THE ICE FISHERMAN

COVID-19 has been tough on 30-year-old Blane Millerking of rural Kimball. First, his business came to an abrupt halt as a direct result of COVID, and then his mentor and grandfather died after contracting the nasty virus.

Blane's business was raising and selling meat goats to Colorado Indian restaurants. The successful business completely stopped due to COVID regulations and the closure of those restaurants in Colorado.

Then he lost his grandfather to COVID, the grandfather that took him to North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska to ice fish. The emotions are still raw as a tear trickles down Blanes' cheek when he speaks of his grandfather. His grandfather and great-grandfather took Blane ice fishing beginning at the age of 7.

"If I catch any fish then I know my grandpa is looking over me," Blane said. "It was good times, and I still have the memories of what he showed me and taught me."

But it is pretty tough to get Blane down as long as he has ice fishing. Blane's dad, Ron, doesn't like the ice and refuses to step out on it, although he takes him and checks on him, but Blane loves the ice. The soft booming sound of ice cracking could be heard for quite a distance when a couple of kids walked out into the middle of the lake.

For Blane, ice fishing is a time to relax, see nature and just enjoy himself.

"Ice fishing is a coping skill for me," he explained. "Like if I am having a bad day, I pick up my fishing gear and head to the lake."

Blane suffers from epilepsy. Even though he takes medication for it, he sometimes still has seizures.

"I like to sit out here, see the wildlife, watch the bald eagles," he said.

He recently had a seizure while out fishing, but he always has a few fishing buddies around to look out for him.

Most days and late into the evenings Blane can be caught ice fishing at Oliver Lake in what he and his fishing buddies call the "toilet bowl." The ice in the "toilet bowl" area was about 12 inches thick, according to Blane and his measuring equipment. Other areas have air bubbles or open water and are just not safe by Blane's rules. 

Blane's gear is all top notch – he has cleats, a tent-sled, propane heater, state-of-the-art fish finder, a hand auger and of course snacks. Growing tired of the hand labor and the time it takes to drill with the hand auger, Blane intends to purchase a gas auger soon. It takes about 5 minutes to drill a hole, but according to Blane, that is five minutes less of fishing.

Using minnows and only drilling four holes, two inside the hut and two outside the hut, Blane has been lucky. He has caught numerous walleyes, panfish, perch, crappie and recently he caught a 10-pound, 12-inch catfish which broke his brand-new pole, less than 24 hours old. The catfish was pretty tasty after it was skinned, filleted, and fried up using a beer batter coating. Blane smiled and reminisced about the flavor of the catfish as he said, "I love fish." 

The ice fishing isn't just for locals. Fishermen and their huts from Sidney and Scottsbluff dot the landscape at Oliver Lake.