Early Ice Fishing

[kj]

The ice fishing season is just around the corner. Now that my wife has learned to enjoy it, and is "hooked", we are looking forward to this seasons trips.

A year or two ago, someone on this site posted that they go to a lake in Idaho or Montana that freezes up very early and produces some very large fish. It closes in early December as I remember. Seems like the end of October or first of November is when the lake freezes enough to go. Somewhere up around the West Yellowstone area is where I think they were going. I'm getting too old and my memory doesn't retain all that information anymore. Sound familiar to anyone? My wife and I would be interested in going. Seems like the lake is located in Idaho, a few hours North of Salt Lake.

Any suggestions or information would be helpful. I normally get out the weekend of thanksgiving for my first ice trip of the year. The ice is not thick enough for my wife to feel comfortable, so she doesn't go. She is one of these 6 inches thick or more people.
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[toadly]

You may be thinking of Henery's. In Idaho.
Not sure if it ices up that early. Check back to last year around Thanksgiving. Here in Utah the first lake to freeze have been Utah Lake and Mantua. Some "big" fish can be caught in both. It wont be till December fir the thicker ice forms. The high Uinta have Lakes like Mirror the freeze even sooner. Got to get there before the roads are to deep in snow, or you will need a snowmobil.
Sure wish I could get my wife on the ice. She is to scared...Anyways, good luck.[cool]
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[kj]

Thanks toady. I think it is Henry's.

Actually, Hunnington and Scofield freeze up sooner than Utah Lake and Mantua. I usually go out thanksgiving weekend to one of them. Hunnington is generally the thickest of the two.
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[mop_head]

so.. read the title, clicked in excitement and realized it was a question not a post... thanks man![]
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[kj]

You sound like me mop head. I love to ice fish... seldom do any other type of fishing. I posted over in the Idaho site and got several responses. There are two lakes, Henry and Hebgen. Both are very close to each other, one is in Idaho, the other, just over the boarder in Montana. With possible snow coming this weekend at Henry's, it very well could be ice on by Thanksgiving. One guy emailed me and said he has fished it every thanksgiving for the last 7 years. My wife is excited and so am I. Hopefully we can make our schedules work. Both lakes are right by West Yellowstone. An alternate spot would be Moon Lake here in Utah. I've always wanted to go there and stay in the lodge early in the season.

Got a new gas operated ice auger for my birthday last year and used it once and then the ice turned to garbage. It has been calling me all summer and now that the leaves have turned and things are cooling off, it calling has turned to wailing. Getting harder and harder to turn a deaf ear.
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[Kent]

Kevin, just ordered my 6" Nils hand auger, so I am also thinking ice fishing. You are looking forward to using your new power auger and I am looking forward to leaving mine at home. Hard to believe it has been almost 10 years since I ice fished with you the first time:

[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=28359;search_string=Electric%20Lake;#28359"]Link[/url]

We need to get out again.
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