The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-03-10
FISHING
Through The Ice Is A Time
HOROFGd Sport
(Philadelphia Ledger

While most anglers have slowed
away their rods and tackle until the
more tempting days of spring, there
is class of fishermen who, whether
they fish for sport or gain, are now
in the midst of their activities. These
are the men and boys who fish for pick
erel through the ice-a time-honored
New England sport, as well as a
means of adding variety to the winter
table. Lakes, ponds, rivers and
brooks everywhere throughout New
England are punctured with the round
holes and dotted with telltale flags of
the fishermen as long as the ice lasts.
On beautiful Lake Quinsigamond, in
New Hampshire, 30 miles long and
dotted with a thousand islands, the
ice is often two feet thick in midwin-
ter. The same is treu of some of the
other big lakes of New Hampshire and
Maine. On the rivers, too, the ice is
thick, and there is considerable work
involved in choping few dozen holes
t oset the lines. The pickerel is a
most elusive and provoking fish in
summer. He is inclined to be lazy,
and while he will bite at almost any
thing in the way of bait, he is just as
likely to open his mouth and let the
hook, bait and all slide out before the
fisherman can make the strike that
hooks the catch
Ice fishing for pickerel does not con-
sist of hanging out pole, with the
line in the water, but of having a ser
les of baited lines, each set in a stout
stake that is flexible when the line is
pulled.
Fixed into the top of each stake is
bent steel wire, at the end of which
is attached little flag of red flannel.
The fishing line is run through loop
of this wire, and when pickerel
takes the bait the little red flag flut-
ters as signal. Up in the country,
where the fishing grounds are often
far from house, little shacks are
built upon the ice, where parties of
fishermen can go to shelter. Here a
portable oil stove is set, and, per-
haps, bell alarm line is run from the
rows of holes through the ice.
On the rivers and ponds of Massa-
chusetts, under the fish and game
laws, no one fisherman is allowed to
set more than eight lines at one time.
Usually he places these so he can cas-
lily keep his eye upon them ALL With
the wind in unsheltered spots, cutting
like a knife, he must have heavy rub
her boots and wear thick sweater
under his overcoat, or he will find
that ice-fishing is no easy task.
Good tools for cutting the ice are
chisel and hammer, although some
men carry only an AK or heavy hatch
ct. The regulation hunting ak is the
best for this work. The holes are usu-
ally about a foot in diameter, while
the set stakes are about three feet
long. Part way down the stake a stiff
cross-wire holds the line in place, and
a considerable length is carried back
on the ice for pulling in the fish with
out going very near the hole. Shallow
holes are cut near by and filed with
water in which the fish are kept un-
til the fisherman is ready to go home.
Sometimes the fisherman uses an ice
chisel, such as is used by ice cutters,
in cutting the holes. specially if the
ice is mushy.
Live bait is necessary, and this is
obtained by painstaking search along
some small stream, or it can be bought
from regular dealers. Around the
larger cities the fish markets keep a
stock of live bait on hand throughout
the year. While some expert fisher
men say they can make SO day fish
ing for pickerel through the ice, the
fact remains that this kind of fishing
is hard and requires exceptional pa
tience.