Western Ice Fishing
For a lot of hunters, winter feels like dead space. The tags are filled (or not), the truck finally gets unpacked, and everything slows down while you wait for application season to roll back around.
But winter doesn’t have to be an off-season. For some folks, it’s quietly become another version of a western hunt — just with an auger instead of a bow.
In this episode of the Drawn West Podcast, I sat down with Matt Waldron from Crappie Chronicles to talk about an 11-day ice fishing road trip across Montana. This wasn’t a long weekend or a resort stay. It was a true destination trip — multiple Airbnbs, an enclosed trailer, machines, camera gear, and long miles between stops.
An 11-Day Ice Fishing Trip Feels a Lot Like a Western Hunt
If you’ve ever driven west for a DIY hunt, you know the rhythm. Long stretches of road. Big country. The feeling that you’re committing to something that’s bigger than a quick weekend.
That same feeling shows up on destination ice fishing trips.
The biggest difference, according to Matt, isn’t logistics — it’s pressure. Hunting trips carry a quiet weight. There’s a tag to fill, a limited window, and the constant awareness that you might only get one real chance.
Ice fishing trips don’t carry that same tension.
You still plan hard. You still prepare. But the goal shifts from “make it happen at all costs” to exploration and adaptation. That mental shift alone makes destination ice fishing incredibly appealing for people who already live in the western hunting mindset.
Gear Overload Is Real — And It Might Be Worse Than Hunting
If you think western hunting requires a lot of gear, ice fishing can be a rude awakening.
On this Montana trip, Matt’s crew hauled a 23-foot enclosed trailer loaded with machines, shelters, rods, electronics, batteries, and enough cold-weather gear to cover every possible scenario. Every stop meant unloading machines just to fish. Every move meant charging batteries, fixing something that broke, and repacking for the next lake.
Ice fishing demands redundancy in a way most hunters don’t expect. Forgetting boots isn’t inconvenient — it’s trip-ending. Losing tungsten isn’t annoying — it can completely derail a bite.
That reality forces a level of preparation most casual anglers never experience, and it’s part of what makes these trips such a fast learning curve.
Why Western Ice Fishing Is a Different Animal
Fishing pressured Midwest lakes teaches patience. Western ice fishing teaches perspective.
Out west, everything scales up. Lakes are massive. Pressure drops off fast. Wildlife is everywhere. You’re not hopping from community hole to community hole — you’re often completely alone.
Places like Fort Peck aren’t just fishing destinations; they’re true backcountry environments. Ice thickness can vary dramatically because of current. Cell service disappears. Safety decisions matter as much as fishing decisions.
That’s where western hunters tend to feel right at home. The same instincts apply: read conditions, know when to back out, and don’t force a plan that isn’t working.
Big Fish, Different Expectations
One of the most eye-opening parts of the conversation was just how different western fisheries are compared to heavily pressured waters back home.
On Fort Peck, average lake trout run eight to twelve pounds. Walleyes pushing into the mid-teens aren’t once-in-a-lifetime fish — they’re part of the system. These fish live longer, feed better, and see far less pressure.
Matt talked about dumping what may have been the biggest walleye of his life. Not because of bad luck or bad decisions — but because that’s the reality when you’re fishing where truly giant fish exist.
Experiences like that recalibrate expectations fast.
You Don’t Need a $1,200 Tag to Have a “Western” Trip
This might be the most important takeaway of the entire episode.
Hunters routinely drive 20 hours, burn vacation, and spend serious money on western tags. But many hesitate at the idea of a fishing trip — even when it’s often cheaper, more flexible, and easier to plan.
Destination ice fishing flips that logic on its head:
No draw systems or preference points
No tag pressure or once-a-year anxiety
Trips can be as short or as long as life allows
If you already travel for hunts, you likely already own most of what you need to make a destination fishing trip work.
The Real Lesson: Be Flexible or Be Frustrated
If there was one theme that kept coming up, it was this: nothing goes exactly to plan.
Lakes didn’t fish as expected. Routes changed. Entire days were re-routed. Some of the best moments happened specifically because the crew adapted instead of forcing a script.
That lesson applies everywhere — hunting, fishing, and life in general.
The people who enjoy destination trips the most aren’t the ones who plan the hardest. They’re the ones who adjust the fastest.
Final Thoughts
Western ice fishing isn’t about replacing hunting. It’s about expanding how you think about adventure.
If you already love traveling for hunts, there’s a good chance you’ll love destination ice fishing — especially in winter, when most people are stuck waiting for spring.
Quiet country. Big water. Fish that don’t behave like pressured survivors.
Once you experience that, it’s hard to see winter the same way again.
UP NEXT:
Western ice fishing delivers the same adventure as a western hunt — minus the tag pressure. Here’s why destination ice fishing trips are worth the drive.