03-09-2021, 11:48 PM
I don't really want to make this post because I have nothing to brag about and kinda doubt it will do anyone any good. But one person told me they were looking forward to my report so here it is.
Brett and I headed out from Park City about 4 Friday afternoon. We stopped in Evanston to get a reciprocal permit at the Walmart. Their ice-fishing gear and some other things were on closeout so I bought a few things. We tanked up at Arbys so we wouldn't have to hit the ice on empty stomaches. We made it to Firehole right after dark. In short order we were where (we thought) Brett had caught 9 burbot two weeks before. We drilled some holes but didn't see much. We were in about 25 fow just out from the side of a rocky ridge. We decided where to put the shelter, a double-wide insulated Eskimo, and used the adapterI borrowed from Obifishkenobi to quickly secure it tp the ice. Spoiler alert: the wind never did blow seriously at all. We used Brett's Nils and Milwaukee drill to make a couple of holes each inside and a few outside. We both got our lines in the water and then Brett went out to see what he could find down the other holes. A bit later I went out to see how it was going. When I came through the tent door I could see my rod butt moving about. In short order I landed the skunk-buster a 17.5 incher. Not my dream burbot but it would put me on the board. A while later I got a 21"er that made me feel better that would ultimately do me no good in the contest as it tied for smallest in the Other category. Around eleven I caught another that slotted between the other two. And that was it. I was dismayed that Brett never caught a one as he usually drubs me, but you never know until you go. We spent the night jigging away all to no effect. I had only brought my 6-gallon bucket to sit on so my back and shoulder began to ache quite a bit so eventually I spread out a tarp and tried to get some rest. I may have dozed off but every once in a while I would look up and jig one pole. It was nice and warm in there with Brett's lantern and heater going.
I got up and we got more active trying for the early morning bite before dawn. It seemed like there were no fish left in the lake; we never marked a single fish. When the sun came over the ridge we packed up and headed for our laker spot off swim beach where we had caught a lot of fish last year, including a 25.5"er. (As we left our burbot spot we noticed where others had fished and had fires. It looks like we missed the best spot in the dark.) Brett caught a 21" lake trout that gave him a bump in the contest. I (sorta) hooked a couple but they got off halfway up. By about noon I was ready to throw in the fish-slimy towel but we stayed another hour. Brett got a bigger fish on but it got mixed up in his transducer before I could get there and lift it up out of the way and it got off. And that was the end of the excitement.
The water temperature was cold. The air wasn't very cold, probably in the low 20s. The ice was 3/4-7/8 of the auger thick. We got 11.5 holes per battery. A fun time was had by all.
Brett and I headed out from Park City about 4 Friday afternoon. We stopped in Evanston to get a reciprocal permit at the Walmart. Their ice-fishing gear and some other things were on closeout so I bought a few things. We tanked up at Arbys so we wouldn't have to hit the ice on empty stomaches. We made it to Firehole right after dark. In short order we were where (we thought) Brett had caught 9 burbot two weeks before. We drilled some holes but didn't see much. We were in about 25 fow just out from the side of a rocky ridge. We decided where to put the shelter, a double-wide insulated Eskimo, and used the adapterI borrowed from Obifishkenobi to quickly secure it tp the ice. Spoiler alert: the wind never did blow seriously at all. We used Brett's Nils and Milwaukee drill to make a couple of holes each inside and a few outside. We both got our lines in the water and then Brett went out to see what he could find down the other holes. A bit later I went out to see how it was going. When I came through the tent door I could see my rod butt moving about. In short order I landed the skunk-buster a 17.5 incher. Not my dream burbot but it would put me on the board. A while later I got a 21"er that made me feel better that would ultimately do me no good in the contest as it tied for smallest in the Other category. Around eleven I caught another that slotted between the other two. And that was it. I was dismayed that Brett never caught a one as he usually drubs me, but you never know until you go. We spent the night jigging away all to no effect. I had only brought my 6-gallon bucket to sit on so my back and shoulder began to ache quite a bit so eventually I spread out a tarp and tried to get some rest. I may have dozed off but every once in a while I would look up and jig one pole. It was nice and warm in there with Brett's lantern and heater going.
I got up and we got more active trying for the early morning bite before dawn. It seemed like there were no fish left in the lake; we never marked a single fish. When the sun came over the ridge we packed up and headed for our laker spot off swim beach where we had caught a lot of fish last year, including a 25.5"er. (As we left our burbot spot we noticed where others had fished and had fires. It looks like we missed the best spot in the dark.) Brett caught a 21" lake trout that gave him a bump in the contest. I (sorta) hooked a couple but they got off halfway up. By about noon I was ready to throw in the fish-slimy towel but we stayed another hour. Brett got a bigger fish on but it got mixed up in his transducer before I could get there and lift it up out of the way and it got off. And that was the end of the excitement.
The water temperature was cold. The air wasn't very cold, probably in the low 20s. The ice was 3/4-7/8 of the auger thick. We got 11.5 holes per battery. A fun time was had by all.
The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.