2/25 @ Soldier Creek

[MRJ]

Got the last parking spot at the dam turn-off at about 7:30 with the air temp. at -15. Started fishing at about 8:00 and the action was in spurts until about noon when things pretty well turned off. According to the fish finder, they just were not around. Caught or lost about a dozen, all cutts in the slot between 17" - 21". A little skinny comparte to those on the Strawberry side. They really liked a small 2" clear/brown tube jig with big yellow eyes and a chartreuse glow-in-the-dark jig head tipped with meal worm. They didn't want anything to do with cut minnow meat.

Access was actually very good. Should have brought my 4-wheeler. All the snow machines had packed the snow down hard in the main travel areas and the 4-wheelers were getting around just fine. Get off the packed runs however and the 12" of loose snow made travel a little more difficult. Most wheelers appeared to be handling that just fine however.

Slush was not a problem. Maybe an inch between the ice and snow layer. By 2:00 the temperature warmed up considerably which made things nice and comfortable, but visibly helped increase the slush layer a bit. Nice day and enough fish to keep us interested. Sure beats "honey-do" projects at home. Mr. J.
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[Bigcat]

I also fished SC side sat morning. We rode the snowmobiles down the hill from a cabin that we stayed in Sat night. I had never fished SC side before and even though I was given really good instructions I don't think I found the right spot....But we found a spot and the 6 of us drilled some holes. I was the only one who had done any ice fishing so I spent some time getting everyone set up and educated in the ways of the ice sitters. We fished the east bank about a mile from highway 40 in about 25-35 feet deep. I caught a fish within the first minute on my first drop and that was enough to keep the boys interested in fishing and not driving all over the lake on the snowmobiles. We fished from about 8 to 11 and caught about 20 cutts. I was the only one with a sonar so I caught 10 of the 20 fish but the other five kept it even catching 2 a piece. One of them had big fish honors with the two biggest of the day.... A 23 1/2 incher (4.5 pounds) and a 21 3/4 incher. All others were slot cutts. We had best luck on white tubes with minnow chunks but a few were caught on a tube with mealy. It was dang cold riding in the morning out on the lake but once the sun came up it was a beautiful day. It was 37 when we left the cabin at 4:30. It was good to fish the SC side for the first time and I was happy to get the newbies into few fish. I need to do a little more research and experimentation on that side of the lake. I was dissapointed to not get any bows over there..... A great time had by all!
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[MRJ]

We were the two guys in the dark blue Shappel shelter in about the same area, in the middle of the channel to the NE of the point where the toilets are. If weather permits, I will be back there next Saturday as well. Mr. J.
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