Darcy Olson unwraps steak, leftover from the night before. He cuts it up and adds it to an omelet in a bag – his favorite ice fishing expedition brunch. Traditionally on these trips, he and his group eat deer sausage cooked on the grill, but he enjoys experimenting with other simple meals. Catching fish, of course, is goal number one, but over the years, Olson has found that he enjoys other aspects of ice-fishing as well.
“I spend a lot of time prior to each outing planning my on-ice meals,” Olson says.
Olson attended his first ice-fishing tournament in Devils Lake, ND, 15 years ago. The experience was the catalyst that hooked him on the sport. He was among thousands of people gathered on the ice for their chance at glory. As a “newbie,” he had no idea what to expect. What he found was a well-organized event that tended to his mid-winter blues and introduced him to a new passion.
Olson didn’t catch a fish that day, but he did win his first portable ice house by way of a $2 raffle ticket – it only fueled his newfound pastime.
“Ultimately, it’s the time spent with friends that I enjoy the most,” Olson says. “In my opinion, catching a big fish alone is less exciting than catching the first fish of the day with my friends.”
Olson owns two portable icehouses.His one-man house is a Fish Trap Pro by Clam Corporation and the second is a 4-man Polar Sport double flip.
The one-man has a basic sled design with a tarp that flips over to block the wind. It is very light and Olson says it works well for staying mobile and warm. Essentially it’s a boat on the ice, allowing him to move easily when the fish aren’t biting.
The Polar Sport is his pride and joy. When he purchased his 4-man house, it was the first of its kind on the market. At the time, it came standard with the Polar Sport sled, poles and tarp. He special ordered it from the factory because he wasn’t fond of the yellow roof. He wanted all black just in case he became a spear-fisherman. The yellow provided too much light for spearing.
Olson has since added a few accessories. It now has back-to back seating for four, rod holders, sled cover, tow hitch and custom pockets and windows added by a local tarp repair shop. It allows room for cooking and card playing when the fishing gets tough. It’s a 6 x 12 that folds up small for easy transportation and storage. It never fails to impress his neighbors on the ice.
“The opposite can be said of the fish inside my house,” Olson says.
Many icehouse manufacturers have added impressive features and the sport has changed over the years, according to Shawn Dockter of Dakota Outdoors in Grand Forks, N.D.
“Ice fishing has gotten to include many more women and children, so people are looking for a place to cook in their icehouses. You can get an oven and stove in any icehouse. You can also get a refrigerator, portable bathroom – basically anything that their home has,” Dockter says.
Dockter, who fishes primarily at Devils Lake and Lake of the Woods, recently came across one of the newest personal touches fishermen are adding to their icehouses. “One of them actually had a wet bar,” he says.
Icehouses can range from a 6.5’ by 8’ space for $3500 to houses with price tags of $30,000. Other features include bay windows and air conditioning and some manufacturers are making showers available inside the icehouses as many people use them year round, as campers or hunting shacks.
“The showers aren’t a real big hit yet – most campgrounds still have showers available,” Dockter says. “Instead of spending $10-20,000 on a camper, they pay for an ice house and they’re all in one.”
Dakota Outdoors carries one brand of icehouses, but the company is in the process of manufacturing and distributing its own. Dockter says a demo icehouse will be available this year.
No matter the bells and whistles surrounding him, when it comes down to it, Olson likes passing on one of his passions.
“I enjoy introducing new people to the sport,” he says. “It’s exciting to watch someone catch their first fish through the ice, especially kids.”
If you’re in the market for a portable icehouse, Olson recommends a few must haves: elbow room, rod holders, portability and storage pockets. He also says bigger is better when it comes to portables. He prefers tubular poles to round poles and he prefers the flip style to the suitcase style.
For those interested in trying the sport, Olson recommends buying a used icehouse first. He notes that icehouse preferences vary greatly based on an individual’s interests.
For Olson, as long as there’s room to prepare an omelet in a bag, he’s happy.
