The hardest part is to get the head started up through the hole. I grabbed the fish by the jaw and pulled it up. Walleye have sharp teeth and you want to avoid those. Coming out of 34 degree water, they are cold to hold. I rented the ice house, which included the transportation of 7 miles out to where we were fishing. Ice was only 18"" thick and didn't want to drive my truck out on that ice. Hard Core? In January I was out with the boy scout troop winter camping. We had a cabin in the woods and everyone slept outside, except one. First night it got down to -9, the second night was -5. I was hoping for -20 to try out the hammock and new tarp.