantly, I’m picking up fish 12-feet down. I drop my plastic bait down right above the fish and jig a little. Bang, I get a bite and set the hook. It feels like a good one. I ease it up to the hole and finally see the fish. It’s a large crappie so I scoop it out of the hole, unhook it and drop the bait back down.
The fish are still down there and it doesn’t take long before I land another crappie. I catch several crappies and the bite begins to slow so I move to another hole and drop my bait down this time it’s a nice bluegill. Our group goes on to catch a fine meal of crappies and bluegills for the frying pan. I love the wilderness.
Jon “Guy” Sibley is a professional guide who spends his time on Lake Gogebic in Michigan. Sibley is known for monster perch and his style of fishing is second-to-none.
BY JON SIBLEY
www.fishwithguy.com
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