TV on the Ice

I seldom spend much time huddled in front of the old tube, but yesterday was as kool as it gets.
My old fishing partner, Sid, and I decided that it was time to hit Spirit Lake for some ice fishing.I loaded up my track rig and drove to the drop off point, where we would have to track in for the last four miles to the lake.
It was a nice day with the temp around 15 above and a bit overcast. We didn't care if it did snow. Snow never is a deciding factor when it comes to ice fishing.
The four mile trail was covered in about 30 minutes and we were out on the ice for another mile.Normally we fish in a protected cove on the south end of the lake to escape from the wind. The wind can blow out the propane heater, which isn't kool. We didn't have a problem from the wind either.
We always park the track rig to block any wind that may come up, and hide behind it. If it is too windy we get in the ground blind. Which ever the case is, we have no intention of getting cold.
Usually I use my fish finder to look for fish, but yesterday Sid brought his infrared fish camera.We dropped the camera down almost to the bottom, and watched for fish to come by our baits.That has to have been the best reality TV I have ever seen. It was a hoot to watch those trout and silver salmon come by and find the baits.
The screen was about a 10 inch picture and in the clear water the fish were easily seen. We got a bigger kick out of fish watching than we did catching the fish.
I don't know how many we released, but we only kept three for dinner. They all ran about 2 pounds each. We released a couple of rainbows that most fishermen would die for.I am sure I ate the silver salmon that would have won the fish derby. Oh well!
We usually don't keep any of the ranbows. Not that they aren't good to eat, but they aren't nearly as good as the land-locked salmon. We don't take a bunch home either. We only take enough for a meal. Should we want more to eat, it's all about going back and getting the fresh ones. Fresh is always better than frozen. I have a freezer full of halibut and sockeye fillets, so I can be picky when it come to fresh fish in the winter. Besides, it just gives me an excuse to go fishing. Tough, huh?
In case you were wondering, no, I didn't fall down the ice hole this time!!
This week, when I can get off of jury duty, we will be going out into the moose hunting woods to look for wolves and cut more burls. Lin says she needs more burls to make bowls.We know where some nice burls are growing from our traveling in moose season.
Burls grow on the sides of birch and spruce trees. We simply saw them off, dry, and hollow them out. It's a bit of a job, but they sure make nice bowls. Some are full of little "birdseye knots" and are gorgeous.It beats sitting home watching the tube. Unless it's fish watching of course.
Town folks go to the opera. We go out just to hear the wolves howl. Personally wolves howling is much nicer than hearing some opera singer's shrill screaming which sounds like a pig with it's head caught under a fence, or bellering like a bullfrog in a rain barrel.
I don't suppose that the city dwellers would think much of watching fish either.How much fun could fish watching be??
I would guess it may be as good as watching soaps. Whatever "soaps" are!