Waypoints from last weekend!
We Drill Way Too Many Holes To Make A Sno-Bear Practical
I have only fished in one of these over-sized snowmobiles twice in my life, and don’t get me wrong, it was comfy.
If I want comfy, I’ll either stay in bed or on the couch. When I am on the Ice I attack it with youthful energy. I don’t want to sit still until I am on aggressive fish. Fish that are on the active feed.
In order to accomplish this, one must find that active school, and find them on a lake that covers right around 200,000 acres. Tough to do if you are sitting comfortably in a heated ice house on tracks and skids.
The Sno-Bear has become popular with many anglers however. We are seeing a lot more of them on the ice. The price tag is steep, $30,000 to $40,000 brand new, but when compared to a new boat, not all that outrageous.
Here, on the Northern Tier of North Dakota, we get about 3.5 to 4 good months of open water fishing when boat fishing is truly enjoyable and productive for the casual fisherman. We typically enjoy 4.5 to 5 months of good ice that one can pursue Walleyes, Perch, Crappie, and Pike.
Many anglers have no issue with doling out $60,000 to $80,000 for a brand new boat, why would the price of a Sno-Bear chase people away if Ice Fishing is their preference over Open Water Fishing.
The Anonymity Is Attractive To Some
Tail-Piping is taboo but also the preferred mode of fishing for some people. Tail-piping would be the practice of not really finding fish on your own, but following the exhaust of others as they search the ice. We despise this form of fishing, it’s lazy and rude in my opinion.
Most Tail-Pipers possess a set of really good binoculars, sometimes referred to as ‘Wisconsin Fish Finders’.
Up until a few years ago, tail-piping was not anonymous. You could see the truck, identify who was following you, and know where they were from and if you knew them or not.
With the advent of the Sno-Bear, that is no longer the case. One cannot see inside the vehicle to identify who has decided to move in and most Sno-Bears are very nondescript.
None of this is the fault of the sno-bear company, but it is a negative by-product of what the Sno-Bear can provide.
As I age, maybe one day I will be satisfied with buying one, becoming sedentary, and be content with sitting in one spot for longer than usual and waiting for fish to come to me. Until that time, I will put up with the occasional Sno-Bear intrusion, politely wave as they pull up, and continue plugging holes.
Besides, we are all about helping others find fish, even if it is uninvited.
Until Next Time…
and…
