2023 Pineview wrap up

[MWScott72]

Since winter decided to extend into April, I wanted to get out and ice fish one last time before transitioning to turkeys.  JMorFish decided he hadn't enough too, so both of us headed up to Pineview Narrows to try and bring back some leftovers to end the season.  First things - WOW, there is ALOT of snow on the ice.  There was about a foot of snow over another 6" or so of slush, then you got to the ice.  I don't know where the gray ice and clear ice transitioned...it was alot though.  I have a Eskimo Mako gas auger and after clearing away the snow, I was bottoming the auger out to break through to the soft water below.  Next surprise was they're letter ALOT of water out right now.  We went to a spot I've fished this winter that was in 45 FOW...now it's 35'.  And to keep the surprises rolling, we were not marking schools of fish to speak of - just a lone fish here or there.  Tried three different spots with the same results...NADA.  We started fishing about 6pm and stayed until 9:30pm.  I had a total of three fish bite and hooked two of them.  JMor brought up one.  That was it.  Fish would come up every now and then to look at our offerings, but usually just swam away.  The ones that we hooked were persistent (I missed one 3 times before hooking him on the 4th set).

For those more in the know than me, this seems to be somewhat consistent to last year.  By about the 3rd week in March (which was pushing it on last year's ice), I had roughly the same experience.  Fishing was consistent up till them, and then the fish just vanished.  Are they heading towards shallower areas to stage for the spawn?  Deeper water to sulk until the ice melts?  Having had this same thing happen two years in a row has me thinking.  They have to go somewhere.  Oh, yeah, edges were just slightly soft, but overall still plenty solid to safely access without a plank.  Probably won't hold for long though with this warm weather...unless then keep draining the lake.

Highlight of the trip was seeing a turkey take a short cut across the lake.  They sure are big (and tasty) birds, and I love watching them in flight...like really...big...quail.  This trip put a bow on my 2022/2023 season and got me excited for the 2023 turkey season.  Bring it on!

[Jig-fisher]

Well that's too bad on the catching. I guess they could be heading shallow to prep for spawning, but who knows where the houdini crappie go at times. You know how it is, blank screen at one point then 30 min later nothing but marks so thick you can't see your lure for a solid 20 feet off the bottom. 

I haven't seen very many fish with egg or milt sacs when I've filleted those that I've brought home. Although a lot of those crappie on the screen don't bite anyway so maybe those are the spawners. 

Thanks for the report.

[wiperhunter2]

Glad you were able to get out one last time, too bad the catching wasn't great but at least you guys didn't get skunked. With the ice being on for so long, it's possible they are just lethargic and hugging the bottom. What colored jigs, worked best for you?