Looking for a Tuuk

As part of my attempt to keep up with the various New Year's resolutions (including some from last year), I'm off this weekend for a bit of icefishing at one of our nearby-ish lakes.

My resolution? More fishing and less bitching about how the fishing in the Interior (at least in the environs of Squarebanks) does not compare to the fishing on the coast. I used to fish all the time, was known for my devotion to fishing, in fact, back in the day before I moved to the land where there are all these trees all over the place.

The S.O. even went so far as to reserve a ice fishing hut on the lake in question, so I will have my first ever icefishing experience in a hut. All previous icefishing experiences have involved sitting on a bucket or cushion out on the ice on a river dressed to deal with whatever the temperature might be. No hut, no stove, no radio, no nothing other than fishing gear. So it would seem rather plush, except for the fact that we managed to schedule time off and the hut for the coldest weekend yet this winter. (Not that this winter has been all that cold.)

I confess, I feel a little bit wimpy using the hut. I know, I know, it's irrational, but there it is. Of course, back in the days on the coast where we took a more bare bones approach to icefishing, we had to constantly skim the hole free of ice - at temperatures around minus 20 or minus 25, it tended to freeze over very quickly. So despite my stubborn devotion to doing things difficultly simply, perhaps I should just shut up and enjoy the hut.

Am finishing with packing for the trip today, but I still haven't managed to find a tuuk, known in other parts of the world as an ice chisel or ice spud. I've checked a number of stores locally, but they are either sold out or have a flat end. I like the blade with an angled end, and even went so far as to look at WalMart. (The shame, the shame.)