03-02-2016, 04:27 PM
I met BFTers WyoGuy, DuBob and friend Joe at Starvation yesterday morning for what will probably be our last hard deck trip to that water this season. I was there first so I took the opportunity to check the ice conditions near the main State Park boat ramp.
There is a small gap from shore to safe ice. I used my 2x6x10' board to get out on the ice about 30 feet off the ramp. I drilled a few holes and found about 5 to 6 inches of ice. That's plenty for safe walking but it wasn't enough to convince me the ATV should come off the trailer.
The other guys arrived a short time later and we decided we would just walk across the main channel and fish the point and small bay directly north. Once we got set up in 14 to 24 feet of water we could see perch on our fish finders. Unfortunately for whatever reason the perch didn't want to play. It was quite a while until WyoGuy coaxed the first perch into a strike. The fishing was slow all day with small periods of activity. All told we caught about 35 to 45 perch and about 15 came home to be include in my perch chowder I'll be taking to Fish Lake next week. Perch eyes and small pieces of perch meat were the best baits on very small jigs.
The ice is beginning to weaken in some places. There is a ring of open water around the reservoir and you'll need a board to access the ice in most places. If you can find a steep bank with the ice pushed up to it you might be able to step across any gap. We found 6 inch ice in the bay where we fished. The surface can become slick when the ice warms in the afternoon so cleats are a must.
Now that the conditions are changing daily, keep an eye on safety. Remember to have a throw rope available and make sure everyone in your party knows where it is and how to deploy it. Try to walk single file with some spacing so that if a break occurs not everyone goes into the water. Be aware of rapidly changing ice conditions if there is a strong wind since ice can shift and leave you far from shore. Don't go out alone unless there are other fishermen in the area. Always be careful and don't take unnecessary chances. Be safe and have fun. We'll see safe ice again in about 9 months.
Mike
[signature]
There is a small gap from shore to safe ice. I used my 2x6x10' board to get out on the ice about 30 feet off the ramp. I drilled a few holes and found about 5 to 6 inches of ice. That's plenty for safe walking but it wasn't enough to convince me the ATV should come off the trailer.
The other guys arrived a short time later and we decided we would just walk across the main channel and fish the point and small bay directly north. Once we got set up in 14 to 24 feet of water we could see perch on our fish finders. Unfortunately for whatever reason the perch didn't want to play. It was quite a while until WyoGuy coaxed the first perch into a strike. The fishing was slow all day with small periods of activity. All told we caught about 35 to 45 perch and about 15 came home to be include in my perch chowder I'll be taking to Fish Lake next week. Perch eyes and small pieces of perch meat were the best baits on very small jigs.
The ice is beginning to weaken in some places. There is a ring of open water around the reservoir and you'll need a board to access the ice in most places. If you can find a steep bank with the ice pushed up to it you might be able to step across any gap. We found 6 inch ice in the bay where we fished. The surface can become slick when the ice warms in the afternoon so cleats are a must.
Now that the conditions are changing daily, keep an eye on safety. Remember to have a throw rope available and make sure everyone in your party knows where it is and how to deploy it. Try to walk single file with some spacing so that if a break occurs not everyone goes into the water. Be aware of rapidly changing ice conditions if there is a strong wind since ice can shift and leave you far from shore. Don't go out alone unless there are other fishermen in the area. Always be careful and don't take unnecessary chances. Be safe and have fun. We'll see safe ice again in about 9 months.
Mike
[signature]