I was able to get out on the ice yesterday. I started my day off on the south end of Echo. I was hoping to find a walleye. I started at 8am and stayed until 1015. No fish harmed. I had some lucky fish that just didn't want to stay hooked, rookies. I tried depths of 15 ft to 22. Ice felt pretty good, some areas not as good as others. I check my paths with my spud bar. I would mark fish on the vexilar that would come off bottom and at least look at my tikka minnow or they hit it. I left Echo and headed to Rockport to look for the perch. Some guys were loading up their gear and told me I wouldn't need my spud bar. So me, being foolish, left the spud bar in the car. I ventured out in front of the last vault toilet before the state park entrance. I tried a few areas that have been successful in the past. Ghost town, no fish marked. So I tried to get out to deeper depths. This is when the spud bar would have been very handy. I walked out 15 ft from my last hole drilled and went right through. I would guess I was 150 yards plus out from the vault toilet. I tossed my ION auger aside as I plunged into the nice and cold water. I just relaxed, got acclimated to the nice frigid water, and then proceeded to pull myself out with my ice piks. I am grateful for a floating ice suit and ice piks. I rolled off the bad area until it felt solid. I proceeded to crawl out to grab the auger, then back to solid ice and back to shore. The edge was horrible and should have listened to my gut instinct. My advice, stay off Rockport, unless you wanna take a dip. Well there is a first time for everything and now that had been checked off the list.
Gabe
Gabe