Ice Fishing with the Boys



Kale's 1st Ice Fishing Adventure

All winter I had been talking to the boys about getting them out to do a little ice fishing, which proved to be more difficult than what I thought it would be. Apparently it's more important to get in a good nap than it is to go ice fishing. My Dad and I finally got the stars to align, the weather cooperated and we were able to get the boys out fishing for the first time this winter. We met grandpa on Lake Riley and got to ride in the trailer behind the four-wheeler to the other side of the lake. Both Nolan and Kale were smiling from ear to ear. We stopped at the spot where grandpa had been catching a couple of fish and planned on getting the fish house all set up. I took the boys off the trailer and noticed one of the fish holes that Dad had drilled shortly before we got there. Of course what do I do...I tell the boys to watch out for the ice holes, because the water is cold and if they fell in we'd have to go home. I then proceeded to show them with my boot that my foot would go in the hole. This was the WRONG thing to do. I turned around to help Dad set up the fish house and not 30 seconds later I look back at Kale...who's up to his knee in the exact same fish hole I hoped they would've avoided!



Look at the fish in the bucket!





With a quick check of Kale's foot I confirmed that indeed we had a boot full of ice water. Kale's a trooper though. We set up the ice, got the heater going and took off his boot and sock. After wringing the water out of the sock and pouring out the boot Kale got to wear my glove on his foot the rest of the afternoon while things dried out. Not only did Nolan catch a couple of sunfish, but Kale did too...with the help of Grandpa. The excitement of it all was almost too much to bear, so after Kale caught his first fish through the ice we had to go outside and pee on the snow too. Kale dropped his pants, did his thing, and was back inside in a minute. Nolan had a similar scenario, however round one ended in stage-fright and round two took almost five minutes...even I was getting a little cold and my pants were up!



Nolan makes it look easy!



We wrapped things up when Kale said he had to go #2. We packed up our things, hopped back on the trailer and boogied back across the lake. With rosy cheeks and a bucket of fish we rode back home in time to meet Mom for dinner. Of course we were late, which I'm sure will be the first of many times that happens!

Between the four of us we kept about a dozen sunnies, which I filleted that night. The following evening we cooked them up and the boys ate more of the fish than Tricia and I did! Apparently I need to do this more often!