ice-fishing

So, this year from the Berrett parents, we decided to ask for ice-fishing equipment. In Utah, winters last SO long, and we get tired of being inside all the time and just watching TV or movies for our entertainment. As we know we both (of course Nate more than me) already like fishing, and we've decided its too cold to go fly-fishing from the side of the river in the winter, so ice-fishing it is.

We've gone ice-fishing twice already. In the next couple of weeks Deer Creek Reservoir will be frozen over (and will save us about an hour on drive time) but we've driven up to Strawberry Reservoir to fish. We went again today, and unfortunately fishing was even slower than last time, but I think that's just how it is with ice fishing sometimes. But do not fear, because we got a pop up tent (for Christmas), and we brought our camping chairs and heater and we were quite cozy just sitting in our little tent. Its actually warm enough in there that we could probably take a nap even.

The first time we went we each caught 1 fish, which was pretty slow, but they were both huge fish. And when we brought them home their meat was so red, even redder than salmon you would buy in a store.

It was so scary the first time, thinking about it only being 5 inches of ice that is holding us from our freezing icy watery death. Plus (we learned afterwards) that the ice expands in the heat and kept sending dolphin-like noises and cracking sounds our direction. They even sounded like they were surrounding us, we got so scared. But after we realized our ice-fishing neighbors weren't moving we figured it was normal.

While waiting for fish to bite our lines we enjoyed chatting with one another and playing scrabble against each other on Nate's iphone and my ipod touch.

It's an amazing thing being able to see fish swim directly under you. Its especially cool seeing them on your line and how big they are, and trying to pull them up into your hole.

Here are a few pics from our first time ice-fishing:

Our first hole, with my line in it.

Waiting for fish.

The 19inch rainbow Nate caught.

My 22 inch cutthroat.

<3

So, whoever wants to go with us in the future, let us know. We'd love the company.