02-20-2011, 01:34 AM
Finally got to try the ice at Pineview. Got my boy and me off before light, but didn't arrive at the lake till a bit after 7. Though I wouldn't call it "sun up". Had chatted up Ben (thefriends) who was also headed over to Pineview for a change of scenery.
Launched off Port Ramp, and we decided to try just off the docks. My one float trip there I'd spotted up all kinds of mess of fish on teh finder, but didn't have any luck with them then. Under ice was a different story. We just drilled some holes to test the waters b4 setting up tent/camp.
Dropped down, and didn't get anything for a while. Tried to bounce bottom, and realized - I wasn't there yet! Drop drop drop - lift, and set.
THEN I got some hits pretty soon off, and pulled up my first Crappie! I wanted to hit Pineview, and get on some crappie - the day was already a success!
My son wandered off to chase birds and I pulled in another trio of dinky crappie. But it was tugs! Being in 45 feet of water, I didn't have much hope for releasing the smaller ones (plus - it was my first fisheses!) Got the camera down and watched Crappie and Perch drift by. A neighboring angler had to come over and see my rig after the 4th consecutive landing. Said he'd landed one (I watched him land a number of others later!)
Ben and Nate set out earlier and were about midway from Browning to Cemetery. Tagged calls and texts - they had hit on 1 perch. So they came our way, and set in to show us how it's REALLY done! Ben got onto one with a bit more bulk to him. Probably pushing 12" - Nate picked through some dinky perch, and got onto some keepers.
The snow/rain got pounding - it was time to setup the tent. Easier on the camera view that way! I started missing a lot of bites, and after a time - it seemed the fish weren't as frequent. The Boy had wandered off to chase rabbits in the bushes (kept going on about wanting a BB gun now...) - and I headed out to mid-lake. Hoping to land on top of a good school of perch. Got a couple taps, but really not much action.
We headed out about noon. The snow/rain had pretty well stopped by then. We noted a few tents up by the orange buoy line, but nobody on the dam side of it. A fair number of folks out, but nothing compared to some of the other tent-circus-towns I've seen. PV has some pretty expanded real-estate to share. Good ice, plenty THICK, a couple inches of "wet" snow/slush - but not bad for sled pulling really.
Tried various ice-jigs, tipped with wax/meal-worm, perch eye - both did good. Tried the grass-shrimp first time, but they didn't catch any, but I'm not giving up on 'em!
All in all - didn't find the 100s of perch, but got on some crappie - kid had a good time exploring. I'm thinking I'd like to hit it again while the ice is on! Maybe even that "night trip".
But I'm thinnin on hitting Hyrum in the morning. Hope the tents dried out!
Launched off Port Ramp, and we decided to try just off the docks. My one float trip there I'd spotted up all kinds of mess of fish on teh finder, but didn't have any luck with them then. Under ice was a different story. We just drilled some holes to test the waters b4 setting up tent/camp.
Dropped down, and didn't get anything for a while. Tried to bounce bottom, and realized - I wasn't there yet! Drop drop drop - lift, and set.
THEN I got some hits pretty soon off, and pulled up my first Crappie! I wanted to hit Pineview, and get on some crappie - the day was already a success!
My son wandered off to chase birds and I pulled in another trio of dinky crappie. But it was tugs! Being in 45 feet of water, I didn't have much hope for releasing the smaller ones (plus - it was my first fisheses!) Got the camera down and watched Crappie and Perch drift by. A neighboring angler had to come over and see my rig after the 4th consecutive landing. Said he'd landed one (I watched him land a number of others later!)
Ben and Nate set out earlier and were about midway from Browning to Cemetery. Tagged calls and texts - they had hit on 1 perch. So they came our way, and set in to show us how it's REALLY done! Ben got onto one with a bit more bulk to him. Probably pushing 12" - Nate picked through some dinky perch, and got onto some keepers.
The snow/rain got pounding - it was time to setup the tent. Easier on the camera view that way! I started missing a lot of bites, and after a time - it seemed the fish weren't as frequent. The Boy had wandered off to chase rabbits in the bushes (kept going on about wanting a BB gun now...) - and I headed out to mid-lake. Hoping to land on top of a good school of perch. Got a couple taps, but really not much action.
We headed out about noon. The snow/rain had pretty well stopped by then. We noted a few tents up by the orange buoy line, but nobody on the dam side of it. A fair number of folks out, but nothing compared to some of the other tent-circus-towns I've seen. PV has some pretty expanded real-estate to share. Good ice, plenty THICK, a couple inches of "wet" snow/slush - but not bad for sled pulling really.
Tried various ice-jigs, tipped with wax/meal-worm, perch eye - both did good. Tried the grass-shrimp first time, but they didn't catch any, but I'm not giving up on 'em!
All in all - didn't find the 100s of perch, but got on some crappie - kid had a good time exploring. I'm thinking I'd like to hit it again while the ice is on! Maybe even that "night trip".
But I'm thinnin on hitting Hyrum in the morning. Hope the tents dried out!
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