Fishing Michigan

Ever wonder why those bass boats on TV has those big honkin motors on the backside of those little bitty boats?  Speed, its all about getting to the fish and covering water.  On the ice its referred to as mobility.  Anything to lighten the load in the shanties, and getting to where the fish are.

Once first ice has settled in, and the thickness is at least 4 inches, preferrably 5 or 6″, its time to start thinking machines.  Snowmobiles are one of the top options for traveling from spot to spot on the ice, but for those who dont have those already, and still want to get there fast here are your other options.

Some 24 years ago, I was still in high school back in Ida.  The summer of ‘84, back then Ida’s football players parked cars at the county fair.  One day after a shift in the dust (no rain that year!) my folks picked me up and we headed for home.  At the house were two new Honda Big Red ATC’s, model year 1985 and snatched up with the fair specials being offered.  Luckily for me years later, that ol Big Red 250S of is still starting up right on cue.  She became my ice fishing machine, and although deep snow and drifts treat her like a step-child, its better than walking 5 miles out to Stoney Point.

The top picture shows the black case mounted on the front rack, and my imporvised homemade auger rack on the rear.  In the black case is everything I could possible need for an emergency, or on ice repairs, even simple things often forgotten back at the house.  First Aid Kit, Auger Repair Kit, duct tape, extra scoop, cleats and spikes.  The back rack has my StrikeMaster Lazer Mag Express mounted on a homemade rack, secured by bungee cords.

After pushing through some good sized drifts last year out on Erie, I upgraded just a little bit as I am getting the gear ready for the championships next month.  The New Toy in town is a 2004 Polaris Sportsman 600 4 x4.  Though not impervious to snow drifts and soft fluffy fields, this will be a step up from the ol’ red.  Ground clearance is better, the 4-wheel drive will help, and if I really get bogged down, its got a winch baby!

The first thing I did was shop around looking for a factory made auger rack.  Time is a wasting, and I didnt want to mess around making a rack for this machine.  I looked online at the different models, what the stores had to offer, and the prices available.  I went to the many, many ice forums and posted questions like, “What do you guys use?”.  The internet is a tool folks, just like my rods and reels, the machines and my jigs.  Use it, there is so much info available right there, just a mouse click away.

So after a couple of days of looking, getting feedback, I found what I was looking for.  This rack is made by Stearns (yep the lifevest, rain gear people) under their Mad Dog brand.  Recently I had returned a watch to Cabela’s, course the receit is buried in the records somewhere, so I had a gift card burning a hole in my pocket.  One of the really good guys who works at the store is an older gentleman named Bruce,  and he has been moved around from dept to dept,  and really knows a lot of information.  Luckily for me,  his prestent location is the Auto/ATV dept.  He knew right off what I was talking about, and went right to the location of the item on the shelves.  Got that puppy home that night and started to get to work.  Several phone calls later from friends in MN and Wisconsin.  I gave up for the night.  But the next evening, I went to work and got it done, mounted and ready to roll.  At the powerhead of the auger it is secured by velcro straps, and I gave them the test out in the cut corn fields around the house.  After going thump thump at 40mph,  I check the straps and they were still tightly secured.  Good enough for me.

Thats one way to stay mobile on the ice, move often, and get there fast.