Fishing Forum

It wasn't too bad out so I thought I would run over to Hawkins this morning.

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The sun was out and it looked like it was going to be a calm and warmer day. Looking closer hmmm.... the clouds are oozing over the hills.

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Sure enough the other side is clouded over and is lightly snowing. Oh well, at least the wind isn't blowing!

I got to Hawkins about 9:15. The ice was about 12 inches thick with 8 to 10 inches of snow on top.

I no sooner got a couple of holes drilled and my line in the water than I got a hit. Then another hit, and another. Finally I caught the bugger! It was a nice rainbow of about 14+ inches. I didn't get a picture of it since I stuck my camera in the bottom of the bag that I had thrown in my sled. I hadn't dug it out yet and I didn't want to leave the fish out while I hunted for it!

I am learning lots of new things.... .ice fishing the fish hit soft and grab the very tip of the fly. I need to put stinger hooks on everything! I was getting strikes mostly on a red and black worm/leach jig, but they were grabbing the very tail of it. The tail was only 3/4 to 1 inch long if that much. I thought it was short enough to not need a stinger. That they would grab the whole thing. Not! This is what a hit or two did to the jig.

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They shredded everything off of the tail end!

After they shredded another fly for me the bite pretty much died.

About an hour later another group from Chubbuck showed up with a 4 wheeler and snow machine. It was weird feeling the movement of the machines through the ice and watching the water go up and down in the hole.

They drilled a spread of holes and got set up. After awhile I saw them catch one fish, but it didn't look like it was going too fast for them either.


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I only got one more bite in the last hour, so I packed up and came home.
Yep, the sun was still shining on the other side!
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I wonder if all of my ice fishing adventures this year will be "One Fish Wonders"? I'm beginning to see a pattern here! [:p] [laugh][laugh] [blush]
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Thanks for the report and great pics better one fish than a skunking [cool]
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Thanks for the report. Still havn't fished Hawkins.

Windriver
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Thanks for the report and great pictures . Curt G.
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Better one fish than no fish! It's always nice to get out.
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Good to hear you caught a fish. Seems like ever since the brookies have vanished the ice fishing out there just havnt been the same. To bad to that they are gone it grew some very respectable brooks. Now it seems to have turned into a put and take.
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Thanks all. I have had fun and it is good to get out even if it is only a few hours.

Hawkins is very small and it gets fished hard in the spring when it's planted. I think the smaller reservoirs should have a two fish limit as they really are basically put and take community fisheries.It gets fished out a lot. But it is close for me, and I didn't have much time today.

I thought I would add some of the things I have learned so far ice fishing. Over all It has been fun doing some fishing that's new to me. I have learned so much from all of you. Thank you!


Some of the things I learned from ice fishing so far:

1. It's different, but it is still fishing, and it is outside!

2. Keep your camera around your neck and inside your coat.

3. If possible, turn it on before getting the fish out of the hole. Afterwards my hands are wet, and there is no way to keep the fish in the water while I mess around. Unless I am going to take it home to eat it, then I guess it doesn’t matter!

4. It can be colder at a lower elevation lake. It can also have completely different weather in its own little microclimate.

5. If I plan to stay longer, at least bring the shelter and heater in the car. (I wasn’t planning to stay more than a few hours this time, but dang it was cold!) I am having a hard time deciding to set a shelter up because I want to move around. I think that is because I am not confident that I know where the fish are in the winter months. I am learning though..

6. It may have just been the time of day, but the bite really slowed way down after the machines came on the lake. It is a small lake, and they didn’t come close. But the minute they came on the ice I could feel it through the ice and could see the water pressure waves they were making in my hole. I kind of think that the fish in the whole lake knew there was a disturbance of some sort. I got one more bite about a 1/2hr later but that was all for the next hour.

7. Fish can take their time and nibble the marabou ends right off of a fly without getting hooked. I need to make a mental note to use small nymphs or a stinger hook next time.


8. I need a swivel on my lines. Even a little vertical jigging can put some wild twists in the leader. It seemed to be only with some flies.

9. I should make it a snap swivel, because in the cold I don’t want to take my gloves off to tie a knot!


10. Also to go with #9 above, I need to tie up some leaders with an assortment of flies and jigs already on them. Maybe wrap them on a piece of pool noodle.

11. The fish are not always in the same areas they use in the summer.

12. I need to be more patient. I am so used to moving around on a river or in a float tube that I am having a hard time sticking with a few holes and only fishing with the lure moving vertically or not at all. I want to check out too many areas. Mean time I am getting a bite on the pole I just left!

13. I am content with catching only one fish. I am content with catching only one fish. I am content with catching only one fish………[laugh][laugh]
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