Is this a good deal

[MuskieBait]

It's an OK deal if this is your first time icefishing and you just want to see what it is like. You have to watch out for the fine print...or what wasn't stated in the fine print (which is even more worrisome).

1) The "fishing pole" they give you could be a simple line winded around a wooden stick similar in look to a paint stir stick. Certainly don't expect rod and reels. It's functional...but it'll be mostly hand line jigging or deadsticking rather than using a rod and reel.

2) They didn't mention how many huts to provide to you. It could be one large hut to accommodate all 12 people. In any case, I would worry about too many people in too small a hut...which is not very comfortable in an already small space. You also have to think about moving around in the hut in a cramped spacing...depending on how the holes are drilled. Some ice huts have these large 3'x4' large rectangular holes chainsawed in the ice. These large holes can be slippery and dangerous in a cramped setting when you try to shuffle around people to get in or out of the hut.

3) It doesn't mention bait being included. They can over charge you for bait to make up for the cheap price.

4) It doesn't mention the ride out to the hut and ride in back to shore. They can charge you for each ride, again, to make up for the cheap price.

5) They may have restriction placed on when you can use the coupon. Weekends are the busiest time and they may not be able to accommodate you on weekends (or lie about all the huts already reserved and filled up). You may have to go on a weekday.

6) They could also limit the time of day when you can use this. Minet's Point is good for whitefish and lake trout, which is usually best fished early in the morning until about 11am. You may be forced to fish during the midday dead hours. If they set the huts over deep water, then it is really whitefish/lake trout or nothing. Off that area, perch is usually found much shallower (no deeper than 60 feet of water). If your huts are over 100 feet of water, it would be a go-big-or-go-home-empty kind of fishing.

These are some of the things that you may encounter with these cheap deals. I've experienced some of these restrictions and limitations with other coupons for other activities...so beware.

Again, if this is your first time icefishing and you just want to see what it is like, go ahead and just treat it as a learning experience. The good thing is that responsible operators will not take you out on the ice, or set up huts, when the ice is not safe. So at least you have that risky factor taken care of. If you are set on catching fish and being comfortable, I would take a little caution and prepare for disappointment.