03-15-2013, 01:33 AM
I just had to make one more trip to Starvation this winter. I wasn't ready to let go of what had been a great season with good fishing and better company.
I drove over on Wednesday afternoon intending to camp overnight if conditions were OK to fish. I drove to the Indian Bay campground loop and went to the end of the road. This is the area we have been fishing for the last 10 days with good success. I checked out the conditions and found I could get onto the ice using the boards I brought along.
[url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4787_zps8f1c703a.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4787_zps8f1c703a.jpg[/url]
[url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4786_zps142879fc.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4786_zps142879fc.jpg[/url]
I went out at 4:00 p.m. and set up where we fished on Monday. I was surprised to find our holes had not refrozen since Monday and I only had to use my scoop to clear out some skim ice. Almost immediately I saw perch on my Showdown. They were there but they were not interested in feeding. This late in the season I think their minds are on other things.....like making more perch.
I tried everything I had with me and no takers. I didn't even get a single hit and I fished until 7:30 p.m. and near darkness.
I camped out in my truck overnight and hit the ice not-so-bright and early at 0700 while it was still dark. The walk from the shore is only about 130 yards and the surface was firm as it had gone below freezing overnight. The holes had a little ice but it was removed easily with the scoop. I saw the perch again almost right away. I finally had a hit and I caught a very lonely 8 inch fish, the only one of this trip. I kept the perch thinking this would be the first of many. WRONG! One perch, $10.00 camping fee, $26.00 worth of diesel and seven hours of fishing. This ice season is very much over for me.
I'm looking forward to coming back in a few weeks to look for the walleye in the open water. Next winter promises to be a very special ice season. There's a good chance we could see perch in the 10-12 inch range as the average. We may have people from western Idaho driving over here to catch perch!
Here's a salute to the BFTers that shared the fishing with me this winter...It was a pleasure and I enjoyed every minute. I know we'll do it again next December....or January anyway. [url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4788_zps291e712d.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4788_zps291e712d.jpg[/url]
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I drove over on Wednesday afternoon intending to camp overnight if conditions were OK to fish. I drove to the Indian Bay campground loop and went to the end of the road. This is the area we have been fishing for the last 10 days with good success. I checked out the conditions and found I could get onto the ice using the boards I brought along.
[url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4787_zps8f1c703a.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4787_zps8f1c703a.jpg[/url]
[url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4786_zps142879fc.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4786_zps142879fc.jpg[/url]
I went out at 4:00 p.m. and set up where we fished on Monday. I was surprised to find our holes had not refrozen since Monday and I only had to use my scoop to clear out some skim ice. Almost immediately I saw perch on my Showdown. They were there but they were not interested in feeding. This late in the season I think their minds are on other things.....like making more perch.
I tried everything I had with me and no takers. I didn't even get a single hit and I fished until 7:30 p.m. and near darkness.
I camped out in my truck overnight and hit the ice not-so-bright and early at 0700 while it was still dark. The walk from the shore is only about 130 yards and the surface was firm as it had gone below freezing overnight. The holes had a little ice but it was removed easily with the scoop. I saw the perch again almost right away. I finally had a hit and I caught a very lonely 8 inch fish, the only one of this trip. I kept the perch thinking this would be the first of many. WRONG! One perch, $10.00 camping fee, $26.00 worth of diesel and seven hours of fishing. This ice season is very much over for me.
I'm looking forward to coming back in a few weeks to look for the walleye in the open water. Next winter promises to be a very special ice season. There's a good chance we could see perch in the 10-12 inch range as the average. We may have people from western Idaho driving over here to catch perch!
Here's a salute to the BFTers that shared the fishing with me this winter...It was a pleasure and I enjoyed every minute. I know we'll do it again next December....or January anyway. [url "http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4788_zps291e712d.jpg"]http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/topwater52/IMG_4788_zps291e712d.jpg[/url]
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