Ice fishing is very...VERY...popular here. Any lake with fish in it will have pre-drilled and iced over holes everywhere for 10 minutes walk in any direction from the nearest boat launch or pier (or anywhere you can drive onto the lake). Then you only have to chop through a little bit of ice.

My dad and I used to do that all the time when we were lazy...when his auger was powered by ME and not by gasoline

If you were on foot in the bush and not near civilization it could be tricky but it's doable. If I needed food that bad I'd make a spear with one of my knives, ask forgiveness from the patron saint of sharps and chip away. You don't need a very big hole to get a decent sized fish out.


I have next to no experience with rifles (I haven't fired one in 10 years or more) but that Ruger looks nice. I'm partial to getting something that can be broken down and stowed in a pack like a Springfield Arms M6 or a US Survival Rifle.

For me I think the most important feature would be how easy it is to maintain both at home and in the field. I like low maintenance.