Ice fishing is fun! :-). But, standing on water with bone penetrating winds lowering your core body temperate is unpleasant. Ice fishing shelters have come a long way from the days of wooden shanties. When selecting an ice fishing shelter, the key is to first define your needs.

Selecting the right portable shelter can be challenging. Do you fish primarily by yourself or with friends? If the latter, how many friends, really? Do you primarily jig or tip up? Are you pulling your sled via human power or towing it via ATV or snow mobile?

I personally tend to fish by my self or with 1 to 2 friends. I primarily fish tip ups. But, I am also exploring vertical jigging. I pull all my gear via sled. Thus, I chose the Cabelas Ice Team Hub Ice Shelter. The shelter has a 6 ft x 6 ft foot print and a center height of 80 inches, which houses 3 anglers comfortably. The shelter sets up and tears down in minutes, complements of the integrated heavy duty 11 mm fiberglass poles and hubs. At only 30 lbs, I can transport it on my sled without much ado. I really like the over-sized storage bag with shoulder straps and the extra side pocket to store the anchors.

If you chose a portable shelter without a built in sled, make sure that it comes with anchors! During a recent ice fishing trip, after I set up my tent, I turned around to get the anchors and woosh!!! If I did not have anchors, it would have been a really short trip! 😉

There are several great ice fishing shelters on the market. Pick a quality one that satisfies your needs. You will be amazed at how it will extend your trips.

The first time that I went ice fishing I only had two Jack Traps tip ups. Yes. Two. I did not know at the time that I could fish with five! So, during that trip, I borrowed a few tip-ups from my new friends on the ice. They worked. But, I found the tip ups “wobally” and difficult to work with. I now fish Jack Traps exclusively. Why?

First, I like the simple design of the tip ups. I can open and set them up in seconds. Second, the quality of the materials and construction are second to none. Third, I am confident that they will work when I have a trophy fish on the business end of my line. This confidence is priceless. And lastly, I like the fact that they are made in Maine. 😉

If you are new to ice fishing, participate in an ice fishing tournament. This is a great way to learn and field test lots of different gear. If you get hooked like I did, then invest in a set of Jack Traps.

Last year I added a new tool to my fishing arsenal: Delorme InReach. The InReach is a handheld satellite tracking device.

The unit only weights only 6.7 ounces, but packed with a tonne of features!

• SOS Messaging
• Global Tracking at 10 minute intervals via Iridum (the furthest-reaching satellite communications network)
• Digital Compass
• Barometric Altimeter
• Accelerometer
• Maps via blue tooth pairing with smartphone and tables
• Email

Technically speaking, the InReach has passed submersion tests (one meter below the water’s surface for 30 minutes). But, there is nothing more extreme than skishing. Hence, I use a medium “Whanganui” AquaPac to transport and protect my InReach.

Delorme has several monthly plans available starting as low as $11.95 per month. What is the cost for the peace of mind knowing that help is an SOS button away? Priceless!

My InReach performed well during my skishing trips last year. This winter season I will be using my InReach whilst ice fishing remote ponds and lakes in the Maine wilderness. And in the spring and summer, I will also be using my InReach on my boat and kayak.

I like flies. I first started using flies as teasers whilst surfcasting for striped bass. Unsatisfied with commercial flies, I decided to tie my own flies on hooks with strong wire and bleeding sharp points. I ordered an entry level vice. That vice shall remain nameless. But, I will say that it’s now in a metal recycling program. After countless casts into the Internet, I found the Renzetti Traveler 2000 cam vice.

The Renzetti Traveler 2000 cam vice is made in the U.S.A. from quality materials like aluminum. The design and function of this vice is simple and intuitive. Holding hooks and rotating hooks from # 28 to 4/0 in 360 degrees is as it should be: effortless.

Bottom line, the Renzetti Traveler 2000 cam vice is a great vice at a good price. Are you considering fly tying? Learn from my experience and get a Renzettie! 😉

When I transitioned from spinning to fly, I was overwhelmed by the multitude of options for rods, reels, and lines.  Like spinning gear, there is no one fly rod, reel, and line for all species, spots, and conditions.

For rods, I would recommend St. Croix Avid Series or Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO).  There are not shortage of fly reels on the market.  I would strongly suggest taking a look at Lamson reels.  For lines, I like products produces by Scientific Anglers (e.g. Mastery Series Streamer Express).

In terms of presentations, there is no greater diversity than flies.  I keep my fly box populated with proven flies.  For example, when targeting striped bass I cast Lefty Deceivers, Clouser Minnows, Half-and-Halfs, and sand eel patterns.

Casting a fly via fly rod is not magic; it’s a skill. And like any other skill, it can be learned and mastered. A great learning resource is the Lefty Kreh on Fly Casting DVD.

When targeting large predatory fish in shallow and calm water under the blanket of darkened, a fly rod is a great tool of choice because you can place a tasty fly in the strike zone without spooking the fish.  Add a fly rod to your arsenal! 😉

The first two striped bass that I landed on an artificial presentation were on a plug and teaser rig. The first fish hit the fly teaser! The second fish hit the plug!! The bigger of two fish hitthe teaser!!! The most commonly used teaser rig has a 12 to 16 inch segment of monofilament or fluorocarbon line tied to the same swivel eye as the plug line. This rig helped me land my first two fish on artificials. But, when when the wind picks up or when the surf is rough, the teaser line tends to wrap around the main line (especially braided lines).

I now use a teaser rig with a dropper loop. This rig casts better and keeps the teaser from tangling on the main line. The key is to use a teaser hook with an eye large enough to pass a 50 – 80 pound monofilament or fluorocarbon loop. Most flies on the market have hooks with small eyes. I have am now leaning how to tie my own flies: Lefty Deceiver, Clousser Minnow, and Half And Half.

Tony Stezko landed his 73 pound striped bass from the Nuasset surf on a black fly teaser just ahead of an eel. Teasers catch fish! Give them a try!! 😉

When I first started skishing, I used a 10 foot factory surf rod.  The most challenging thing during that trip was re-learning how to cast while defying gravity by floating in the water column with a 7 mm wetsuit and fins.  The butt of the factory surf rod was too long and loading the rod was un-necessarily challenging.  I shared my experience with Rich Hedenberg from RH Custom Rods.  He listened patiently and recommend a custom 11 foot CTS S7 moderate-fast action surf rod rated for 1 to 4 ounces.

When you are “sitting in your chair” during your drift and trying to cast, you need to raise your arms up high above the water to cast.   The range you have to load the rod is very limited.   An 11 foot rod with moderate-fast action will load quickly and propel your presentation into the strike zone.  When fighting a big fish, the rod will bend parabolicly— which will tire out the fish.

The CTS S7 exceeded my expectations during my field test.  The rod is light. Casts “wicked far”.  And has the power to land trophy fish. My friend Joe Gugino from Why Knot Fishing filmed my field test.   When I view the video, I and still amazed at how quickly the rod loads! 😉

My custom CTS S7 rod built by RH Custom Rods is my second custom CTS rod, but it shall not be my last!  The performance of these blanks are amazing!!   The craftsmanship is second to none!!!

Extreme surfcasters have been swimming to remote rocks before neoprene wet suits were available. In 1993, Paul Melnyk took extreme surfcasting to a new extreme and invited skishing. Extreme surfcasting requires specialized gear. In the early days, commercial products were modified for extreme surfcasting. Eventually new products emerged from extreme surfcasting: Van Staal, Korkers, AquaSkinz, and ZeeBass. Although we now have many great commercial products for the different extremes of extreme sufcasting, there is still room for innovation and improvement! One great new product that I recently field tested is the DarkFin gloves.

The first thing that I experienced was DarkFin‘s dexterity. I slipped in and out of my Tusa split fins with ease. While floating in the water, I changed plugs without much ado. I nearly forgot that I was wearing a DarkFin. But, when I needed DarkFin‘s propulsion ability, I remembered.

While back peddling against the incoming tide with the maximum propulsion generated by my Tusa split fins, I reached a point where I was not advancing. OMG!  I was literally back peddling in place. It was only when I stated to use my left arm and DarkFin that I stated moving forward! I was absolutely amazed at the volume of water that the DarkFin glove moved with minimal effort.

While floating in the current, the DarkFin glove allowed me to make a 180 degree turn in seconds. When you are at the current’s mercy, seconds are can be the difference between safety and danger.

I use a DarkFin glove on my left hand and an AquaSkinz glove on my right hand. This combination has transformed my Surfcasting. I can propel my self through the surf; make 180 degree turns; cast; change presentations; and handle fish without compromising dexterity. If you are an extreme surfcaster, the DarkFin gloves are the new standard equipment! 😉

The thing that I like more than T-shirts is fishy T-shirts.  I was trolling though the isles at the New England Saltwater Fishing Show this past March when I discovered the seriously fishy T-shirts from Fork Length Fashion.

• Cod a Give me Strength
• Let’s Get Some Tail
• Tuna 73
• Size Matters
• Earn Your Stripes
• The Bass Stops Here

Bucktail jigs are the simplest and most versatile presentations for targeting freshwater and saltwater predatory fish.  There are variety of jigs on the market with various head geometries, hair color, hair volume and weights. And then there are the trailers! Once you finally select a spectrum of bucktails for the water and species you are targeting, the next challenge is: transport.

AquaSkinz has developed some great products that store and transport your bucktails. The Buckail Holster can store five bucktails. It can be worn on your belt. Each bucktail slot has a stainless steel drain hole.  The Porkrind Bottle Holder is made from soft neoprene— which helps to snugly hold a bottle of Uncle Josh porkrinds.  The holder easily clips right onto your belt.