How to set a Net under the Ice

People always wonder how you get a net from hole to hole. Here it is,
First you need to drill a big hole to put the Jigger down under the ice..

We sometimes get 4 feet of ice on Lake Manitoba.

After starting the Jigger it goes out about 90 yards, the length of our nets.

The Bombardier does most of the work pulling the net under the ice for us.

After we have set enough nets, you need a big hole again to get the Jigger out. It is not always easy, there is sometimes slush under the ice or pieces of ice sticking down below the surface that stop it from going forward and sometimes it gets jammed up. On windy days it is really hard to find the Jigger because you can't locate the sound of the knocker on it.

That is how you set nets under the ice!

This is three quarters of the Fishermen in our part of lake Manitoba, my Uncle Jack's Bombardier in the middle and our good friends and neighbors Craig and Carolyn on the right. It is nice to have some company once in a while.


Here is a cool picture

Beautiful weather in January!

The weather has been very warm for the past week in Manitoba. Just a few degrees below freezing. A nice break from the bitter cold we have had. Fishing is still pretty good, still catching some walleyes and there is a few perch to be had out there as well. The frost was built up on everything on a foggy morning! I recently went to the Toronto Boat Show and the only thing I really wanted to do...... Was touch the Cup!!! My skin was crawling the whole time I was in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So much history... "GUMP" The Original Cup. Has it's own vault. The Conn Smythe The Toronto Boat show was quite successful for our first time attending. A few more dates filled in the book. If you don't have one for your group yet, what are you waiting for.... give us an email and we will let you know what is available.

This was the sunset on my way home from from the show. I missed the Bush! Hockey is gretting more intense every time we step on the ice!! It is nice to see these kids get the hang of laying someone out. Lots of hockey to come!

Happy New Year!!

The sun sets on another year, I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope 2009 is a good one for all! With the world in turmoil, we will be striving to do even better to show all of our guests the Best Canadian Experience ever!


I played with the Old Guys and Dads versus the Local Midget team(15-17 y/o) and had a blast! We won 4-3. Yours truley scored a hat-trick and hit the post, got to hit my nephew and his friends a few timestoo. The Old guys may not be too fast but they are wiley and can pass... Re-match is in Feb, the kids didn't like losing thats for sure. I better keep my head up next time.
This is Stan and the little guy is Barry. The coaches of the Midget team. They both played Senior till well into their 30's and can still play. Check out the gear.

There are some huge piles of ice out on the lake. It was 12-14 inches thick when this stuff broke up. The wind is powerful out there.

Our E-Holiday card just went out today, Here is the link Happy New Year

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas Everyone. It is cold here in Canada but it is a White Christmas from coast to coast for the first time in many years. Just the way it should be. All of us at Amik wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Awesome New Year.

Here are a few pics from around here. These are my girls playing outside.


Looks cold but Canadian Kids are Tough!!!

Another cold morning but not much wind....it is all good with no wind, no matter the temperature.

3 Goals in 20 Seconds!!!

It is as cold as a witch's you know what here in Manitoba, Minus 45 windchill!! Great weather for working outside allday!! And for Playing Hockey, we have one of the coldest rinks around. Sometimes it is colder inside than out!

Billy Mosienko who is from Winnipeg, scored 3 goals in 21 seconds for the Chicago Blackhawks in 1952 and that record was beaten on Sunday by a 11 year old winger on our team. We won quite handidly but Riley was on fire scoring 3 goals in 20 seconds! It was so cold in the arena that it was a good thing we only have 2 lines so no one has to sit on the bench very long:)

Here is Dradon, he didn't see many shots so we had to keep him warm as he watched the play in the other end!

The Ice looks cool when you can see the cracks.

We found some more fish too. A place called Ernie's reef, we always set there but never usually catch much for fish. There is a first time for everything!!! Usually by this time of year the fishing is not so good. Feels good to still be catching walleyes like crazy!

The Head Party!!

There were 37 contestants in our local deer contest and 9 heads brought in. It seems more and more hunters are letting the small ones go, which is nice to see. I was at a hockey game and was late in showing up but got to see a few of them.



This one was shot only a few miles from my place, I didn't even know he was there! Sure reminds me of my brothers deer last year. Here is the post 2007 Deer Party

The winner scored 161 and change. A real trophy!

Bombardier Time Already!!

We have had a nice fall and deer season is over, no big buck for Johnny! Hunted quite a bit but didn't see anything worth taking this year. My standards are getting quite high now. Our local end of season deer head party is this weekend. I hope to get there to get some pictures of some Bucks from around my place!

The ice is getting thicker and finally we have 11-12 inches close to shore. The 1954 "Auto-Neige", we call it a "Bombardier" is back out there as a 3rd man. My brother has made many changes and improvements to the old girl to make our lives easier. He has put a net roller on the front to pull out the nets, and a net puller on the back to pullem back in, he loves to work with metal!

Fishing has been better than we have seen in many years so we are both tired and sore but happy to be catching fish! The Bombardier is nice since the net puller does all the pulling, Jamie takes out the fish and I clean them all. Suckers, Northerns, Whitefish, and the oh so valuable Walleye!

Here is Jamie on our first day out west withe Bombardier checking the ice.

So many days start out nice and calm.......


And before you know it it starts to blow!!!! It can be so nice in shore but drifting and cold out on the lake!


Then it gets even windier, Manitoba, where we live is a very windy place for some reason, gives you a good tan though!!!!