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It also happened to be the last day of winter — and likely one of the few days left for ice fishing.
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“These are perfect conditions — if the fish were biting,” said Kent Eide of Rochester, Minn.
Eide, 48, had the day off so he decided to spend it fishing in McNally Landing on the backwaters of the Mississippi River. He used two holes that he found already drilled for some “tip up” fishing. Eide attached a minnow from his blue cooler to a line he dropped into the water. A
flag could be seen from the surface. If the flag moves, he knows he has a bite.
“This is a pretty laid back way to fish,” Eide said. “Sometimes I’ll lie on the dock and take a nap.”
He doesn’t buy his fish at the store. He will buy shrimp — because he can’t catch them here.
Eide’s been ice fishing for more than 30 years. He’s pulled big northern pike from this fishing spot before. On Wednesday, the fish weren’t biting. He’d only been fishing a few hours but has spent as many as eight hours patiently waiting.
“There’s something about pulling a fish through a little hole,” Eide said. “It can be rewarding when you catch a 20-pound fish.”
As of 1:30 p.m., Bob Tenheiter, 64, of Lanesboro, Minn., had caught his limit of 10 bluegills. Tenheiter’s friend Phil Milne wasn’t as lucky, so they stayed fishing at McNally Landing.
Milne, 64, of Preston, Minn., was up to seven bluegills and was hoping for a couple more. The pair had been out since 8:30 a.m.
“The perfect day for fishing is when the fish bite,” Tenheiter said. “I like it when there’s a soft breeze out of the south.”
They’ve both been ice fishing for more than 30 years. Milne can clean a fish and ready it for pan frying in just 30 seconds.
“I like to eat fish and I like to fish,” Milne said. “I fish in the summer a lot. At least my wife thinks so.”
The two anglers fish in spots from Wabasha to New Albin, Iowa. Wednesday was their last day for ice fishing but certainly not their last day to fish. The duo is heading Saturday to Alma, Wis., for a fish-and-float event.
Milne likes the simplicity of ice fishing.
“You can spend $100 on gear and throw it all in a six-gallon bucket,” Milne said.
And it beats complaining about the cold.
“It’s something to do in winter,” Tenheiter said. “If you’re going to live in Minnesota, you might as well have something to do.”
Contact Käri Knutson at kknutson@winonadailynews.com or (507) 453-3523.
