It’s Winter and the Fish are Jumping!
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 02/05/2010 - 2:29pm.
Anne Harnish
Food and Family Features Editor
KLEINFELTERSVILLE, Pa. — Except for the occasional crack of expanding ice and the sounds of geese, fishing on the ice in the middle of a lake can be a serene way to experience the unique beauty of winter. It takes a special kind of family to enjoy spending time together outdoors on the grayest, coldest days, patiently waiting for fish to bite. But, with the right kind of preparations, there is plenty of fun to be had ice-fishing for hungry bass, perch, catfish, sunfish and crappies which swim under the ice even on the coldest of days.
Here at Pennsylvania’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon County, ice-fishing can only take place during a few weeks, or even days, of winter. The ice must be at least four inches thick and solid to allow for fishing on the refuge’s large lake, which also plays host to thousands upon thousands of migratory birds like snow geese and tundra swans in late winter and early spring.
Earlier this week former dairy farmer Mark Peachey pointed out a bald eagle flying solo overhead as his three sons — Kevin, 10, Jason, 14, and Josh, 16 — set up their three fishing holes on the ice, one spot for each boy. Peachey said he often takes his entire family north to Sayers Lake in Centre County to go ice-fishing, but on this below-freezing day, his sons wanted to spend the early evening hours ice-fishing closer to home.
Peachey, formerly from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, has seven homeschooled children ranging in age from 7 months to 19 years old and enjoys doing outdoor activities with them. He now works in the construction industry, but after he left the family dairy farm he decided to become a beekeeper, as a way “to stay connected to ag.” He places his 30 beehives on several produce farms, later selling the honey to local families. He and his wife usually prepare any fish they catch in a light batter of flour and cornmeal and fry it in butter.
Learning to Ice-Fish Online
There are some kids who love cold weather. Just ask 12-year-old Henry Giroux, from Ephrata, Pa. According to his mother, Linda, he wants to move to Minnesota, with its cold weather and plentiful lakes. Henry also loves to fish, and does a lot of summer fishing, so his budding interest in ice fishing is perfect for him. He likes to play computer games and surf the Internet, too. In fact, that’s where he went first to learn how to ice fish — an online site called YouTube.com where he watched some ice-fishing videos. On Sunday, he and his mother drove out to Middle Creek to ask questions and observe the experienced ice-fishers. On Monday, Henry brought his own fishing equipment, chipped a hole through the ice and happily fished away, thoroughly oblivious to the freezing temperatures.
A good-natured and bundled up Linda Giroux happily obliges her son’s new hobby, laughing that she has “learned to take books along on the fishing trips, so she can read during any long waits for the fish to bite.” And though she doesn’t think her husband would enjoy the cold, Henry’s younger sister only missed ice-fishing this day because of a prior obligation.
Camaraderie on the Ice
Here at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, experienced ice-fisher Rob Geist is a friendly face with a helping hand. Geist, from Denver, Pa. has been fishing Monday afternoon through several small ice holes he augured earlier. He tracks movement below the ice with a sonar “fish-finder” that he adapted for ice-hardiness with a small wooden box setup. He’s been fishing since he was a kid, and ice-fishing since his early 30s. He “knows the ice” at Middle Creek and said this is one of the more available spots for ice-fishing because it freezes more quickly and stays frozen longer than other lakes nearby.
Ice-fishing is a great activity for anyone who has an interest. “I knew a guy who was 80 years old doing it,” said Geist. Many of the regular ice-fishers get to know each other over time. For families or individuals who want to start the sport, Geist said safety is the most important thing to be mindful of. He always tests the thickness of the ice first, and takes a rope along in his bucket, just in case. He also wears spikes on his boots to prevent slipping on ice. Ice-fishing “doesn’t take a lot of money,” said Geist, “just a rod and reel, and some fishing line to start.”
Anne Harnish
Food and Family Features Editor
KLEINFELTERSVILLE, Pa. — Except for the occasional crack of expanding ice and the sounds of geese, fishing on the ice in the middle of a lake can be a serene way to experience the unique beauty of winter. It takes a special kind of family to enjoy spending time together outdoors on the grayest, coldest days, patiently waiting for fish to bite. But, with the right kind of preparations, there is plenty of fun to be had ice-fishing for hungry bass, perch, catfish, sunfish and crappies which swim under the ice even on the coldest of days.
Here at Pennsylvania’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon County, ice-fishing can only take place during a few weeks, or even days, of winter. The ice must be at least four inches thick and solid to allow for fishing on the refuge’s large lake, which also plays host to thousands upon thousands of migratory birds like snow geese and tundra swans in late winter and early spring.
Earlier this week former dairy farmer Mark Peachey pointed out a bald eagle flying solo overhead as his three sons — Kevin, 10, Jason, 14, and Josh, 16 — set up their three fishing holes on the ice, one spot for each boy. Peachey said he often takes his entire family north to Sayers Lake in Centre County to go ice-fishing, but on this below-freezing day, his sons wanted to spend the early evening hours ice-fishing closer to home.
Peachey, formerly from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, has seven homeschooled children ranging in age from 7 months to 19 years old and enjoys doing outdoor activities with them. He now works in the construction industry, but after he left the family dairy farm he decided to become a beekeeper, as a way “to stay connected to ag.” He places his 30 beehives on several produce farms, later selling the honey to local families. He and his wife usually prepare any fish they catch in a light batter of flour and cornmeal and fry it in butter.
Learning to Ice-Fish Online
There are some kids who love cold weather. Just ask 12-year-old Henry Giroux, from Ephrata, Pa. According to his mother, Linda, he wants to move to Minnesota, with its cold weather and plentiful lakes. Henry also loves to fish, and does a lot of summer fishing, so his budding interest in ice fishing is perfect for him. He likes to play computer games and surf the Internet, too. In fact, that’s where he went first to learn how to ice fish — an online site called YouTube.com where he watched some ice-fishing videos. On Sunday, he and his mother drove out to Middle Creek to ask questions and observe the experienced ice-fishers. On Monday, Henry brought his own fishing equipment, chipped a hole through the ice and happily fished away, thoroughly oblivious to the freezing temperatures.
A good-natured and bundled up Linda Giroux happily obliges her son’s new hobby, laughing that she has “learned to take books along on the fishing trips, so she can read during any long waits for the fish to bite.” And though she doesn’t think her husband would enjoy the cold, Henry’s younger sister only missed ice-fishing this day because of a prior obligation.
Camaraderie on the Ice
Here at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, experienced ice-fisher Rob Geist is a friendly face with a helping hand. Geist, from Denver, Pa. has been fishing Monday afternoon through several small ice holes he augured earlier. He tracks movement below the ice with a sonar “fish-finder” that he adapted for ice-hardiness with a small wooden box setup. He’s been fishing since he was a kid, and ice-fishing since his early 30s. He “knows the ice” at Middle Creek and said this is one of the more available spots for ice-fishing because it freezes more quickly and stays frozen longer than other lakes nearby.
Ice-fishing is a great activity for anyone who has an interest. “I knew a guy who was 80 years old doing it,” said Geist. Many of the regular ice-fishers get to know each other over time. For families or individuals who want to start the sport, Geist said safety is the most important thing to be mindful of. He always tests the thickness of the ice first, and takes a rope along in his bucket, just in case. He also wears spikes on his boots to prevent slipping on ice. Ice-fishing “doesn’t take a lot of money,” said Geist, “just a rod and reel, and some fishing line to start.”
