Ice Fishing: Sheridan Lake in the Black Hills of South Dakota
Clearing out a live-well (holds the day's catch) in Sheridan Lake, Black Hills of South Dakota.
It was so cold…batteries died before a fish was landed. But I recalled a Photographer’s “snow” trick, I placed the battery in my pocket near my body and it revived the battery…didn’t hurt I had a few back-up batteries already in my pocket that were good (warm) to go. And when the sun finally rose, which warmed things up to a balmy 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
With the battery put to rest, turning the dials with mittens is impossible. I had to take the gloves off, and tackle the situation.
Gloves off, fingers chillin’, I made a few photographic images of the ice fishing day at Sheridan Lake in the Black Hills of South Dakota. All in all, a fun time spent with some classic South Dakotan characters, both young and old.
As for the fish caught, the three Northern Pike were caught using Pop-Ups or Tip-Ups, a device I wasn’t familiar. (If you aren’t either, click this youtube link of How to…it was how we did it.: BTW, these devices are amazing because I was able to make pictures in between the flags raising.
The first one was landed by “Dick” Lehman and he returned it to the icy waters. “I am looking for a 20 pounder, to mount on my wall,” said Dick Lehman. He has landed an 18 pound northern recently at an unnamed location, but again released it looking for his prize fish.
I caught the second fish of the day, hooked it and kept it. I wasn’t fishing for trophies but merely my next South Dakotan meal during my brief visit with family and friends. And bragging rights of actually catching a fish (How did you do Josh?).
The third fish of the day was landed by my old man, aka Pops, aka Chuck Steinberg.
In between landing the Northern, we jigged for some perch or rainbow trout but no luck except the three Northern Pike. Two of which made for a tasty egg scrambler the following day!
Black Hills: Ice Fishing Sheridan Lake – Images by Jason Steinberg
