Every year on inland lakes and ponds in Michigan, hardy souls walk out onto the ice, auger holes into it, and drop fishing lines, hoping to catch enough pan fish to feed their families dinner. Just as many go out onto the ice for fresh air and the comraderie of kindred spirits.
In years gone by, the small ice shanties were made of wood and put on skis, then towed out. These days they are made of nylon, plastic, and aluminum, which are much easier to move. The shanties are placed far enough from shore to where there is water underneath the ice but not so far out that there is danger of breaking through and sinking into the numbing murk. That said, tradition continues where rescue personnel are dispatched to save one or more fishermen each season.
winter blue ceiling —
under snow frothed ice brulee
perch nibble limp worms
photo taken today while out and about
Frank J. Tassone is today’s host of dVerse’ Haibun Monday. Frank says:
write a haibun about winter.
Update on 2/5/2022. Out on errands again (will they ever cease!?) I had an opportunity to get a video of all of the fish shanties out on a nearby lake AND a person on a snowmobile. Why the person chose to go out towards middle where there was nobody else is a mystery, but I got more than a little nervous watching him.
Tao Talk 
Oh my goodness! I can’t even imagine cold like that, being a Deep South raised girl. It is beautiful to look at though … in photographs! Thank you for sharing. 😊
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Glad it took you to another place. My pleasure, Ami.
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A wonderful portrait of a Michigan winter day. Mira and I saw catch-and-release fishers on the frozen surface of one of Harriman State Park’s seven lakes last week.
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Thank you, Frank. I have to give them credit for hardiness for staying there for hours. Neat that you saw some out there on a lake.
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That was fascinating, well-described with real detail. Enjoyed it, v much…
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Ain, thank you. Since we got a late start on winter, not as many shanties on this small pond as usually are. There are many more on the lake but I didn’t have time to get down there.
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In the far north of Sweden, they have taken those ice shanties to the next level… they have stoves and beds inside… to be able to lie in your bed with just a hole through the ice with your dinner swimming below sounds pretty comfortable to me.
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That sounds so cozy and inviting. I cannot imagine how tasty those fish must taste.
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Wow… seriously? Are they usually okay afterwards? That’s really scary, Lisa.
-David
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Ben, I don’t have statistics but I think most survive, although some don’t. I remember a co-worker years ago whose husband made a decision to ride out on the ice with a snowmobile and didn’t survive it. Here’s the latest rescue story I’ve read:
https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/muskegon/fisherman-rescued-on-muskegon-lake/69-74a04cb3-b849-4502-a21a-37093a5d82df
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Thanks, Lisa!
-David
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Every year we hear of someone going out on the ice before it is frozen enough. Usually it is a tragic ending.
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These people have always amazed me. My mother taught me a strong fear of water, and having nothing but a sheet of ice between me and the fish gives me the shivers!!
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I know what you mean, Beverly.
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Last week, my sister and I trekked out about a quarter mile onto the ice to visit my avid ice fisherman nephew in his new shanty. Not my thing, really, but…
Cool haibun, Lisa; Thanks.
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Every year I gather with the grizzled old fishermen and discuss their madness. Michiganders are a tough lot, with enormous respect and appreciation for their beloved lakes. Still, I do wish that time to time they remember that our lakes love us, too – and their embrace in Winter is chilly indeed!
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Masa thank you for reading and I do appreciate your last sentence. Indeed!
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I !LOVE! to fish Lisa, but give me a McKenzie River drift dory, a crisp clear mountain stream, an ultralight spin set-up, and a nice Autumn morning. I’ll put the fish on ice, not me… 😉
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Rob I remember you saying your dad used to take you on fishing trips. I hear you about that ice. No thanks! Thanks for reading and your comment, my friend.
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wow Lisa, this is scary! 🥰
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I know what you mean. I get nervous every time I see these guys out on the ice.
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Oh my I just see the pic and get scared Lisa!~ 🤣🤣🙏🌈🌈
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Love the haiku. It’s perfect for your prose.
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Thank you, Ken.
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So beautifully descriptive!
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Thank you, Carol! :)
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Very cool story about those huts — and a very fine nibbly ending!
BTW: I changed the title on my poem cause I’m afraid I made people guess totally incorrectly what I was doing. I wonder if it helped.
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Thank you, Sabio. I knew you meant star gazing by your image but it doesn’t hurt to be more clear about it, just in case?
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tradition continues where rescue personnel
are dispatched to save one or more
Tradition drives a hard bargain when it also is related to survival. Never thought it happens at all in winter. Thanks for sharing Jade!
Hank
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You’re welcome, Hank. The Darwin Award contenders contend through all seasons ;)
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That is one of my dreams…to go ice fishing. It doesn’t get that cold here so the water doesn’t freeze like that. I would so like to do that.
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What’s stopping you?
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Well l have to travel to your state or near I think. It looks like a lot of fun.
I need to travel north more…I’m in Atlanta tonight at the other corp office.
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Atlanta???? Wow! Hope it’s sunny and warm there for you. How long are you there? I think you should make that (ice) bucket item on your list come true this winter or next winter.
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I had a choice…I could have came down here and stayed for two days but I’m not a fan of the traffic here…Bailey tagged along with me and we are staying until tomorrow.
Oh…I just went down the rabbit hole of youtube on “ice fishing” videos…loved it!
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Sounds like a nice break from monotony to get out of town for a few days. Have you ever seen the movie, “Grumpy Old Men”? I think some really far north places can be bold like that on the ice. Do you do regular fishing? If you ever make it up here to do it, I can probably find someone for you to go with.
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Yes I have…that one and the second. I love those actors and actresses.
Yes we go fishing every year…sometimes not as much as others…it’s the peaceful feeling I like…more than the fish.
I would love to look into it.
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Just now reading your Billy Joel post, where you say you are traveling :) Way behind on my reading today.
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Oh I am lol…and will be tomorrow also.
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We used to go skating on frozen ponds, but luckily none of them were deep, for we were known to fall through on occasion. I would not be testing the ice far out on a lake…(k)
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That sounds a little scary but if you knew they weren’t deep not so dangerous. The pond there probably isn’t super deep so they might survive it. The inland lake many get trapped on and in is 25-79 feet deep (just looked.)
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Yikes. No thank you.
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There have been some people ice fishing on the lake around here. Brr but, they do have those little shelters. I’ve never seen anyone actually catch one though.
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A lot of times the holes (and the buckets to put the caught fish in) are in the shanty so you might not see them catch any.
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While I’ve never been fishing, I’m not sure I’d have the patience for it. I certainly couldn’t picture myself doing all of it on the ice and in frigid temperatures! I’m fairly certain I saw “Grumpy Old Men” but don’t recall that scene captured in the clip.
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Christian, the key to staying out in the elements is layering. Warm boots would be vital. They also have electric socks and glove inserts that keep your hands warm. It’s been a long time since I saw Grumpy Old Men and I think there were at least one, maybe more sequels. I know Ann-Margret was the love interest in at least one, and then Sophia Loren was in there also.
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I can certainly relate to the benefit of good gloves!
Saturday, I did some snow shoveling in my driveway in pretty cold temperatures. Foolishly, I started out wearing gardening type gloves I found in the garage together with the snow shovel.
Luckily, I interrupted the work and went inside the house after a short while. Only then did I realize that my fingers had started to turn numb. After I had regained feeling, which luckily happened pretty quickly, I put on winter gloves and resumed snow shoveling. That made all the difference!
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I tried some “hot packs” which are about the size of a packet of sugar, that you put in your gloves. They last 8 hours! We were only out about 2 hours so 6 hours were wasted. Still! It was wonderful to use.
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When I read your Haibun, Lisa, I immediately thought of the clip from Grumpy Old Men. And then there it was at the end of the post! Well done. Have your tried it!
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Glad you thought it was like GOM. No I haven’t tried it, as I don’t want to risk it.
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:>) you might love it!
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Have you tried it??? I’d rather do snowshoeing or x-country skiing. Something where I’m moving to stay warm.
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No I never have tried it! Too cold for me. :>)
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aha! You first!
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It is indeed very brave of them too Face such conditions and still fish. Wonderfully written Li
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Thank you, Sadje :)
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You’re welcome
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Such a shrivelling cold! Beautiful scenery though. Wonderful occasion. 💝
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Yes it is! Thank you.
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Most welcome, dear. 💖
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Great to be transported to your Michigan winter – loved reading this. Lovely ending Haiku.
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Marion, thank you. Now can you transport me out of it please ;)
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Huskies and sled on their way 😁.
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:)
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So fascinating, Li! Winter means different things in different places. 🙂
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Yes it does! Make sure you check out the dVerse prompt for today and you’ll get a chance to say just how :)
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Already done so, Li. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed reading about Michigan winter. 🙂
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Punam, you haven’t seen today’s prompt yet…
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You are talking about winter haibun, isn’t it! My link is there….
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That is yesterday’s prompt and yes your link is there (I just haven’t gotten to read it yet.) But the prompt coming up today is also about seasons.
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My bad, Li. I will check out the link when it comes up. Thanks for the heads-up. 👍🏼❤️
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<3
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A whole other world, thank you for taking me into it Lisa, so different to mine.
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Thank you, Paul. I see your weather has been really hot lately. I’d love to change places with you just for a day.
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“winter blue ceiling —
under snow frothed ice brulee
perch nibble limp worms”
This haiku is just apt for your wonderful piece of prose!
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Thank you very much, Veera.
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You’re welcome :)
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I can’t even imagine what it must be like to fall into a hole in the ice!
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I can’t either! I feel so bad for emergency personnel who have to save them and do it quick.
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If they don’t get furious at people who have to be rescued when they’ve put themselves in danger, they must be saints!
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I love traditions.. it look cold though
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Yes, and yes. It is 20F today with a bitter wind.
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Brrr, Lisa, you clip literally sounds icy! :-)
As for the snowmobile rider, I guess he wanted to make he’s all by himself. I suppose that’s all fine, as long as nothing happens!
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My hand holding the phone was numb by the time the video was done. The gloves are supposed to be able to be used on touch screens, but not quite :( The snowmobile rider is an idiot! Sorry, just my opinion.
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I guess sometimes the boundaries between being self-confident and being an idiot can be blurry. It certainly does look the snowmobile guy took an unreasonable risk for no apparent gain!
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Well said on the boundaries…
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The joys of winter! We have them all over the St. Lawrence, too. No snowmobiles, thankfully. That would be simply insane. I remember, back in the day, when we had snowmobiles where the trails would lead over a lake. My father hated taking those and only would if absolutely unavoidable. He wanted us over and across before the ice could even think of being thin! (Of course, the trails were not made until the depth had been tested but no matter to him!)
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Dale, am I hearing you right, that you live near the St. Lawrence? I’ve always been fascinated by it and how it connects to the Great Lakes. Your dad sounds like a super cautious guy and I’m glad he was.
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Yes… About 30 minutes walk, or 5 minute drive. I go there very often and take a bazillion pics ;-)
He was. Very.
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Oh that is so cool, so I’m sure some of the pics I’ve seen of yours are of the St. Lawrence.
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Oh, no doubt :) I’ll specify them next time ;-)
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