Mantua Slow and Slushy

[obifishkenobi]

I got out on Mantua this morning, caught nothing but slimers. I fished in 8-17' feet of water caught most of the trout around 10' on a gizzy bug dropper tipped with meal worm, really light bite around a dozen total. There is 4" ice with 3" of slush and 3" of snow on top.

[wiperhunter2]

I got out on Mantua this morning, caught nothing but slimers. I fished in 8-17' feet of water caught most of the trout around 10' on a gizzy bug dropper tipped with meal worm, really light bite around a dozen total. There is 5" ice with 3" of slush and 3" of snow on top.

What area were you fishing Shawn? You did much better than we did.

[obifishkenobi]

I got out on Mantua this morning, caught nothing but slimers. I fished in 8-17' feet of water caught most of the trout around 10' on a gizzy bug dropper tipped with meal worm, really light bite around a dozen total. There is 5" ice with 3" of slush and 3" of snow on top.

What area were you fishing Shawn? You did much better than we did.

I got on in the south west corner by the launch ramp and walked east out towards the middle of the lake to 16' and worked back south towards the bank into 8' of water then back  back out to 17'  then back into 10'. most of the folks I saw where with in 100 yards of the ramp I was all by myself out in the middle.

[wiperhunter2]

We saw you walk past us there about 150 yds off the ramp, did not know that was you. We were in 15 FOW. What a mess it was out there.

[wiperhunter2]

This hole had 3" of standing water after I scooped off the slush.



This pic is the slush between me and Ira.



There was these two guys by the dock, we did not do any better than they did but they told me that last Fri they caught 40 in the same location, I think today was just an off day.



I didn't measure it but it looked like 3" of standing water, 3" of cloudy ice, then 3" of clear ice

[smokepoles]

Well, I hope this cold is enough to freeze the slush - I just hate it.  Why don't you guys tramp the slush and snow all around to compact things so it'll freeze better .

[Therapist]

So what is the parking situation at Mantua now?? In the past the city was pulling some shenanigans making it difficult for people to get on the lake!

[RockyRaab2]

Dunno about you, but if I found only 3" of actual solid ice, I'd have gotten the hell off.

[obifishkenobi]

This hole had 3" of standing water after I scooped off the slush.



This pic is the slush between me and Ira.



There was these two guys by the dock, we did not do any better than they did but they told me that last Fri they caught 40 in the same location, I think today was just an off day.



I didn't measure it but it looked like 3" of standing water, 3" of cloudy ice, then 3" of clear ice

The slush should firm up over the next few days of cold weather, i noticed that the tracks from yesterday where frozen and easier to walk on. I used my new  Baffin Selkirk boots today they are awesome warm dry feet.

[wiperhunter2]

So what is the parking situation at Mantua now??  In the past the city was pulling some shenanigans making it difficult for people to get on the lake!

It wasn't bad at all, mainly I think because there wasn't a lot of people there but that will change as the ice thickens and more people start showing up. We dropped our gear off at the ramp then drove down to the parking lot at the bottom by the heated restroom but there is also a parking area just past the ramp that they made a few years ago. Never tried driving any farther down the dike but the two guys I talked to by the boat dock said they tried getting on the ice on the South side there and it was only 1.5 inches think, so they backed off and went over by the docks.

[lavaman]

I second that. It was a slushy mess this morning. I've had some success there the last couple of weeks but it sure was slow today. Hoping that slush freezes up and the hard ice actually thickens a bit.

[Yoddledawg]

Def better make sure you have 100% waterproof boots knee high

[JArner]

Thanks for the report, looks like this cold snap is needed to firm things up.

[wiperhunter2]

I second that. It was a slushy mess this morning. I've had some success there the last couple of weeks but it sure was slow today. Hoping that slush freezes up and the hard ice actually thickens a bit.

Nice bass and gill, how big were they, did you measure them?

[joshomaru]

Dang! That's a killer bass- especially through the ice! Congrats, lavaman!

[Mbjones12]

Has anyone been out on Mantua yesterday or today? I'm thinking of heading up there on Friday to give it a try.

[ChalkCreekUT]

Has anyone been out on Mantua yesterday or today?  I'm thinking of heading up there on Friday to give it a try.

Fished it on Tuesday. Slush was gone. Ice between 6 and 9 inches. One planter trout keep the skunk away.

[wiperhunter2]

Has anyone been out on Mantua yesterday or today?  I'm thinking of heading up there on Friday to give it a try.

Fished it on Tuesday. Slush was gone. Ice between 6 and 9 inches. One planter trout keep the skunk away.

Wow, what is going on with Mantua, usually before a storm gets here the catching is better but that's same as we did last Fri, hope this trend doesn't continue there.