Rarely have I seen something go from idea to institution as quickly as the fourth annual Youth Ice Fishing Day held last Saturday at Horsethief Reservoir. The thermometer in my truck hit 20 below on the drive up, and it was hovering around zero when I arrived. Brutal weather, you think? You never would have guessed by watching the kids having fun.

I never touched a fishing rod all morning, but I still had a blast watching all the kids fishing.

So when this frigid weather hits, I don’t see it as a reason to hibernate, and I see another fishing opportunity.

I got a call on Monday about ice fishing at C.J. Strike Reservoir. It rarely gets cold enough for ice fishing down there, but the weather at Bruneau and Grand View has been similar to McCall the past couple of weeks.

I don’t have all the intel on Strike, so if you go, be extremely careful. Unlike Lake Cascade, Horsethief Reservoir or Magic Reservoir, which have reliable and fairly predictable ice, things can change fast at Strike.

But if you want to do some ice fishing, it’s another option.

If you’re new to ice fishing, I suggest Magic or Cascade, because you can rent ice augers at Tackle Tom’s or West Magic Resort and give it a try before you invest in ice fishing gear.

Beware you might find yourself buying the basic gear and then watch the pile grow as you get more into ice fishing and your creativity kicks in. The ingenuity of ice anglers never ceases to amaze me. They make it more than a fishing trip —it’s a party on ice.

Roger Phillips: 377-6215