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May have fished Rockport for the last time this ice season! Got up early and hit the lake and I took about a 7’ plank with me that was maybe 3-5’ too short for entering the middle of the lake on the west side. I busted through passed the top of my boot so I fished the day with a wet foot but that didn’t ruin a thing! I pulled in a 50 perch limit and also brought a couple planter bows home as well. I drilled several holes and caught atleast one fish out of all of them between 40-46 FOW” ice is still in the 15” range but the top 5-7 inches is deteriorating quickly! Heading off the ice I had even more fun opting to get off on the steeper shoreline figuring the ice wouldn’t be as soft on the edge, ended up in the drink up to my waist and damn was it cold!! Career day in both limiting out on perch and was the earliest time of year I’ve swam in Rockport!
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Nice job on the perch! and that's one big Mama you got....Never good to take a bath like that....If you knew the edge where you went across would be that bad, would you have tried the Chest Wader Option..like was on another chat?
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Nice job on the fish! Man, there is no way I would be risking a bath like that. You are daring. Here comes boating season![fishon]
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Chest waders would’ve been cutting it close But maybe Sunday I may be taking them with me along with an extension ladder lol. Another option will be to lighten my sled and bring a long rope for my sled so I can throw it onto shore from a longer distance that way it’s not me and the heavy sled in one spot. But I only risked it because I live so close to the lake but it was an awesome adventure!!
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Just a thought ,as an avid duck hunter be careful with the waders. I have gone down in the swamps and filled my chest waders with water and iam here to tell they are like a ship anchor when filled with water.
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Yeah I can understand the science behind that but the benefit of using the hip or chest waders is you can wade out into the water 4-5’ where you can then access your plank that’s sitting in the lake bed and hopefully solid on the ice shelf but if that method fails it’s not going to be a fun day!!
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Or you can just a running g start and jump the gap ,but make sure there isn't anyone else there or you will be on YouTube, hopefully not on epic fails. But I've heard of guys using a extension ladder to walk across that way you got a 10 to 24 foot bridge just pull it on the ice with you and no one will steal it .
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Hahaha yes I will be giving it a try...the extension ladder that is not the gap jump!!
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Wiper Hunter and I are thinking of looking at (West side) Rockport for this Tues.....if you go today, or Sunday, would you do a general report, or PM me about results, conditions of ice pack, edges, maybe how difficult getting on and off, how long plank or ladder you needed? tks....Joe
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Went to the West side of Rockport this morning. Brought a 12' plank. Thought it was long enough to get on to the good ice. When I went across, I was off the plank about 18" and my foot went through! Yep, a little nerve racking! Went to another location, and ended up getting on where someone else had this morning, I used my 12' with their 10' and got on without a problem. Getting off around 1 p.m., it was very soft. Once on the hard deck, the ice was great. Couldn't keep the planter rainbows off (10' below), only caught 8 perch (45-50 FOW). Can't say it is worth the risk getting on at this point.
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The temps tonight will be about 24 which honestly won’t sustain the edges much longer but I will be headed our first thing tomorrow I will try and give a report mid day or tomorrow evening. I plan on hitting the west side again and am taking an extension ladder so if needed I’ll have a 24’ span. I am expecting we are in the last couple weeks of somewhat safe/borrderline not safe days of ice fishing!! More to come tomorrow hope I don’t go swimming again tomorrow [fishon] [fishon] [fishon]
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I went swimming today at echo,never fished.One pic guys had 2 ladders.I had only one got toward the end and went thru.Time for softwater.Thats a 14 ft ladder went in at the end almost chest high had to break ice to get out.
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That's some scary stuff there, glad you are Ok, unless I hear a better report from T-boz on Rockport, I'm done with the perch this year. Hopefully there are a couple of trout lakes still fishable or I'm done with the ice for this season. Thanks for the pics of the ladder access, any idea what that white thing is, in the middle of those two ladders? I realise it is sort of extension support but can't tell what it is[:/].
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Hey Curt I zoomed in and I think it looks like a picnic table. One of those heavy duty wood ones.
Hyrum was better than that but the end is definitely near. We used the truck to back down the boat ramp till we could get on the ice. It worked but a ladder would have as well. But we made mid March this year and that’s not too bad. Be safe. Later Jeff
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I was thinking it looked like a picnic table of some sort but I was thinking it might be one of those plastic Lifetime models and I thought that might sink. If it was wood that would make sense but boy that is some determine folks to haul a wooden table out there, just to go ice fishing[crazy].
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not really scary but cold.I went over by the boat ramp first and got stuck in my 2wd van and seen those other ladders and it was too far for me.I went to a steeper bank and thought i was ok got almost on good ice and the ladder went thru.I had my sled full of my gear including my garmin panoptix,luckily my sled floated.LOL It was cold i just relaxed and broke a little ice pushed my sled back to the bank.I think the problem is the water underneath has come up and is very warm by shore.I have used planks before but never seen such a long gap between shore and good ice.I had more planks and ladders but i though because of bank steepness and snow color i was on safe.I should of used one more planks,i have never seen over 15 ft of bad ice.
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Looks like you came prepared but once you were wet, I guess you gave up on the idea of getting out there again. There has been a ton of snow in the mountains this year and with the warmer weather we are having now, it just does not getting cold enough at night to freeze the edges solid enough, with all the raising water levels.
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Man I agree, no way I’d risk my life when the conditions are that far gone. The fishing isn’t that good now days anyway. Not to mention all the dollars in gear that could be lost so quickly. I’m out on the dicey stuff. Later J
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I havent given up. Next time i will wear waders and a life jacket angle my ladder, carry my gear in a backpack or use a kickboat.One more ice fishing week then out to willard.
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Ice edges were much better yesterday at Rockport I had an24’ ladder with me that I used but a 10’ plank would’ve been fine the edge was only looking soft about 3-5’ out. Fished in 47 FOW and caught 23 perch on a little spoon and perch eye. Had a friend with me he caught 6 perch (technique is everything) good day overall my last two outings I’ve caught 75 perch at Rockport! No problems getting off the ice this time, ice was stil 15” out in the middle of the lake
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