We ended up this morning with quite a bunch of guys as we headed onto the ice. My brother Peter and two of his friends from SLC met my party of four at Bunny Hollow. Later in the day we were joined by FOD and his fishing partner. I'm glad I had enough perch chowder to feed the hungry mob at lunch time.
Fishing was what I would call "Fair". We caught plenty of perch but only a handful of bigger units. I kept 12 perch today that were about 9 inches long. I did get four nice RBT to add to my smoker stash. Now that I have enough, they will hit the brine in the morning.
It was very cold this morning, around minus 14 at 0830 and it only climbed to around 10 this afternoon. The temps are great for building the ice thickness. Today it was about 11 inches, more than twice as thick as it was just last Tuesday. I got my perch on a Demon perch jig tipped with perch meat. I also caught the trout on the same rig. We were in the upper end of Rabbit Gulch in 20 to 24 foot water. Others we talked to were doing about the same.
No pix, nothing was that impressive and everybody knows what a batch of medium perch looks like. [
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Mike
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Good meeting you guys today me and FOD got up there before sun up and left at sun down pleanty of perch and some nice bows. The chowder was excellent! Thinking about making a batch myself.
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[cool][#0000ff]Sorry I missed the fishing...and the chowder.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not a bit sorry I missed the COLD. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let me know when you plan another seige on Starvy.[/#0000ff]
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Yes, Thanks Mike for chowder, it was so good I burned the crap out of my mouth trying to eat it too fast. We ended up catching a few more perch that were keepers last night. It was really fun even tho it was bitter cold all day long. Thanks FullMoonfishin for letting me tag along and put that ice hut to use. If it was not for that QF6 I may not have lasted very late into the evening. Also I wanted to thank a good friend Wayne(Gottabite) for playing taxi driver and towing us back into the gulch from the point on your 4 wheeler. You have done that a couple times for me now, I will figure out a way to repay with a hard deck fish fry next time we go out. All in all a good day on the ice, just got to get some walleye next time.
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It was nice meeting several other BFTers yesterday. I hope to make it over again next week depending on the weather. FOD, I'll take you up on the fish fry....I'll bring my stove and I'll help. I'd sure like to figure out those walleye. I know there's plenty of them in the lake but I suppose they get pretty picky in the winter and there is just a huge amount of prey for them in the form of millions of baby perch.
Next time I am going to try a small perch jigging lure for awhile, something's got to work.
Mike
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did you try rons point. or as most know walleye point. where you caught them eyes last yr? think we are going back sunday.[
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Thanks for the report. Has anyone tried by Knight Hollow or only strictly fishing Rabbit Gulch? I plan to make run to Starvation this week sometime and might try some new areas.
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We have only fished in Rabbit Gulch so far this season. Now that the lake has safe ice all around, mobility with a sled or ATV can make exploring a little easier. I don't know what the road access situation is to other areas around the lake. I'd be interested in knowing how the roads are to other parts of the lake.
Mike
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How thick was the ice you were fishing thru? I won't go unless I can run around on the four wheeler. Last year we caught good numbers of perch off of mushroom point really deep water. I like being mobile and able to find them.
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mushroom point? thats a new 1 to me. where is mushroom? we did best beond the bridge up the river chanle in 38 ft last yr.
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The ice where we fished yesterday was about 10 to 12 inches. It is very clear, solid ice with a skiff of snow on the surface. Four wheelers and snowmobiles have been on the lake for several days. I do not know what the ice conditions are on the remainder of the lake, but I would assume with the recent cold temperatures, the ice thickness is probably fairly consistent.
Everyone should use caution when on the ice and avoid any areas that don't appear safe. I also recommend that fishermen should not venture onto the ice alone unless they are in an area with other fishermen. Self rescue is not always possible if someone goes through the ice. Everyone should carry ice picks with them that are accessible in the event of an accident.
Mike
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You're more than welcome Scott. That was the best time I've had in a long time w/o Kaye along (and after explaining how cold it was she was GLAD to have had to work)
Thanks Pete for mentioning that you were going to Starvation, as I walked by you at Sportsmans..otherwise I'da been sitting at home BORED all day yesterday on this STUPID computer.
It was great meeting all you guys out there...putting faces to names is always good, and then having them faces decent people that ya wanna be around again...EXCELLENT!!
I have never been that cold for that long(I WILL fit my tent on the trailer one way or another next time)...but I had a BLAST! I only caught like 3 or 4 maybe 5 dinks to mediums at best...but had HIGH HOPES!! Those were TOADS that Radek & Scot caught!!(think Radek's was bigger...but..only one EACH ..dang) And all those Starvy Steelies...WOW!! All I smelled was skunk on slimers! OH WELL...Looked FUN!!
Still can't figure out why my camera took on water like that!! That SUCKS...that's MY excuse for no big ones...couldn't see the bottom..[
] Sure woulda liked to know if any wallys were cruising by...darn Vexilar don't tell what kind...just that they are there
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Its the last big rock point between rabbit and the island. Water gets really deep there - like 80 - 90 feet.
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Wow - thats pretty thick ice. I was fishing Flaming Gorge last Saturday at Buckboard and it was only 6" thick but the air temp was 34 degrees. Much warmer than Starvation!
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so its on the north side of rabit towards the mouth. thanx. a few yrs back ron the old guide at starvation fished in november of the island in 80 ft and caught over 100 eyes vertical jigging spoons.
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Yes Wayne thank you for pulling us around appreciate it. Fun times let's do it again next I am talking both heaters.
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Hey guys...I ended up with a Thermos cup of one of ya's! It had coffee w/cream in it, but was more like an ice cube. I found it in my pole bucket when I got home...I already ask Pete if it was his.
Lemme know if it's yours.
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Wayne,
I checked with my guys and it doesn't belong to any of them. I think it might belong to FOD or FULLMOONFISHIN.
Mike
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