By David Draper

I just got home from a 2,000-mile road trip from western Nebraska to Winnipeg, where some friends and I battled blizzard conditions in the hopes of icing a few perch, walleye, and whitefish. Unfortunately, the fish stayed pretty tight lipped, though we did manage to catch enough for a fish fry—including the largest, fattest perch I’ve ever pulled through the ice. And while underwater, mouths were closed, on top of the hard-water ours were routinely open as we tried to stay warm by ingesting as many calories as possible.

Over the course of the weekend, we had everything from moose steaks to pizza to the requisite breakfast burritos. We also picked up a dozen doughnuts from that Canadian staple—Tim Horton’s. The best on-ice meal had to be the garlic venison sausage that Rick Schweyer grilled up for us Saturday. Rick, who works for Cabela’s Canadian division, did his best to put us on some big walleyes across the provincial border in Ontario. While the fish didn’t stick to Schweyer’s plan, he still pulled hero status when he tucked a portable grill on the lee side of his shelter and grilled up brats and sausage for everyone.

Cooking on the ice presents its own unique set of challenges and it takes a keen eye and a lot of patience to heat up foil-wrapped breakfast burritos over a propane blind heater, especially burritos that accidently got put in the back of the truck for the drive to the lake, where they froze solid in the sub-zero temperatures we fished in. Still, for the most part, even the burritos were a success as we managed to get them defrosted and cooked without burning them…too much.

Comments (9)

from Koldkut wrote 12 weeks 4 days ago

There's nothing wrong with laying an open can of bean dip on the heater to try and thaw it from the -30 temps they sat in. Beer slushies have also been quite the norm this year, even when we tried to keep them in the cooler bag to "stay warm".

I have not converted on the plan, but there is an old camper with a propane oven/stove that I was in teh works of yanking out to put on the ice sled, I wanted to try to have biscuits and gravy on the ice, but it just didn't come to fruition this year.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Wiege wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Cooking on the ice is similar to tailgating at a Packer game. A recent ice fishing derby we made 3 full meals: all day there was venison sausage, crackers and cheese and chili cooking.
Denver omelets and bloody marys in morning.
Lunchtime brats, polish sausage, burgers, venison on grill.
Dinner someone brought bear and elk meat already marinated and ready to go.
We don't worry about side dishes because after all we are there to catch fish. It is a great time to use meat from hunts, and it is appreciated more by hunters.

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mkorpal wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Pickled pike, saltines, and homemade venison brats. All washed down with a couple PBRs or Hamms. Nothing beats a full day on the ice, fishing, and lunch!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from coachsjike wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

never been ice fishing all day, but the eve of deer and fishing camp, nothing quite tasty as a big platter of steamed clams with butter, cocktail sauce, and a $hitload of miller lite to wash it down.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mayoaaron wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I normally drink my food when I'm ice fishing

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mayoaaron wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I prefer my busch lattes

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from CL3 wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Boil-O. Google it.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from CL3 wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I'd challenge anyone to say that ice fishing and dragging a grill out there with some friends and family isn't one of the best outdoors activities there is.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Blue Ox wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

Deer jerky & coors lite is a favorite of mine, along with a can or two of hormel chili warmed on a hobo stove. Hits the spot on really cold days.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

from Wiege wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Cooking on the ice is similar to tailgating at a Packer game. A recent ice fishing derby we made 3 full meals: all day there was venison sausage, crackers and cheese and chili cooking.
Denver omelets and bloody marys in morning.
Lunchtime brats, polish sausage, burgers, venison on grill.
Dinner someone brought bear and elk meat already marinated and ready to go.
We don't worry about side dishes because after all we are there to catch fish. It is a great time to use meat from hunts, and it is appreciated more by hunters.

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mayoaaron wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I normally drink my food when I'm ice fishing

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mkorpal wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Pickled pike, saltines, and homemade venison brats. All washed down with a couple PBRs or Hamms. Nothing beats a full day on the ice, fishing, and lunch!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mayoaaron wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I prefer my busch lattes

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from CL3 wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

I'd challenge anyone to say that ice fishing and dragging a grill out there with some friends and family isn't one of the best outdoors activities there is.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Koldkut wrote 12 weeks 4 days ago

There's nothing wrong with laying an open can of bean dip on the heater to try and thaw it from the -30 temps they sat in. Beer slushies have also been quite the norm this year, even when we tried to keep them in the cooler bag to "stay warm".

I have not converted on the plan, but there is an old camper with a propane oven/stove that I was in teh works of yanking out to put on the ice sled, I wanted to try to have biscuits and gravy on the ice, but it just didn't come to fruition this year.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from coachsjike wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

never been ice fishing all day, but the eve of deer and fishing camp, nothing quite tasty as a big platter of steamed clams with butter, cocktail sauce, and a $hitload of miller lite to wash it down.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from CL3 wrote 12 weeks 3 days ago

Boil-O. Google it.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Blue Ox wrote 12 weeks 2 days ago

Deer jerky & coors lite is a favorite of mine, along with a can or two of hormel chili warmed on a hobo stove. Hits the spot on really cold days.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.