02-10-2016, 02:15 AM
I hit Rabbit Gulch this morning. Pulled in about 7:45 AM and took a gander at two BIG cottontails. The road to Rabbit Gulch had packed snow on the sides but had exposed asphalt in the middle. I parked and walked out maybe 100 yards. Found some areas that looked like they had been fruitful in the past and punched a hole. The ice was uber-thick, clear, and hard. No problems with the edges either. I think the truck thermometer said it was 14 degrees. Once my transducer was in the water it was fish, fish, and more fish. I quickly caught a few keeper perch and some bait candidates as well.
I decided to set up my tent and just park on the spot for a while. I was in 17 FOW. Once the tent was set up and the door closed I could see all the way to the bottom. It was a blanket o' dink perch y'all. It reminded me of a few years ago when Rabbit Gulch had a bottom made of small perch. Anyhow, the bite was fast and furious until about 11:30 AM. I took a break for lunch and enjoyed the weather. No wind. Blue sky. I think there was two more groups out on the ice.
The fish disappeared on me around 1:00 PM so I walked around a little and drilled some more holes. It was a wasteland. Went deeper. Went shallower. Wasteland. I finally said uncle and went back to my tent. I looked down into the water and the perch were back. Saw some rainbows swimming right under the ice too. I had a nice one take a few swipes at one of my jigs but he was too dumb to hang on. The afternoon was frustrating. I could see the fish sniffing my jigs. The would pick them up and drop them. They would swim up fast and then bolt away. I don't know why they got so gun shy. I tried different presentations to see if something would trigger. A fluttering panther martin scored a few fish. They didn't like any spoons I had. I got a few on a tiny, tiny rat finkee. Smaller seemed to help.
I packed up around 3:30pm and walked back to the truck. Had some keepers to eat and a few for bait. Not a bad trip. It was my first solo trip after my knee operation and so far so good (we'll see if it is swollen in the morning). I'm done with Starvy until it opens up. My float tube is in the garage whining...
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I decided to set up my tent and just park on the spot for a while. I was in 17 FOW. Once the tent was set up and the door closed I could see all the way to the bottom. It was a blanket o' dink perch y'all. It reminded me of a few years ago when Rabbit Gulch had a bottom made of small perch. Anyhow, the bite was fast and furious until about 11:30 AM. I took a break for lunch and enjoyed the weather. No wind. Blue sky. I think there was two more groups out on the ice.
The fish disappeared on me around 1:00 PM so I walked around a little and drilled some more holes. It was a wasteland. Went deeper. Went shallower. Wasteland. I finally said uncle and went back to my tent. I looked down into the water and the perch were back. Saw some rainbows swimming right under the ice too. I had a nice one take a few swipes at one of my jigs but he was too dumb to hang on. The afternoon was frustrating. I could see the fish sniffing my jigs. The would pick them up and drop them. They would swim up fast and then bolt away. I don't know why they got so gun shy. I tried different presentations to see if something would trigger. A fluttering panther martin scored a few fish. They didn't like any spoons I had. I got a few on a tiny, tiny rat finkee. Smaller seemed to help.
I packed up around 3:30pm and walked back to the truck. Had some keepers to eat and a few for bait. Not a bad trip. It was my first solo trip after my knee operation and so far so good (we'll see if it is swollen in the morning). I'm done with Starvy until it opens up. My float tube is in the garage whining...
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