It has been an interesting winter so far in 2022: a short period of extreme cold, followed by some mild temperatures. This has made my annual ice fishing trips a little difficult but hasn't stopped me from going.

Normally, an inch or two of snow on the surface of the ice will provide enough traction to get to your fishing spot. But, especially in eastern Montana, wind can blow the snow off the ice, leaving a surface a smooth as glass which, as you might understand, is NOT the easiest surface to walk on.

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So far this season I have found myself a little unprepared for walking on hard water. I have a set of cleats, but, only one set. I didn't take into account that my 9-year-old was going to resemble Bambi on a frozen pond. So, of course, I gave him my set of cleats, mostly just to save me the cost of that emergency room visit. The cleats will give you the traction you need to walk on the slick surface. Did I come prepared for that situation? NO! So I did what any other resilient Montana boy would do. I dug through all the crap in my pickup and eventually, I came up with two bungee straps. I wrapped a bungee around each of my boots. The result was far better than I could have imagined. Not only did they provide me with the traction I needed on the ice, but I could also almost sprint.

Next time you find yourself in a slick situation, reach for your bungee straps. They are like duct tape when it comes to things that can save the day.

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