I’ve been fishing for 25 years. Fishing for me is both an adventure and a chance to disconnect. As a kid, I would fish local honey holes with texas rigs for large mouth bass. On family vacations to Florida, I’d plan Surf fishing excursions in the Atlantic for sharks, stingrays, and anything else that would bite. Recently, I’ve had the chance to fish with the father-in-law for Walleye and Small mouth in Sioux Narrows. If there’s a fishing trip, you can count me in.
Ice fishing, on the other hand, is new territory for me. This is the second year I’ve had the opportunity to give it a go. Ice fishing is a different beast than the other styles of fishing. It’s both psychotic and exciting. You’re battling sub-zero tempatures on snow covered lakes at a chance for a good bite and even better company. So here’s a little recap from our 2024 ice fishing adventure.
The Location
This year’s trip was in Merrifield, Minnesota, which is about 10 miles north of the larger Brainerd, MN. We stayed in an airbnb on the west shore of Sliver Lake which is marked on the map as a red circle. Our main game plan was to fish Edward Lake via vehicle access marked by a green circle. Edward Lake has a max depth of 75 feet, and is known for great structure that supports walleye, northern pike, and panfish.
Merrifield was brutally cold this year with highs reaching low single digits and the coldest night reaching -11 degrees. The cold weather made for some thick ice, but also created a sitatuion for extreemly cold fingers and toes.
The Crew
Nate, Wes, and Andrew ventured out for their first ice fishing adventure a few years ago. Ever since the initial cohort, the trip has seen new faces sub in and out. This year the crew was made up of 6 people. Gabe, Paul, Nate, Wes, Andrew, and myself.
It’s pretty cool to see how everyone brings something different to the table. People assume roles and help make the trip a success in their own unique way. Here is my take on the crew.
Nate - The Planner and Builder
Nate planned a majority of the trip and always has something unique he’s built to test out on the water. This year, was a single person shanty that he built from scratch. Due to some truck difficulties, the shanty was never put to use, but his passion for planning and his building skills are always appreciated on the trip. Nate caught a sweet northern pike on Sliver Lake the first day. It’s good luck to give your fish a kiss before you release it back into the water, even if your fish has razor sharp teeth 🙈.
Paul - The Muscle
Paul is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet. He’s the gentle giant of the group. Coming in at 6 foot tall, he’s the go-to for drilling stakes into the ice so our shelter doesn’t blow away in the harsh conditions. He also always jumps in to lend a helping hand with hauling gear. Paul caught a sick northern on Silver Lake the first day on the ice. Was it the same fish as Nate’s? We’ll never know 😂.
Gabe - Mr. Clean
One thing I couldn’t help but notice on this trip (compared to past trips) was how the airbnb was kept in pretty solid shape throughout the trip. This was uncharacteristic of past trips. I started paying attention a bit more and noticed that we had Mr. Clean on the crew. Gabe was always helping to straighten up the space when myself or Nate came through like a tornado. This was a welcome addition, helping keep other aspects of the trip less chaotic. Gabe caught his first ever fish on this trip, a nice little walleye.
Wes - The Fixer
One thing that is constant on an ice fishing trip is that things break and chaos ensues. On day two, Nate’s truck wouldn’t start. To make matters worse, it wouldn’t start while in the middle of the lake. Wes jumped into focus mode and started troubleshooting with Paul. They tried everything: a new battery, jump starting, hitting the starter with a wrench, starter fluid in the intake. When all hope was lost and an expensive towing bill was in sight, Wes prayed to the Fixer Gods and the truck started. Without Wes on this trip, Nate’s pickup truck might still be stranded on Edward Lake. Sadly, Wes didn’t catch any fish on this trip as he was busy enabling everyone’s success by fixing the truck.
Andrew - The Optimizer
Andrew in an OG when it comes to this ice fishing trip. Each year, he leaves the trip thinking “what could we do differently to make it less chaotic and more successful next year.” This continous improvement was seen this year through the food situation. Last year the calorie intake was mostly chips, candy, and beer. This year however; we were blessed with a delicous breakfast casserole (prepared by his wife, Monica) that gave us the energy we needed to battle the environment. I’m looking forward to seeing Andrew’s suggestions for next year. Andrew took the win on biggest fish, with this nice northern pike from Edward Lake.
Me - The Spot Finder
I tend to focus on the fishing and figuring out spots on the lake where fish are hiding out. I enjoy the process of trying to figure out a new lake I’ve never fished before. It’s like a complex puzzle with a clear result: you catch fish or you don’t. On day two this year, I attempted to find a nice spot for walleye via Edward Lake’s Topographic map. One strategy is to find shallow humps and fish the points where the water goes from shallow to deep. I found a spot that looked promising and we setup shop. There was a little dinner rush where fish came in from deeper water from 4:30 - 5:30 PM and we caught 6 fish, although all were pretty small. It was fun to pull fish out of 25 foot of water in the middle of an ice covered lake. Here’s my little walleye from that spot.
Wrapping Up
Overall we had a great time, even when things didn’t go as planned. A fishing trip is more than just the fish you catch. It’s about the people you’re with and the memories you make. It’s a chance to disconnect from the hustle of every day life and focus on the task at hand with the unique skillset you bring. I look forward to continuing to improve our ice fishing adventure for many years to come. Hopefully with less truck issues next year 😂.