If you show up on a lake that I'm ice fishing on, I must warn you. You're in public. Public is for everyone, I'm one of everyone. If the fishing is slow, and I don't recognize you, I will come to visit you. I will ask you all about your luck or lack there of. I want to see all the ice fishing gear you have and what you're using. If something looks the least bit different from what I got, I pretty much need to give it the old once over to see if since you have a new thing-a- ma- jig, maybe I should get one too. I'll see for me, myself and I, if your ice fishing snack and beverage cooler is sufficiently supplied. I know I will take a quick look in your minnow bucket and finger through your spikes or Waxies. Im a waxie guy myself. After I have checked your ice fishing ladle I go right for the power and see what auger you have and do you buy chance have the brand new latest model or a veteran of many grinding campaigns. Nothing worse than a new guy, with a new auger, that doesn't work. When it comes to heaters I save them for the last. A guy with a good heater, is a good guy. Guys or gals without heaters are tough; I like them both but the good heater folks get the first phone calls later on about January. So preheater, I see what super insulated footwear you're proud of then the all-purpose water proof fish handling frigid finger gear you selected. If the gloves look real good, I may ask to try them on at least once. My cap is my cap, and your cap if it looks neat I may comment on but since it's probably cold I wont ask you to remove it. I can tell pretty quick who's really cool under ice fishing pressure too. If I show up and you have drilled more holes than a liquored up oil rigger I know your guessing about where to fish instead of just hunkering down and make the fish come to you by sheer skill, most of us old timers call will power. And I will see if your on the same thickness of ice I am. Any one post-wool, I get a bit nervous around so if you're a super fabric fanatic just mention you never ever go without at least donning a pair of wool socks or I might just decide to mind my own business and go back to my portable little ice fishing heaven. You're sure welcome to visit of course unless the fishing is really good. Then just show up after I can lay all those frozen fillets out for you. After I get done checking and giving all your gear a once over, then I will get down to brass tacks. Like whom do you know, that I know? How come you decided to try this lake, cuz I'm sure I never saw you before? You got a hunting dog, or just a dog? Just so you don't think I'm going overboard, I won't check your license, I'll leave that for the badge members of the official order of ice fisher checkers. And if you don't want me to come visit in the first place, just hope for your sake the fish are really biting. The trout whisperer