CANONSBURG, Pa. — Each step I take is careful and calculated, as the sound of my cleats scraping ice rings out across the surface of Canonsburg Dam: the lake a frozen expanse that feels like walking on glass.
While the ice measured 11½ inches thick that cold winter day in February — 4 inches is the minimum amount of ice safe to fish on — for a newbie ice fisher, caution was at the front of my mind as I crossed the ice, making my way toward Terry Tischler and his group of friends.
But once the ice fishing began, my worries disappeared, replaced with pure joy as I witnessed Bill Dugan catch his first trout of the day. The cold, on the other hand, continued to linger in my mind as it seeped into my bones.
Fortunately, I endured, and my first ice fishing experience was a success. Along with laughs and a hell of a good time, I got an inside scoop on the age-old hobby of ice fishing.
A retirement hobby
Tischler sits in a hunting blind on Feb. 12, heating up a pot of venison chili on a propane stove. The hunting blind, staked into the ice, serves as a way to stay warm while on the ice for hours.
A few years ago, Tischler installed plexiglass windows in the blind so he could watch his rod while keeping in the warm air.
I sit next to him as he recalls the first time he ice fished six years ago. “I couldn’t find anything else to do in the winter,” he said.
Like Tischler, Bill Dugan and Tony Koonse have been ice fishing since they retired, “freezing your a** for nothing,” Dugan remarks, sarcastically. The group first started ice fishing together a few years ago when Bruce Cashdollar invited them out.
For Cashdollar, ice fishing has been a hobby of his since he was young.
“When I was a kid, we would come out, drill a couple holes and put rods in, and we brought our ice skates. We’d play a little bit of hockey (while) our rods were in the water,” Cashdollar said.
As the group of ice fisherman watch out for any bites, they reminisce over the few close calls they’ve had — one of which took place on the very lake they were standing on a year ago.
“There was hardly any ice,” about 4 inches, said Dugan. “We shouldn’t have been out here,” he said, referring to himself and Koonse.
Koonse and Dugan had drilled a few holes in the ice and put in their rods, but one of the rods got tangled. “I was holding the rod while he was trying (to untangle it), and the ice started cracking,” said Dugan. “I’ll tell you what, we got the hell out of there real quick.”
Fortunately, thin ice was not a problem for the group today. Tischler confirmed the ice was a solid 11½ inches thick — a result of several weeks of cold weather.
To measure the ice, Tischler drilled a hole and placed an axe with a 12-inch-long handle into it — the handle is marked with inch counts. This axe, along with many other items, is part of Tischler’s ice fishing essentials.
Terry Tischler’s ice fishing essentials
While the essentials will be different for everyone, for Tischler, keeping warm is key.
That’s why a hunting blind is on the list, which, according to Tischler, is better than ice fishing tents as they are easier to see through. Other must-haves include: a heated vest and socks, hand warmers, mittens and a propane stove to make yourself a warm lunch, like venison chili.
Mitten trick. Sometimes, the cold is hard to avoid, especially when you have to stick your bare hand into the freezing cold water. But Tischler has a trick for this, too. He attaches his mittens to a rope that wraps around his neck, puts hand warmers in his gloves, and in five minutes, his hands are good to go again.
Footwear. The most obvious item, besides a tackle box and ice scoop, is proper footwear. While most ice fishermen buy ice cleats or shoe grips, Tischler created his own, drilling screws into an old pair of motorcycle boots.
Bait. According to Tischler, the type of bait you should use depends on the day, and color is an important factor, as fish respond to different colors.
This is a theory backed up by many fishermen, who state that bait that glows is the best type to use. Under the ice, little light gets through, making it harder for fish to see. That’s why Dugan uses Glitter Trout Bait, a bright, neon-yellow garlic-scented powder that attracts trout via color and scent. Tischler uses minnows.
Safety first. Safety essentials are the most important items to consider before stepping onto the ice. This includes ice picks — Tischler wears one in case he falls in — and a floatation device on a rope — in case someone else falls in.
The group may not experience close calls often, but it is important to be prepared.
A trout cookout
While a successful catch is almost never certain, that day, Dugan would reign champion, catching three rainbow trout — the prime catch in Canonsburg Lake during the winter months. Cashdollar lucked out too, catching one rainbow trout himself.
Throughout the day, Cashdollar oscillated between adjusting his fishing rods and sitting on his lawn chair with his 3-year-old dog named Winslow, who loves the cold.
“At the house, he’ll go out and lay in the snow and chew on a bone. It doesn’t bother him at all. He much prefers cold than warm,” Cashdollar said. But that day on the ice, Winslow kept slipping and decided to stay in the comfort of Cashdollar’s lap rather than risk running around and falling.
Meanwhile, Tischler sat in his hunting blind and Dugan and Koonse sat on their bucket buddies.
After getting what would be the final catch of the day, Dugan and the others discussed the best way to cook trout. Cashdollar likes to wrap his trout in tin foil with butter and cook it on an open fire.
Dugan, on the other hand, likes to smoke his trout and flavor it with his secret recipe. Currently, he has 18 trout in his freezer from last spring, and plans on having a trout cookout once it warms up.
“We’re gonna have all these guys over and then a couple other guys, soon as the weather breaks at my house. I’ll smoke them, and we’ll have them for lunch,” he said.
(Liz Partsch can be reached at epartsch@farmanddairy.com or 330-337-3419.)
