In this episode, Jeff and Jason kick off the early-ice season with safety reminders, gear updates, listener tips, and some clever DIY hacks to simplify time on the ice. They’re joined by veteran Minnesota guide Captain Josh Hagemeister, who shares practical ice fishing strategies, affordable gear advice, and insights on how modern sonar affects fish behavior. The show wraps with memorable guide stories and a preview of what to expect from the upcoming St. Paul Ice Fishing Show.

Jeff and Jason kick off Season 9, Episode 4 with early-ice updates, listener news, and gear talk ranging from ice shack mods to coolers and augers. They sit down with Jason from IceHawk Fishing Gear to explore how guiding frustrations led him to create a premium Minnesota-made tip-up system and dive into the challenges of patents, prototypes, and product design. The episode wraps with a look at IceHawk’s new Bluetooth-enabled smart tip-up and stories from the ice, including a remarkable rescue that earned Jason a Carnegie Hero Medal nomination.

Season 9 continues as early ice begins forming up north and Jeff and Jason start getting excited for the first fishable ice of the year. With Red Lake close to freezing, the guys admit they might even skip the St. Paul Ice Show if the ice is ready—because fishing always wins.

This episode also features a great guest: Brett from REL Fishing, who shares his all-inclusive wheelhouse rental and guiding experience on Lake Minnetonka.

The Hard Water crew dives into wheelhouse life with returning guests Ole and Kathy Olson. From gas-station cappuccinos and Hop Cremancer IPAs to gear talk, new Minnesota regs, and family adventures on the ice, this episode brings laughter, lessons, and plenty of midwestern ice-fishing wisdom.

In this episode of the Hard Water Fishing Show Jeff and Jason talk about a gear check. Is our gear a donkey or dink. A donkey being a big trophy size fish and a dink being something we would throw back.