The winters in Minnesota can be brutal, but there seems to be one sport that is very popular for many people no matter what the weather is like. Ice fishing has been one of the biggest winter pastimes in the Upper Midwest region.

       Some students at Albert Lea High School take advantage of Minnesota winters and get out on the ice to catch some fish.

       “I think that it’s a great way to spend free time,” said Junior Luke Cheever.

       Cheever is an avid ice fisher and he loves to get on the ice as much as he can. When able, he likes to be on the ice every day, but now he just does it when he has time. “I like to go on the weekends”, Cheever said.

       He likes it because he can be by himself and just relax. He likes to be in a one-man ice house. He also likes to put candles in it to make it smell good. Cheever goes to many different areas to fish. He has been up to Lake Winnibigoshish and Mille Lacs Lake, but when he fishes in Albert Lea he has one secret spot he doesn’t want to give away. On one of Cheever’s best days he caught about 50 fish.

       Junior Cody Haaland is another Albert Lea High School student who likes to ice fish. Haaland also enjoys ice fishing because he can sit and relax. When Haaland is in his ice house, he watches his Hummingbird, a fish finder, and waits for them to come by. A fish finder is an electronic piece of equipment that shows where the fish are at under the water. Using his Hummingbird, Haaland has also caught almost 50 fish in one day.

       Both Cheever and Haaland like to go by themselves because they are able to get away from everything else. When they fish, they both use minnows and wax worms for their bait, depending on where they are. Both of them have their own equipment, which includes ice houses and fishing poles.

       According to Cheever and Haaland, ice fishing can be a very entertaining past time for anyone. “Anyone can do it because it’s so simple”, Cheever said. Some students at ALHS are interested in ice fishing, and others just like to do it every once in a while. Ice fishing is a sport that is available for almost anyone to try.

       “The things that you need are pretty simple”, said Haaland. The necessities for fishing are just a pole and some bait, but with the Minnesota winter conditions you may need more things to keep you comfortable.