After years of my father-in-law offering to take me ice fishing, and me making excuses not to go, MPR News said it was time to get ready for our Winter Play series. So, I finally accepted Travis’ offer.
Aaron Robertson, husband of MPR News reporter Hannah Yang, sets up a tent while they go ice fishing on Roberds Lake in Faribault, Minn., on January 22.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
My husband Aaron and I meet Travis at Roberds Lake near Faribault, Minnesota.
The lake is completely frozen and covered with snow. It’s early morning and there are fish houses dotting the landscape. I silently pray as Travis drives his truck over the ice that I don’t get an unexpected dip.
safety first
The Minnesota DNR says you need at least four inches of clear ice to even safely walk on a frozen lake. All lakes are different. So, if you are planning to go there, make sure you check the proper thickness. No type of gel is 100% safe, so be careful regardless.
We find a place and get to work.
There are older fishing holes, so Travis pulls out his trusty sonar called a “flasher” that measures the depth of the lake and lets him know if there are fish swimming around. He and Aaron then drilled holes into the 15-inch-thick surface. I’m surprised the ice doesn’t break. Then they clean the holes of mud and ice with a ladle.
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MPR News reporter Hannah Yang (C) shoots video as her father-in-law Travis Robertson (R) and husband Aaron Robertson (L) skim ice fishing holes.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
We set up the tent, fire up the propane heater, and put in our little fishing rods. I should mention that I have been fishing during the summer and enjoyed it, so ice fishing is not too different. It’s surprisingly hot inside the tent, so I step outside in a thick sweatshirt and sweatpants with waterproof boots and thick socks.
Travis Robertson, father-in-law of MPR News reporter Hannah Yang, sets up a fishing rod inside the tent.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
Getting the team
You can go as cheap or as expensive as you want for the art of ice fishing.
Some grit their teeth and sit outside in the wind. Others have a tent like us or even have fish houses. For me, I just borrow my bait and rods from Travis, so it doesn’t really cost me anything.
When Travis taught his sons, Aaron, Alli and Adam, to ice fish, apparently he didn’t want to give them expensive equipment to get started either.
“I gave you the cheapest tools I could find – a $2.50 special from Fleet Farm,” Travis says to Aaron and me inside the tent. “Because I know what you usually do. Bloop! ‘Oh, here it goes!'” Mima dropping a stick down the hole.
A bobber sits in a hole as MPR News reporter Hannah Yang goes ice fishing for the first time.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
In Minnesota, more people are ice fishing. Overall fishing in the state is $2 billion, and ice fishing is making up a large percentage of that now, according to Dean Paron, Finland Area Fisheries Area Supervisor for the DNR.
His advice for beginners: You don’t have to spend a lot to enjoy the sport.
Some people hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury rods, electronics and fish houses. Others prefer to use a simple rod and bucket to sit on while fishing outdoors.
“Start simple and see what you like,” suggests Paron. “As you develop your passions and as you experience a sport, invest little by little.”
The important thing is to have a fishing license. For this trip, I bought a three-day license for about $15 per person and keep it with me at all times. Being caught without a license can lead to heavy fines.
Back to action
Travis gives me some pointers.
“You’ll see your bobber go up and down,” he says as he watches me adjust my fishing line. “But, you really don’t want to do anything until it’s going down very slowly. That means (the fish) has taken it very well in its mouth.”
Travis Robertson, installs a heater in the ice fishing tent.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
And of course Travis, being my father-in-law, makes time for jokes.
“So, to be clear… I don’t actually drink lake water, do I?” I ask him, remembering his attempt to give me a hard time as the first ice fisherman.
“Well, the first ones are supposed to get something out of the lake water and drink it,” Travis says sagely. I smile and laugh.
“This is the piece of good luck. But no, you don’t drink it,” he says.
Travis Robertson cooks hot dogs in front of a heater during an ice fishing trip on Roberds Lake.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
For lunch, my father-in-law grills hot dogs using the propane heater and an ice pick. Probably not a standard in the ice fisherman’s handbook, but it gives us a good laugh.
There’s something about sitting around, waiting for something to happen that makes you tell stories to pass the time.
“My three kids decide to go out and play, and they have one of these spear holes,” Travis recalls as Aaron sheepishly laughs.
“It wasn’t completely frozen again, and Aaron decided to jump in. Suddenly, they run back into the tent, “Dad, Aaron fell in—” “What?!” Sure enough, he’s in, he just past a leg”.
MPR News reporter Hannah Yang goes ice fishing for the first time with her husband Aaron Robertson and her father on Jan. 22.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
Spirit of ice fishing
Travis has been ice fishing for over three decades. His family was always outdoors, either hunting or fishing.
Despite the freezing cold and sometimes being skunk, a slang term meaning you didn’t catch any fish on the trip, he says it’s all part of the experience.
“It’s the spirit of trying to find the right place at the right time,” he says. “You don’t know what you’re going to get when you roll it.”
Ice fishing was something Travis wanted to teach his children, and he envisions his grandchildren learning one day, too. It’s not about catching fish, Travis says, but about spending time together as a family.
“Just getting the three kids in the tent, just being outdoors was the biggest thing,” he adds.
Aaron Robertson, husband of MPR News reporter Hannah Yang, pulls gear out of the tent.
Stephen Maturen for MPR News
This time, it’s up to us to fool ourselves. No bites. When it’s time to pull in our lines and pack up, it’s time for, of course, my favorite part of fishing: unhooking.
But, I had a great time. Will I go again? Yes.
if you want to go
Where: There are so many different lakes in southwest Minnesota and beyond. It’s free to fish in a state park. To find a lake, the Minnesota DNR has a lake locator that you can click here.
In some places, you can even borrow equipment to hit the ice. There are also some ice fishing events and hands-on programs where you can learn how to ice fish.
When: all winter But not all lakes are created equal. Check regularly for updates on weather, ice thickness and temperatures. You can’t judge ice strength just by how it looks.
Local weather conditions are also different. The DNR also has some safety tips you can read before you head out. Ice doesn’t freeze the same, so make sure you’re constantly aware of your surroundings.
Length: For as long as you want your trip to be. We were out from 8am until noon. It depends on how long you want to be fishing.
How much: It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. I only spent $15 to buy my three day fishing license. There are year-round licenses that are a bit more expensive, but accessible.
I borrowed my gear and bait from my father-in-law. Some spend hundreds of thousands on various rods, technology and shelter for their sport. So it depends. The great thing about ice fishing is that it can be quite cheap and affordable, making it more accessible to beginners.
What to bring: Wear warm clothes. Depending on your shelter, you might end up bundling up if you’re sitting outside in a bucket, or you might feel comfortable wearing layers and waterproof boots and socks to sit inside a tent or inside a fish house.
It can be quite toasty depending on your heater. So layer it up! You may want to bring chairs if you want to sit on something more comfortable than a bucket.
Bring your fishing licenses and make sure it’s a place you can find it if asked by a DNR conservation officer. They are patrolling, so it’s best to have it handy. Same with your bait and fishing rods.
If you’re just starting out, go with friends or family. It will help pass the time if nothing bites.