Here’s how to make your Idaho ice fishing trip into a tailgate party
In my experience, it never hurts to double down on awesome. If you take two things that are great and combine them, the results are usually stellar.
In the spirit of great combinations, I present the ice fishing tailgate party.
During open-water season, most of my fishing trips are lean and mean. But ice fishing is a different animal. There’s no shortage of ice to spread out on, and the more people you have in your group, the more area you can cover. I’ve ice fished with as many as 12 people, and it’s a riot!
Tailgating is another favorite pastime. There aren’t many better ways to spend a weekend than enjoying hot food, cold drinks and good company with your friends and family.
So how do your throw an ice fishing tailgate? I’m glad you asked! While it’s pretty self-explanatory, here are a few tips for making the most of it:
A team effort
Fish can be fickle under the ice. With Idaho’s rule of five rods per angler, you increase your odds of finding some fish with a large group.
Have anglers try different lures, colors and baits, and pay attention to patterns that emerge. It also helps having lots of eyeballs to watch for subtle bites and would-be rod thieves. On a recent trip, I was watching my flasher screen when a fish tried to run off with one of the rods. Luckily, my friend Caleb saw it happening and alerted Justin, who sprinted from the grill (more on that in a minute) to rescue the rod and land a nice rainbow trout.
One word to the wise — moving is difficult with a big group. If catching fish is a priority for your party, I recommend fishing tried-and-true spots where you won’t need to move camp very often.
Fire up the grill
Good food is the hallmark of any great party. Snacks suffice on many fishing trips, but to have a rocking tailgate, you’ll need to bring out the big guns. A charcoal grill or propane camp stove is a must. There probably isn’t a better place to eat a freshly grilled burger or bratwurst than on a frozen sheet of ice in 20-degree weather.
The aforementioned Justin is our chef extraordinaire. On one trip to Henry’s Lake, he whipped up a three-course breakfast on the ice. He’s also perfected grilled sausages on the camp stove. Next time, we might have to fry up some of our catch on the spot!
Hold my beer!
Ideally, you’ll be asking your friends to hold your drink while you run back and forth chasing bites. The good news is, even if nobody has a free hand, snow makes a great cupholder. And you won’t have to worry about your drink staying cold. Enjoying a semi-frozen Coke has become a staple of my fishing trips — just be sure to store unopened cans in a cooler so they don’t explode.
Bring the kids
Having lots of kids in a fishing boat can be 10 pounds of crazy in a 5-pound bag. But on the ice? Let them run wild! As long as the cold isn’t too extreme, kids who lose interest in fishing can entertain themselves with snowmen, snowball fights or sledding on a nearby hill. Kids are also great candidates for reeling in tip-ups when the flag pops up.
Lots of warm layers, a warming hut and extra tailgate goodies are good to have when fishing with littles. I’ve even seen groups bring cornhole boards out on the ice!
Now you’re ready to tailgate on the ice. Bring your favorite traditions from football season and incorporate them into your next trip. Heck, if there’s a game on, you can even catch it on the radio. Just make sure someone keeps an eye on the rods while you do your touchdown dance. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures, tips and tricks with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com or visit www.tightlines208.com.
This story was originally published January 20, 2020 at 7:00 AM.