The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-28
Let's Go Hunting
HUNTERS LOSE
AS COLD WAVE
STRIKES STATE
Fishermen Profit as They
Dip Lines Into Iced
Lakes, Streams.
nv TFETY TFF
BY LEFTY LEE
Times Hunting Editor

When hunters of the city saw the
blanket Of snow Tuesday they had
visions Of finally getting some real
hunting. Their dreams we're short
lived. however. for when they dis
covered that near zero temperatures
also had arrived with the snow, they
decided that there were other things
that they had to do. which means
that all hunting trips are of until
the weather moderates.
The ice fishermen are in their
glory now for the cold wave means
that they will have a covering of
ice that will remain with them for
some time. OF course at the pres
ent time only the dyed-in-t he-wool
ice fishermen will venture out. but
when the weather turns moderate,
thousands Of HooSier anglers, who
love this sport, will be on the lakes.
Fishing is at its best when the ice
is on the lake. There are thrills
aplenty when a big one is hooked
and landed through a small hole in
the ice. Indiana laws do not permit
the use of a dark house, which
means that the angler of this state
is forced to get in his ice fishing in
the open and the boys very easily
could pass for members of ByrdS
polar party, when seen from the
shore line.
In Michigan. where it is legal to
use a dark house, the anglers have
all the comforts of home when they
are on the lake. The dark house is
small sized shed, about six by eight
feet, and is run out to the spot
where the fisherman wishes to try
his luck. He takes his ak and cuts
hole about two feet square and
then pushes the dark house over it
so that the trap door is directly over
the spot cut. The house is lined so
no light can penetrate and to make
the entire outfit light proof. SNOW
and ice chips are banked around the
runners, from the outside, A char
coal or wood fire is built in the small
stove, the trap door raised, the out
er door closed and the angler is
ready for his sport.
The habits of the fish can be
studied by this method of fishing for
the dark surroundings make it easy
for the nimrod to see clear to the
bottom and watch the fish take his
bait, usually a live minnOw. It is
illegal to take bass from a dark
house, but there are no restrictions
on the northern pike and pickerel
The pike and pickerel use the same
method of taking the bait. They
will emerge from the grasses at the
bottom of the lake, swim very slow
ly past the bait on an upward angle
and continue on their way. After a
short while the fish will return,
swimming this time even with the
bait but again will pass by for from
ten to fifteen feet, when he will
turn swiftly and strike the bait,
while travelling full speed.
After a long run, the f1rsh will
pause for a moment to take the
bait he has killed and it is then that
the experienced angler gets his
thrill, solid jerk Seating the hook
and the battle is on. The fish must
be played just as if you had hooked
him from a boat. but too much
liberty must not be granted, for he
usually is outside Of your range of
vision and using all of the tricks
for which he is famous.
Another method for taking these
fish from the dark house is the
spear. When using this method, the
spear tip is held under the water to
give the person using it direction
and the toss is made when the fish
is coming up from the bottom and
swimming slowly This is the easiest
way to get meat for the table, but
the hook, reel rod and line way is
more sport. A Little Joe rod, about
eighteen inches long, is the favorite
rod for the dark house fisherman.
The channel catfish abound in the
Republican river in the eastern part
of Nebraska. The reason we men
ton this is to tell you the bait that
the fishermen use for it also will
work in Indiana waters. They seine
minnoWs enough to fill a glass fruit
jar, place the jar in the sun and
permit old sol to cook the minnow
in its own oil
This is not a perfume exactly
when cooked, but the fish seem to
like it, for the boys always come
back with full string.