The Fisheree. The Whateree?
Sometimes I wonder who the first person was to try ice fishing. Was it someone who was hungry, looking for food in the heart of the long, cold winter? Probably. Or was it someone who was simply bored and again, growing tired of the long, cold winter?
Either way, we know one thing for sure; without ice fishing, it would definitely be a long, cold winter here in Wisconsin.
Oh sure, there are plenty of other outdoor winter activities, like cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, even fat-tire biking, but if you’re an angler, nothing comes close to the feeling you get when you land a trophy Largemouth Bass or Northern Pike.
So why wait until the ice melts? And why do it alone? How about turning it into a competition – with activities for every age and skill? We’ll have food and beverages. Yes, plenty of beverages! Let’s offer prize money? This will be a win-win with some of the proceeds often going to charity.
And let’s call it a fisheree.
A whateree?
A fisheree.
If you’re not from these parts, you may have never heard of a fisheree. You won’t find it in any dictionary, yet we Wisconsinites know exactly what it means. It means ice fishing and fun, a chance to turn the long, cold winter into an outdoor celebration with family and friends, and of course, throw back a twelve-ounce cold one, or two.
In fact, Wisconsin ranks among the top states nationally in fishing popularity, and that holds true even when winter seals the open water under 30 inches of ice. And because some of us can’t wait, central Wisconsin plays hosts to dozens of fisherees.
Recently, here in Rome, Wisconsin, anglers of all ages bundled up to take part in the 1st Annual Petenwell Palooza Ice Fisheree & Raffle at The Lure Bar & Grill. Another successful fisheree was held, as always, on the third Saturday of February on Lake Camelot, and still another one, dedicated solely to help stock fish in Lake Sherwood, was attended by dozens of happy anglers who barely even noticed the below-freezing temperatures.
But as February comes to a close, and we roll into March, the annual fisherees are all but done for 2022. In fact, ice fishing starts to wind down as shanties and trucks must come off the county’s still ice-covered lakes by March 6th.
Luckily, the somewhat exaggerated fish stories are repeated all through spring, and enthusiasm for next year begins to build almost immediately. For some, this is when the research and shopping for the latest and greatest ice fishing gear begins.
Like everything else, ice fishing has evolved over the years. Today, the name of the game is mobility. The days of waiting, no hoping, a fish will swim by are mostly gone. With battery-operated sonar, gas powered augers, and ATVs pulling sleds, an ice fisher can conceivably fish dozens of holes in a single day.
But don’t feel like you have to keep up with the Joneses. Even if you have a single rod and reel, why not join us next year at one of the many fisherees in and around beautiful, frozen Rome, Wisconsin. Who knows? You might be the one who takes home all the prize money.
Written by: Lydell Capritta