Rockport Sat. March 12

[Jmorfish]

Probably my last R.P. trip and report on ice for this season, unless we suddenly get 3 or 4 days of very cold temps again, like last week...So this morning's access was still good, from my West side entry point..we even had snow back again for the up/down trail...However...I'm pretty sure it will be a slushy mess soon, up/down, and out on the ice, as that newer 5 or 6" of snow was already real soft, and harder to pull sleds over...18* and cold starting out had us putting up tents right away, and a few perch made it to the top for granddaughter and me..her Dad in his shelter said he had over a dozen hits this A.M. but just couldn't react fast enough to connect..then slow, slow, slow, so we moved 150 yds further south to 28 FOW, where I hoped to get granddaughter her first rainbow through ice..drilling again, I was surprised to see the bottom lit up again, so there's where we set up, and we each caught 1 nice perch here...but then they disappeared, for good...I'd set my jaw jacker up between our 2 tents  with power bait, and was drilling another 50' away, when I saw that pole jumping, hollering for one of them to get it..they couldn't get out of their tents fast enough, so I dropped my gear and scrambled back as fast as I could to just get it out of the holder, then hand it off to my granddaughter to fight, and land, a really nice 18" rainbow..while I was again out of my tent trying some other holes I'd drilled, I heard some commotion from inside, and she ly reported that she had another one half way out of the hole when it fell off her hook...Of course I had re-set the jaw jacker, and when we all decided to leave at 1215 and I was taking gear out of my tent, I noticed that rod no longer in a bend...it wasn't jumping, so I was just going to reel it up and pack it away...but there was a FISH ON...so I just reeled that one up, nice 15"er...then we packed up and left...45* at the truck when we pulled out...ice still 16 to 18" thick, but 4 top inches no longer solid..today you could step over the 3' of soft ice on the edge, but I think that will be gone now...R.P. was a good place for me on ice this season...Guluk...

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks for the report Joe, glad you guys caught some trout, too bad the perch did not show up in big catch numbers. Glad you were able to make it out there for one last trip. Were there many folks out there?

[Jmorfish]

Hey Curtis...I didn't see your folks out there...maybe a dozen others fishing just north of us where we started, maybe a half-dozen where you usually went this year, and probably 20 more scattered other areas...no sno dogs, atv's, or snowmobiles this day...plenty of geese squawking all morning on the far south shoreline...

[perchinski]

Also went Saturday, tho put in at the dam & fished where I got both nice smallies & perch two seasons ago at late ice.  Hip-job last year and spending Jan-Feb in San Clemente this winter with the new grandkids kept me on the bench. Just got home last week and didn't think I'd even get out this late in March.  Got only one 13" smallie, missed another at the hole, but nary a perch.  Saw one 20" brown caught, and that was it for the 3-4 groups that were in that area.  Returned to Rockport this morn and thought for sure that with 22-deg overnite the edges would hold.  Nope.  Tried to put on below that last restroom pullout on the SW end.  Watched a group of 3 get on 10-min ahead of me, but I don't know how.  I tried several access points and got only two soaked boots for my efforts.  I'm sure them getting off this afternoon would have been dicey on the icy.  Reluctantly put my gear up in the rafters and will now look forward to getting the boat & garden ready.