01-20-2020, 01:33 AM
The cisco haven't yet showed up at Cisco Beach or the state park marina. They just started catching limits on the rockpile yesterday. The day before that they only caught a few cisco. Typically, the cisco show up anywhere from 3-7 days after they start catching them from the boats. JUst in the last day the lake has started icing over but boats are still getting out. One little bit of wind and it will blow off the ice, however, if it stays calm it could really begin to lock up. Cisco Beach is typically one of the last places to freeze.
If the cisco are in along the shore, you (and the kids) can dip fish, contrary to what others have said. You do NOT have to get into the water. In fact, I've done better not getting into the water on open water years. You just have to be willing to kneel down right where the water meets the shoreline in order to keep a low profile. Then put your net in the water and let the handle lay on the rocks near shore. The cisco will come in if you are patient and not moving. Just let them swim over top the net and then lift straight up. Is it easier to dipnet cisco through the ice? Yes, but my daughters and I have dipped many limits from shore without getting in the water during open water. The biggest problem is that many dipnetters stand out in knee-deep to hip-deep water and the cisco can see them and avoid them by simply swimming around them. You MUST keep still and it really helps to keep a low profile.
You are welcome to come up for the Cisco Disco on Saturday. Please say hello. The UDWR will have several cisco nets for people to use, but it can get busy and you might have to wait a while for a net. Its simply easier to just buy one. Go to Sportsmans Warehouse or some other store and ask for a cisco net. It has very fine wire mesh. They are also called smelt dipping nets. Any landing net has too large of holes to be used effectively for dip netting cisco.
I'll be at Cisco Beach first thing on Monday morning and will update everyone later that afternoon. I'm thinking there is a good chance of cisco showing up if the wind remains calm. Good luck.
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If the cisco are in along the shore, you (and the kids) can dip fish, contrary to what others have said. You do NOT have to get into the water. In fact, I've done better not getting into the water on open water years. You just have to be willing to kneel down right where the water meets the shoreline in order to keep a low profile. Then put your net in the water and let the handle lay on the rocks near shore. The cisco will come in if you are patient and not moving. Just let them swim over top the net and then lift straight up. Is it easier to dipnet cisco through the ice? Yes, but my daughters and I have dipped many limits from shore without getting in the water during open water. The biggest problem is that many dipnetters stand out in knee-deep to hip-deep water and the cisco can see them and avoid them by simply swimming around them. You MUST keep still and it really helps to keep a low profile.
You are welcome to come up for the Cisco Disco on Saturday. Please say hello. The UDWR will have several cisco nets for people to use, but it can get busy and you might have to wait a while for a net. Its simply easier to just buy one. Go to Sportsmans Warehouse or some other store and ask for a cisco net. It has very fine wire mesh. They are also called smelt dipping nets. Any landing net has too large of holes to be used effectively for dip netting cisco.
I'll be at Cisco Beach first thing on Monday morning and will update everyone later that afternoon. I'm thinking there is a good chance of cisco showing up if the wind remains calm. Good luck.
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