01-31-2006, 05:32 AM
If you are going to park at the turn off to Soldier Creek Dam, you better be there before the sun comes up or you will find no place to park. We got there before you and found parking, but it filled up the rest of the way within 15 minutes after our arrival. The snow depth is much less on the east side and the trail down is ATV drivable with no problems. I measured the snow depth up to my rims on the ice (4 inches) and traveling was a breeze. I caught 20 fish, my son 2, and my partner 6 or 8. We had a good day, or rather I had a good day. Like you, we found the fish in 35 feet of water and less. I fished 36 feet with half my catch at 25 and the rest right on the bottom. I marked fish all day, they just got picky and I had to really work them to get them to bite. If I jigged and got them off the bottom to follow my lure up a few feet, I could usually get them to bite. Thank goodness for the Vexilar or I think I'd have been skunked. Had to put a tip sensor on the rod as the bite was so light. Wadda Crickets tipped with most anything worked well. Wax worms was the best in the early morning and then bits of minnows or worms later.
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