12-02-2007, 04:04 AM
Made it to Island Park around 6:45 this morning. My new Strike master Cobra Power Auger gave me fits. The choke-throttle combination is a pain, and I may need it looked at. My trouble shooting may be more harmful in the long run. The chock seems way loose. If anyone understands this auger any feedback would be appreciated.
Well besides mechanical problems it was a typical Island Park early ice day. My son and I iced only three with a total of five bites in five hours of fishing. We iced two about three minutes apart, about twenty minutes after we started fishing. Even though these were 1/2 pound early season planters, I thought the day was going to be more interesting. After this nothing for three hours. I decided to move myself from the dam and drill new holes at the point near the dam. I gave my son the responsibility of watching our rigs as I was about 150 yards away. After drilling six holes my son yelled and when I got back to him I had a
kid; he told me he tried, but a fish pulled in a pole before he could get to it[]. Well all though my cheap ten dollar ice pole was gone, after twenty minutes of watching poles one of my rods had a light bite, when I got to it I had a big fish on, which included my missing pole[sly] This is twice this has happened to me; after retrieving my entangled pole I began retrieving the fish. After a good five minute fight I iced a nice 20' inch 3 and 3/4 pound cutt-bow!
We fished another couple of hours with no bites and left at noon. As far as conditions and catch methods here is my report. I would not call the ice solid! Three inches ice/two inches slush, and it seemed to get soft as the morning progressed; believe me I had a life vest on my son! Powerbait did not work. The best combinations were .5 ounce white glow jigs tipped with crawler. Pink jigs of a variety also had hits, and iced fish. I did not see one fish on the Vexilar today; so jigging did not even work, and believe me I tried. Best depth was about a foot off the bottom in 5 to 15 feet of water, fished up to forty feet no hits.
Island Park is not about large catch rates. I go for one big fish. I love it for its ultimate winter look. Many trumpeters, geese, and bald eagles flew over today. The sun came out for twenty minutes and that was simple bliss. When you drive through the town site itself I must have counted 50-60 swans right in the river. This to me is worth the drive and pain in getting up there. I may try Lakeside on Saturday, or maybe Chesterfield? Be careful on the ice as temps will rise this week.
I probably should mention I checked the ice at Ashton and Rexburg today. Ashton I did not even dare get on, and Rexburg should be safe in three to five days if temps stay near freezing for the majority of the day. A lot of rocks on the Rexburg pond, if it snows be aware of them before you drill.
Ovid Creek
[signature]
Well besides mechanical problems it was a typical Island Park early ice day. My son and I iced only three with a total of five bites in five hours of fishing. We iced two about three minutes apart, about twenty minutes after we started fishing. Even though these were 1/2 pound early season planters, I thought the day was going to be more interesting. After this nothing for three hours. I decided to move myself from the dam and drill new holes at the point near the dam. I gave my son the responsibility of watching our rigs as I was about 150 yards away. After drilling six holes my son yelled and when I got back to him I had a
kid; he told me he tried, but a fish pulled in a pole before he could get to it[]. Well all though my cheap ten dollar ice pole was gone, after twenty minutes of watching poles one of my rods had a light bite, when I got to it I had a big fish on, which included my missing pole[sly] This is twice this has happened to me; after retrieving my entangled pole I began retrieving the fish. After a good five minute fight I iced a nice 20' inch 3 and 3/4 pound cutt-bow! We fished another couple of hours with no bites and left at noon. As far as conditions and catch methods here is my report. I would not call the ice solid! Three inches ice/two inches slush, and it seemed to get soft as the morning progressed; believe me I had a life vest on my son! Powerbait did not work. The best combinations were .5 ounce white glow jigs tipped with crawler. Pink jigs of a variety also had hits, and iced fish. I did not see one fish on the Vexilar today; so jigging did not even work, and believe me I tried. Best depth was about a foot off the bottom in 5 to 15 feet of water, fished up to forty feet no hits.
Island Park is not about large catch rates. I go for one big fish. I love it for its ultimate winter look. Many trumpeters, geese, and bald eagles flew over today. The sun came out for twenty minutes and that was simple bliss. When you drive through the town site itself I must have counted 50-60 swans right in the river. This to me is worth the drive and pain in getting up there. I may try Lakeside on Saturday, or maybe Chesterfield? Be careful on the ice as temps will rise this week.
I probably should mention I checked the ice at Ashton and Rexburg today. Ashton I did not even dare get on, and Rexburg should be safe in three to five days if temps stay near freezing for the majority of the day. A lot of rocks on the Rexburg pond, if it snows be aware of them before you drill.
Ovid Creek
[signature]