Ice Fishing???

Hello, I am pretty new to Texas only been here a little over a year. I live in North Texas Aubrey area. Does anyone know the closest lake to me that freezes solid? I know it will be a bit of a drive. I heard there are ice storms in Texas but judging by the weather we had last 'Winter' surely no lakes are freezing.

lakes~~~!!!~~~freeze solid~~~???~~~in Texas~~~???~~~they'd havta be perty shallow

You will be driving 10-12hrs to find that.

Ponds freezing? Maybe and inch or two for a day or two. I wouldn't walk on them though. I've known two kids that thought they could. RIP.

Lakes freezing? No. Just no.

To clarify I am not talking about Texas...obviously... Thanks Mark I didn't realize it was that far up.

Maybe a few lakes in Kansas?

Just gotta make a short drive north to Canada.

Only time I see ice on the lake is when I spill my drink.

It's about 5 hours for me to get Wichita. I'm assuming Lakes freeze there?

Why would you want to go ice fishing? Lived in Illinois and Wisconsin for 32 years and did a lot of it because that's all you could do. I've never had the urge to go back up north in the winter to ice fish. I also did a lot of downhill and cross country sking when I was there and have had no urge to go back to do that either.

Ice fishing seems like too much work to me. I'd be worn out by the time I cut enough trenches to cast.

I am also an avid skier, I love winter sports. I love being on the ice, setting up almost as if I am camping with all the bells and whistles, being able to cook on a propane stove and chill waiting on flags. To me this is enjoyable.

Don't forget the snow snake medicine...

a lake up that way might get some ice from time to time . . . but I think it would be a rare winter that it would get thick enough for a grown man to walk on it. safely. I may be wrong, i grew up in northern OK and i recall a winter or two in the late 70s/early 80s where the lakes froze and even then you wouldn't venture out too terribly far.

In Tejas, God blessed us with liquid water we can fish 12 months out of the year. Why not just go fishing in the winter instead of 'ice fishing' ??

Yeah, I used to hit my thumb with a hammer when I was a kid. I never get the urge to think "hmmm, I think I'll go out to the garage, get my hammer and hit my thumb"

Now that if funny right there. Just pour a can of gas in a straight line and set it on fire.

I live 3 hours east of Wichita, it depends on the winter. Most winters I wouldn't recomend going on any lakes. But some winters you can go on some smalller shallow lakes(75 to 100 acres) or ponds. I guess I'm a sqeerdy cat. You may have enough knowledge to know what is safe and what it not.

That's useing your old noggin Donald. But if you use Donald's advice follow the instructions to a T!!! DO NOT!!! pour in a circle.

make sure you take you some minner scent

Eagle Nest, NM for yellow perch and trout.

First Ice Fishing thread I've seen on TFF.

Try this:
1. Take your boat out on one of our lakes during the winter.
2. Tie up to a tree.
3. Take an inner tube and tie off to the trolling motor.
4. Drop your line through the inner tube.
5. Fire the grill up in the boat and wait for something to bite.

This should simulate the ice fishing experience pretty well and allow you to fish instead of driving North.

Loved me some ice fishing when I lived in Indiana...Those long winters you had to find things to do and ice fishing was one of them. My Dad and Uncle used to tie a rope to me to check sketchy ice...if I didnt fall in, they eased out. Crazy of farts, coulda killed me

Me at 10 or 11 ice fishing Buck Lake in Angola, Indiana !! Miss that place.

Yeah, I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around this desire of yours. You're in Texas now...enjoy the year-round boat flotation ability.

If you must scratch the itch I'd think you'd have to go at least to KS. I spent my freshman year of college up there. The pond on campus froze over enough where we could play hockey on it...pretty cool experience for Texas boy.

Lived in Kansas for 9 years. Hard water sucks.

If you like ice fishing, move back to wherever you came from

pretty simple

Some of the get ups i've seen in Minnesota for ice fishing are nicer than the boats we drive around here all summer. Full enclosed trailer with hydraulic lifts to pick the tires up off the ice, holes in the floor to pull up and fish out of, electric ice auger for easy drilling and no exhaust in your hut, satelite TV to watch football, cooktop and fridge to fry up some fish and keep the beverages cold. Just fire up your snowmobile and drag it out on the ice, doesn't matter if its -20 out.

Or just sit on a bucket and freeze your butt off beside a hand drilled hole, either way

i was with you all the way to this point. something about hauling a fridge out onto a sheet of ice seems a bit unnecessary, lol.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=0ahUKEwi53P2-tLrWAhVr2oMKHZcUDxQQwqsBCHEwCQ&usg=AFQjCNF1sHlk2z9QIx28jtvfnGP_UlkifA
The ice looks like a peg board with all those holes drilled in it. Diehart fisherman right there.

Well I guess I don't know how to post. Anyway, it is a youtube video of drone footage of the largest fishing tournament. It's Jaycees in Brainerd, MN. Maybe someone smarter than me(wouldn't take much) could post it on here.

I agreed with you at first, but thought about it. It gets so $\%& cold up there, if you didn't keep your beer in the fridge it would freeze. Crazy, having to keep your beer in a fridge so it doesn't freeze.

here's a fun guy, stay where you are sunshine

reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw in florida years ago..."when I get old,I'm gonna go up north and drive around real slow"...
always heard that if they banned drinking while ice fishing,90% of the fishermen would never go again...

It's a long long winter up North and if you just sit inside you'll go crazy. Ice fishing gets you outdoors and helps keep your head together. There is a lot of drinking and too much pressure on panfish especially, but what ya gonna do? Either my wife or myself would probably killed each other if I didn't get outdoors!

You can also get a big thrill driving on a hard frozen lake of clear ice, run your truck up to about 60 and put it into a spin and its quite a ride! Amazing how long it takes to come to a stop.

I always liked to see the reactions on their faces when they would hear low and deep "cracking" sounds of the ice while driving on it. (you have to imagine a low, long and deep thumping sound)
Ice fishing is what you make out of it. The fully rigged ice "shacks" were always fun and included any amenities wanted or as could fit or..... as primitive as wanted. Small wood stoves, tv, radios, spices and cooking supplies to eat what you caught was pretty dang good. Whens its 20 below and your sitting on a frozen lake but your in heated ice shack in a tshirt life aint that bad. Much like the banter you share on your boats now with fishing partner is much the same in the shack.

All that said.... i moved to Texas 35 years ago and enjoy the heck out of taking my boat out in January if i want.