2019 Women Ice Angler Project Kicks Off at Mission Springs Resort in Ashland, Wisc. on Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay
Category: News Release
Jan 24th, 2019 by Keith Worrall
Modified Feb 1st, 2019 at 9:51 AM
(Bayfield, Wisc.) Jan. 23, 2019 — The women ice anglers have arrived at Mission Springs Resort as the Women Ice Angler Project kicks off this week and the consensus is in: this resort is top drawer. “What a beautiful place, I mean it is fancy nice,” Barb Carey said as the group settled into the four-bedroom accommodations. The kitchen is well appointed, and an extra-large mudroom is perfect for thawing out augers and charging Vexilars each evening. Mission Springs Resort overlooks the bay toward the Ashland cityscape and at night the lights are enchanting. This week the super-blood-wolf moon created an extra phenomenon to behold.
Barb Carey, Rikki Pardun, Hannah Stonehouse Hudson and Bonnie Timm ventured out for prefishing. As usual on Lake Superior, conditions were tough. “The big predator fish like to follow the new ice and we’ve got our challenges finding them,” Hudson said. They did catch perch and whitefish. All in all, Hudson is beyond happy to be home. This was where she and Jim Hudson lived—and fished. It is the community that enveloped her with love and care when Jim died six years ago while ice fishing as he broke through thin ice. “My emotions are all over the place right now, but it feels good to be here and everyone is so welcoming,” Hudson said. “It feels like home.”
One man caught up with the gals at a launch and thanked them for their social media presence. “He told us his daughter watches our videos all the time and really follows us,” Hannah said. “He was this super-fan dad and we loved meeting him and were excited to hear about how we’re helping his young daughter.”
Carey seconds the warm welcome from the area. “Everyone has been glad we’re here drawing attention to their town and this part of Lake Superior,” Carey said. “It’s a welcoming community and I have many fond memories of fishing here.”
A plethora of media will follow the Women on Ice this week: Grass Fed Cinema, Larry Smith Outdoors, Minnesota Public Radio, Outdoors First Media and Outdoor Wisconsin, with some on-ice time during the first three days of the week. “We have so much to cover with these great media partners highlighting the Women Ice Angler Project,” Carey said. “We’re spreading it over the entire week …even our prefish days and we’re using the Garmin Panoptix to break down this big body of water as we hunt for those elusive big fish.”
The theme this year is finding empowerment through facing fears–living life to its fullest the Women on Ice’s passion.
“Since the moment my husband passed away, my focus in life has been to help others address their fears and move forward from loss with the lessons they have learned from their loved ones,” Hannah said. “Returning to where Jim taught me to fish, with this group of women who encouraged me to keep fishing after Jim’s death really brings it full circle, especially with the anniversary dates this week. This trip, for me, is all about addressing our fears and living life to the fullest.”
WIAP 2019 anglers included founder and Ice Team pro-staff ice angler Barb Carey, Shelly Holland; Clam pro-staffers Bonnie Timm, Shantel Wittstruck, and Rikki Pardun; outdoor communicators Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, Kristine (K.J.) Houtman and Nicole Stone from Nicole Stone Outdoors.
Project sponsors include Fleet Farm, Blackfish, Clam Outdoors, Jiffy, Garmin Panoptix, Automatic Fisherman, Outdoor First Media, Larry Smith Outdoors, Grass Fed Media, Fish On Kids Books, Stonehouse Photography, WI Women Fish, Women Anglers of Minnesota, The Woman Angler and Adventurer, and local hosts Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Mission Springs Resort.
