Hello Local Guides from all over the world!!!
In this opportunity, I would like to introduce the reader to Ice Fishing, yes fishing on the ice during wintertime.
Please read my post regarding Winter in the Mitten State to understand more about the activities we do during this season. Since Michigan is surrounded by four big lakes fishing is part of everyone’s life not just during summer but winter as well. The month of February is usually the coldest month it’s time to go ice fishing 
Preparation for ice fishing:
First, you have to make sure the ice thickness is safe to walk or to drive your vehicle to the lake or pond. Minimum of 4 inches of solid ice to support someone’s average weight, minimum 5 inches to ride a snowmobile, 8-12 inches is needed for normal passenger vehicle, and 12-15 inches is needed to safely drive a truck according to the Department of Natural Resources also, to know if the ice is thick enough to fish on, listen to the weather channel for ice report, look at the lake if you see people fishing, or do it yourself by inserting a tape measure into the hole hook the end into the edge of the ice.
Second, make sure to check the weather for the day, how cold the temperature is, see if it will be sunshine or cloudy, how strong the winds remember if the temperature is 30F with 10 miles of wind it will bring the temperature down to 20F. This is very important info you need to be ready for the day’s adventure. Temperature conversation 32F = 0C.
Check this video to see people pulling a shanty or pop-up shanty with ATV into the lake.
Third, is the Ice Fishing equipment: fishing pole, ice cleat for the shoes, auger to cut the hole in the ice, ice shanty if you have one, chairs to sit down, bait to put on the hook to catch the fish, a bucket to keep the fish, the net, and don’t forget to bring your hot chocolate or hot coffee in the thermos maybe some sandwiches or whatever you like to have for a meal. You also can bring your small grill for your hotdogs 
An Ice Shanty is a small shed built on skies or runners to be pulled out over the ice so ice fishermen can sit inside to be out of the wind and fish through the hole in the floor.
Bamm … you are now ready for ice fishing. Set up your ice shanty, cut the hole using an auger, put the bait on the hook, and drop it down into the hole, the rest is just your patience.
I used to go ice fishing with my late father-in-law and my husband. Growing up on Borneo Island I could say I am a good fisher-woman 
. We left home early in the morning bringing our supplies and hot coffee and sandwiches made by my mother-in-law. Since my Father-in-law passed away 4 years ago we have not gone out ice fishing, but I hope to do it again one day soon! It feels like it is not complete without my father-in-law around, missed his complaining about me out fishing him.
Below are some sweet memories of our ice fishing photos … it put tears in my eyes when I looked back at these photos 
Caption: My late father-in-law and I with our van in the background
Caption: My late father-in-law in the background with our ice shanty
Caption: Like father like son they both love fishing … how tranquility the lake is
Caption: The Four wheeler taking wheelchair and ice sled out ice fishing
For Accessibility Enthusiasts, please pay close attention to the photo above
After seeing the photos above you may wonder why we used the cat litter bucket to sit on, besides being the chair it also can function as storage … kill two birds with one stone 
Stay warm and happy ice fishing!
