Psychologists have a name for it

The American Psychological Association lists pages of mental issues. The range of listings is extensive and covers every crazy thing people do. One of the sub listing in something called “41^st parallel syndrome” which is serious and affects many people living along and north of the parallel. These people call it by its common name “Ice Fishing”.

I have been invited (actually tricked into) ice fishing on two occasions. Separated as these occasions were by more than 30 years, I could plead a failing memory and do.

My first experience came via my college roommate. Wils said it would be fun. It turns out he didn’t really understand that freezing to death was not fun.

An ice fisher person needs some unique equipment and supplies. In order to survive you need all the clothes you have ever owned. You will need a tiny little fishing pole, something called an “ice auger”, and water strainer thing called an “ice scoop”.

Also needed are supplies like bug larva. These have cute names like waxxies, or mealies, or spikes. Think of something in or on your food that would make you disgusted. These are the ice fishermen’s goodies and you have to keep them from freezing.

My roommate also brought along an important supply, fortified coffee. Technically it was brandy with coffee in it to fight the cold. I was not old enough to legally drink alcohol, but I was old enough to drink coffee.

We met along the Savanna pool in the backwater of the Mississippi River one morning during winter break. We then had to load up all this gear and carry it towards the middle of the pool. It was January, windy, and about 10 degrees. The area we headed to had no shelter of any kind. Wils told me to keep the bait warm inside my jacket. This was better than the old wives tale of keeping them warm in your mouth.

We walked and slipped and struggled and finally stopped. Wils drilled a hole in the ice. I had to scoop out the slush. Before he drilled another hole, he baited a hook and dropped it in. He told me to jig the rod up and down and make sure the hole didn’t freeze over.

After a few minutes of no fish. He drilled another hole and moved the rods. He caught a fish and threw it on the ice. I had started drinking coffee and was feeling much better about ice fishing. My feet were cold, but the rest of me was warming nicely.

One other result of ice fishing is the urgent need to pee. This would involve exposing yourself to an especially dangerous form of frostbite. However, fortified coffee can create quite a demand on one’s bladder. This demand is temporarily reduced by jiggling one’s feet. This form of “ice dancing” is not an Olympic event.

This went on for about an hour, but it seemed longer. My roommate said it was time to go in. I think he decided if we didn’t go in soon, he would have to carry me back. Thus ended my first experience.

Move ahead 30 years. My brother, Tim, called to say there was a fishing tournament on the canal near Geneseo. It was a Saturday in January. Tim assured me he had all the necessary equipment. Included was the most important, an ice fishing shelter. “It will be so warm in there you won’t need a coat”, he said. I said I’d think about it.

We decided to drive to Geneseo. I was still debating this ice fishing thing. I did bring my hand held fish locator called a “Smart Cast” which I used for bank fishing. As we approached town, Tim called.

He was all set up on the canal. He had registered me for the tournament. He said it was really crowded but he had a good spot. He said where he was located. I said “I am not familiar with the area, so how will I spot you?” Tim said “All the shelters look alike” then he thought for a second and said “I am next to a guy who has a big bonfire going on the ice”

I was silent for a while. Tim said “Rick, are you still there?” I answered I was contemplating what he just said. “Don’t worry”, Tim said “the ice is really thick”.

So I dropped Connie off and took my fish locator and drove to the canal. I found the big bonfire and Tim was right next to it. I entered his tepee like shelter and it really was warm. Tim had caught a small bluegill. I dropped my Smart-cast float into the hole and was amazed.

I told Tim, “There are fish all over down there. They are in about 10 feet of water and near the bottom”. Tim said that was “amazing because the canal is only 2 feet deep where we are.”  Then I checked the setting on my depth finder and found it was set on simulator.

The tournament didn’t last much longer, but Tim had a couple of blue gills. All the fisherman assembled in the Issac Walton building for prizes. There were lots of prizes provided by fish equipment manufacturers. There were categories for each species, the biggest fish in each, most caught, and kids categories. Most categories had no fish caught. One small crappie won about 4 categories. They decided to give out the rest of the prizes by drawing entrants names. Tim won a hat. My feet finally got warm.

Now I spend January in south Texas. The  41^st Parallel is way north of here.