12-04-2004, 09:54 PM
Well, I hit mantua on the ice today with my dad and BLM.
The ice is 4 inches thick, and it is solid, clear ice.
Last weeks extreme cold froze it up quick.
As of a week ago it was open water so to see ice so thick is great.
The big problem is it froze up so quick that it covered the bubblers that usually stay open during a slow freeze.
This means there is likley some very thin spots that are not visible. You wont know they are there until you go through.
There are a couple of the bubblers that have managed to stay open, but I know I was in the area of some that are covered, and just couldnt see them.
Fishing was a bit slow.
My dad and I got there early, and I had missed three fish, landed one nice largemouth bass, and my dad had one fish get off at the top of the hole by the time BLM wandered across the ice to join us.
We moved around a lot, punched holes all over looking for a school of fish.
All we ended up finding was one ot two here and there.
I got a couple more largemouth, BLM has pictures.
My dad got one of the few trout still kicking around in there.
BLM got a bluegill and a largemouth that got off at the top of the hole.
Then, BLM had to go eat "week old thanksgiving" and left us on the ice.
We had no luck for the next little while, moved again, and called it a day.
Do use caution, and watch the weather to see what the ice does.
Just because it has 4 inches now, doesnt mean that it will next week.
Its a low elevation lake, not much higher than willard, and about the same as pineview. It can expirience a lot of melt if it warms up a bit. Carry a rope to toss to guys who may go into a bubbler.
Rmember the old regs are still in place, no bait, no smelly jelly, artificial only. The DWR was up there today so they are still watching close for violators.
[signature]
The ice is 4 inches thick, and it is solid, clear ice.
Last weeks extreme cold froze it up quick.
As of a week ago it was open water so to see ice so thick is great.
The big problem is it froze up so quick that it covered the bubblers that usually stay open during a slow freeze.
This means there is likley some very thin spots that are not visible. You wont know they are there until you go through.
There are a couple of the bubblers that have managed to stay open, but I know I was in the area of some that are covered, and just couldnt see them.
Fishing was a bit slow.
My dad and I got there early, and I had missed three fish, landed one nice largemouth bass, and my dad had one fish get off at the top of the hole by the time BLM wandered across the ice to join us.
We moved around a lot, punched holes all over looking for a school of fish.
All we ended up finding was one ot two here and there.
I got a couple more largemouth, BLM has pictures.
My dad got one of the few trout still kicking around in there.
BLM got a bluegill and a largemouth that got off at the top of the hole.
Then, BLM had to go eat "week old thanksgiving" and left us on the ice.
We had no luck for the next little while, moved again, and called it a day.
Do use caution, and watch the weather to see what the ice does.
Just because it has 4 inches now, doesnt mean that it will next week.
Its a low elevation lake, not much higher than willard, and about the same as pineview. It can expirience a lot of melt if it warms up a bit. Carry a rope to toss to guys who may go into a bubbler.
Rmember the old regs are still in place, no bait, no smelly jelly, artificial only. The DWR was up there today so they are still watching close for violators.
[signature]