WELL PUT MARK.......Bait shop owners put in long hours.....if they are lucky enough.....some manage to have some kind of part time help (most can't afford to pay for that luxury) In the winter months, it's pretty much a disaster waiting to happen. NO ICE.... LIKE LAST SEASON and they are in a whole new world of hurt.....I'm very lucky to have grown up fishing the era that I have......considering WE HAD MUCH LESS/USED AND NEEDED MUCH LESS......and still managed to catch tons of fish.....but thats only because that's all that was available to us......But we grew up with BAIT SHOP OWNERS that were able to take care of our needs WHY?.....Cause they were the "FIRST" place we went for our hunting and fishing needs.....No BIG BOX STORES to compete with (THERE WEREN'T ANY) and then the very first one's came and the bait shop owners were in peril.....NOT FOR BAIT SALES....BUT FOR EVERY OTHER ITEM THAT THE BIG BOX STORES started adding to their inventories....ELECTRONICS/ROD & REELS/TACKLE/GUNS/AMMO/and so forth......
    Todays ice fishermen have $500+locators/$300+ cameras/$400+shantys/$400+ gas augers/and tons of other high dollar gear.....THAT IS ALL WELL AND GOOD.....and I FOR ONE AM GLAD THIS HAS EVOLVED and available to the newer generation as it makes it more enjoyable/productive/and comfortable.
    But now the Kicker....every likes to save a buck or so and elate at telling the world of super bargins they got...all well and good. But with the internet being what it is today....Trying to save 1.00 to even 3.00 or so, by buying bait (ON INTERNET BAIT SALES SITES) "WHICH IS THE CHEAPEST PART OF THE PUZZLE" from some one who has no common ties to our area  is laughable......AND SAD!!!!!!!!
    BUT,I GUESS UNTIL THE LAST BAIT SHOP CLOSES IT'S DOORS and NONE EXIST.... WILL THE REALITY OF THAT COME IN TO PLAY. BUT FOR NOW THE OWNERS WILL TRY TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN BY WHAT EVER MEANS POSSIBLE>>>I.E, SELLING BEER/WINE/SNACKS/PROPANE...."LOOK AROUND... THERE ARE FEWER (BAIT SHOPS) TODAY THAT I CAN EVER REMEMBER".... "THINK HARD , CAUSE WHEN THE ICE IS GONE AND OPEN WATER RETURNS,.... "TRY TO GET YOUR CRAPPIE MINNOWS FROM A VENDING MACHINE IN A BIG BOX STORE" and some GOOD LOCAL INFORMATION THAT IS RELIABLE. "THESE SMALLER LOCAL INDIVIDUAL OWNED BAIT AND TACKLE OWNERS..... NEED TO BE SUPPORTED WITH EACH AND EVERY PURCHASE YOU CAN MAKE WITH THEM....SORRY FOR THE RANT.. BUT THE TRUTH HURTS......

Thank you David.....for this "ICE FISHING SAFETY PROMOTION"....I'm sure people are as tired of hearing about it "as some of us are tired of telling everyone to use caution"....But it's always preached with others in mind"........and there has always been a saying that's been around since I first started ICE FISHING (a long time ago) "THAT NO ICE IS TOTALLY SAFE ICE"....cause it's an unpredictable imminence....

    Was there again late this afternoon.....Ran into an OGF friend and I decided to let him do the spudding..............and same results as yesterday, only with more snow in the ice cover......Unless your a great swimmer..... love the cold water and the color blue........It's gonna be awhile longer........."BE SAFE"
    Oh yes.......checked the main lake today and there is every kinda ice that can be made plus "OPEN WATER" on the big lake side to the west..........

    Took the morning tour with my grandson to see for myself on ice conditions at the above access points to this East end of the Lake... The first time I ice fished these spots was in 1958, so I can say that I'm well versed on these locations.....YES, THERE IS ICE ....between 2 1/2' TO 3"......"NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS AND THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION"... THERE ARE TWO LAYERS OF ICE WITH A LAYER OF WATER IN BETWEEN ......I SPUDDED THRU IN SEVERAL PLACES AT BOTH LOCATIONS AND THERE IDENTICAL ICE CONDITIONS AT BOTH ACCESS POINTS....THE BOTTOM LAYER SEEMS TO BE CLEARER ICE AND HARDER, ONLY AN 1" OR SO THICK. THE TOP LAYER IS CLOUDY/SOFT AND WATER SOAKED AND ONLY AN INCH TO A INCH AND A HALF THICK (WON'T SUPPORT MUCH WEIGHT).THIS IS ONLY AT THIS LAKE THAT I KNOW FOR SURE OF....BUT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE THESE SAME CONDITIONS.....THAT LAYER OF WATER PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE UNDER LIEING SHEET OF ICE.

    "I STARTED THIS NEW TOPIC ....FOR ONE BASIC REASON "SAFETY".....EVERYONE IS REALLY SHORT FUSED TO HIT THE HARDWATER AND RELIEVE THE "STRESS" OF NO ICE SEASON LAST YEAR.....SOME LESS EXPERIENCED "ICER'S MIGHT TAKE THE NOTION THAT JUST SEEING OR READING "THAT, YES I SAW/I THINK/I HEARD.... OR SHOULD BE/WOULD BE /COULD BE  AND DECIDE TO GIVE IT A GO BASED ON THIS INFO....AND FIND THEMSELVES IN A "FATAL SITUATION".....
    NOT ALL  ICE COVERED LAKES MAKE ICE AT THE SAME RATES OF THICKNESS.... BASED ON MANY/MANY FACTORS "SO PLEASE MAKE DARN SURE THAT YOU FOLLOW EVERY WELL KNOWN ICE SAFETY RULE THAT IS REPEATED EACH AND EVERY SEASON....AND EVEN THAT IS NO GUARANTEE FOR YOUR "SAFETY".... 
     THERE IS A PREDICTION OF MUCH COLDER AIR MASSES TO OVER-RIDE OUR AREA, IN A FEW DAYS AND HOPEFULLY THESE WILL BE THE ICE PRODUCING SALVATION WE ARE ALL SEKING....PLEASE/PLEASE BE SAFE OUT THERE....

Welcome...Enjoy our crew of friendly "ICER'S" ......Hope that you get to log some ice time.... with some of us........PS. Merry Christmas.....Happy Ice Season

First WELCOME TO THE SITE Artjr.......Try to get hooked up with guys in your area and get someone to give you a tag-a-long day offer and that will be worth gold to you.....Most will offer to let you use some of their gear to get you off to a good start.....Then it's a situation of watch and learn.(also hopefully catch) and it can narrow down for you... just what basics you might require....Someone going to Mosquito or other local lakes near the Pa. line whould be right up your alley.....I don't range as far these days (but on a whim) I will travel to Mosquito if ice conditions warrant it..........Well, just keep asking questions here and "PRAY" for ice..... and I'm sure that you will be taken under a wing here......because of these great guy's on here....PS..You don't have to spend an arm and leg to get into ice fishing..........BUT BE WARNED.....IF YOU GET BITTEN BY THIS ICE FISHING BUG........IT THEN CAN BECOME A SPEND WHAT EVER YOUR BUDGET WILL ALLOW............AKA, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT...Best of luck to you.

Banker..Thank's for the video... But try as I may, even this placebo visual effect.... just dosen't eze my pain and urge to hear the "SONG OF THE ICE"....Nuff said. It's all in Mother-Nature's hands from here out........