TOM MARCHANT: Ice fishing in Madison starts when there's
at least four inches of ice on the lake-- for me, anyway.
(drill whirring)
Oh, just missed him.
See if I can get him again.
NORMA MARCHANT: You know that almost everybody that drives by
thinks you're nuts.
TOM: I've always liked being outside,
being out in nature.
I think I'd go nuts if I had to sit in the house
all winter long.
Fish tastes better in the winter too.
You don't have all the algae and all that other stuff
growing in the water.
All that isn't in their bodies at the time.
NORMA: So you go down until you hit the bottom
and then you just feel that tug.
TOM: Oh, there's one down there now.
Let's see if I can get him to bite.
It's just a little guy.
We usually get bluegills and perch and some crappies--
a lot of pan fish.
Having ice on the lake affords you to get out
where the fish are, where otherwise,
all you have a chance to get is what you get from shore,
and that's usually pretty little fish.
I think it was four years ago that Monona had two spots
that were wide open--
probably a football field length and width--
that it didn't freeze.
I think the length of time the ice is on Madison lakes
is getting less.
I can't say that for sure, but it would make it real difficult
to ice-fish if it didn't freeze over.
NORMA: We actually are more competitive
than we care to admit sometimes, but it's
friendly competition, right?
TOM: I usually catch more fish.
NORMA: I think it usually depends on the day
who catches more fish, right, Tom?
TOM: If you say so, dear.
(laughing)