16 Feb Ice Fishing on Turquoise Lake

Thanks to our buddy Chris, we tried something new this season: Ice fishing!

We were up and on the road before sunrise with a full car and strong coffee in hand. After meeting up with Chris and Angela, we loaded in with them and headed for Turquoise Lake. The drive was beautiful. We had been given a perfect, sunny Colorado day.

Among the many essentials we brought with us was this bottle of  Ardmore Single Malt Scotch Whiskey. Just a little something to keep us warm.

After lugging our gear onto the lake, we posted up at a nice spot with a beautiful view. Chris drilled 6 holes into the ice while Angela and I set up their brand new Eskimo Quickfish 3 shelter. The shelter was super sturdy once it was set up. I can definitely see how having one would be required for a day with cold, windy weather. In our case, we didn’t really need to set it up – but Chris was stoked on it, so we did anyway.

Pro tip: Be sure to use the stakes provided! The wind suddenly blew in one of its sides before we had it staked into the ice. We were worried the shelter was going to break for a moment when a gust came through.

We spent the good portion of the day out on the lake. Chris would tell you otherwise, but I’d say it was a successful trip. We rode out of there with 5 rainbow trout and 1 lake trout. (Chris has been known to catch upwards of 15 in a day, so who are we to say?) The important takeaway is that these 6 fish were DELICIOUS!
Yes, those are lights we dropped into the hole. We’re not sure if they helped us catch any fish, but they certainly withstood the water and freezing temps!