Posts: 767
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2004
Reputation:
0
Left work around 10:00 this morning and headed up the SM. A guy I work with (not a BFTer) and I went up on monday and the ice was only an inch thick or so. When we got up there the ice was black and clear, no snow and cracking and popping like mad. After a few test holes at the shore and out a little deeper I convinced myself that 3 1/2 to 4 inches of solid ice was enough. Didn't make me any less nervous, but I got on the ice none the less. Chris and I started out in about 30' of water off the side of the boat ramp. Didn't graph any fish and nothing biting. Finally after we started drilling test holes at different depths. Fished everything from 12' to 45' and never graphed a fish or had a bite. After about 2 hours of nothing we decided to make the walk over to the dam. Not an easy task concidering the ice was snow free and as slick as could be. Ten minutes after drilling my first hole at the dam in 22' of water BAM I was hooked up with my first hardwater fish of the year; a little 12" bow. The fish hit and was on before the sonar had a chance to sound the alarm. Fishing stayed slow and it took Chris and I another three hours to catch a total of 7 fish, all almost identical rainbows, except the last one of the day; an 11" cutthroat. All in all the fishing was slow, but it was great to be on the ice, even if it was the most nervous day I have ever spent on the water. The ice never did stop cracking and making noise. I've never herd a lake make so much noise in my life.
[signature]
Posts: 1,073
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2003
Reputation:
0
I don't know about anyone else, but I prefer that clear black ice. It is safer, you know there no layers of frozen slush. I can't wait to get on the ice. I just have to wait until something closer freezes. Everything that is froze so far is to far for me to go.
[signature]
Posts: 767
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2004
Reputation:
0
I know the black ice is harder, but I've been on 15" of snowfree, black ice before and it is still eerie. There is just something reassuring about a layer of snow. Out of sight, out of mind maybe. Just looking down through the clear ice you can see every crack or air bubble and you are constantly trying to gauge thickness. When there is snow you drill your test holes, assure yourself of the thickness and don't think any more about it.
I also forgot to report what lures we used in my original post. Mealy tipped ratfinks in pink glo for me and mealy tipped 3/8 oz jigging spoon for Chris. It didn't really seem to matter what you sent down, all of the fish came in and hit the lure before either of us even noticed them on the sonar screen. I only had one missed fish all day and that was more operator error than a hesitant fish and I rebaited, went back down and immediatly hooked up the missed fish.
[signature]
Posts: 2,775
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2002
Reputation:
0
Did you go by Rockport Res. on your way and did it look like it was iced capped yet ?
[signature]
Posts: 767
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2004
Reputation:
0
Yup, I drove by Rockport on my way home. There was ice out about 20 yards in the shallows on the inlet side. Nothing else was frozen. The W had a little bit of chop blowing across the lake.
[signature]
