Ice Fishing 23-24

[Jewels]

I'm so engaged while on the ice I usually don't even go through much weed

I hear that.

At least when I'm at home I can sneak off for a session, every now and then.
When I am out on the range with my crew I spend most of my time fixing kite strings, and chasing frogs, and putting on Band-Aids, and, 'where did your hat go?' , and ,,,😎

Given the other options, cannabis is a great vise. If I am an alcoholic, I'm not interested in much more than staying drunk.
The weed?, I can take it or leave it. Like you said, when I am on adventure mode, that joint tube is often still waiting, in my pocket , when I get home.

 

[Amarok]

Went out Friday and today. It's a bit of a mid-winter lull right now. Lots of people reporting skunks, but I managed to slay the smelly beast each day, if only barely.

Friday I spent some time exploring and drilling holes before finally ending up on my old spot in about 25 fow. Everywhere else I drilled was over 30 feet deep, and I like to be shallower than that to avoid barotrauma so I can C&R.
Only saw a few throughout the afternoon, but manged to ice a couple smallish burbs.

Drove home at dusk during that time when headlights aren't yet effective and hit the brakes when I saw a whitetail silhouetted against the snow in the ditch. It was fortunate I did, as I didn't see the second one waiting to cross the road until I stopped. Without snow behind it, it wasn't visible until I was very close.
It politely waited until I was stopped and then crossed right in front of me.



Today I went somewhere new. Talked to 4 people, none of whom got a hit. I persevered and caught a few pike and a walleye and had a huge perch swim in and sit on bottom in front of the camera but he wouldn't bite. I was in just shy of 30 fow, and the walleye tried going belly up from the pressure change after release. I got him upright and on his way, but made sure to reel up more slowly for the rest of the day. I won't push it like that again. No point killing something I'm not going to eat.

Again drove home in the dusk and again was fortunate. On a stretch with thick trees on both sides of the road, an oncoming vehicle flashed his lights at me numerous times. I slowed right down and was almost stopped when I saw the bull moose in the ditch on my side of the road. I honked at him to try to get him to go back into the trees but he just ran along the ditch. I got past him and was a little extra cautious the rest of the way home.

 

[Amarok]

It's felt like Spring for a couple days but that is about to come to a sudden end.

+8 for a high tomorrow, -17 on Monday.
Currently deciding today's destination for trip number 40.

 

[Amarok]

Burbot spawn is getting started. It wasn't crazy action but i was comfortably into double digits for the afternoon. Brought a couple home for the pan.

Another spawn, another year of rookies wandering over looking for tips. Today it was a Chinese fella who came looking for a lesson on how to catch his first burb. We chatted for a bit before he went to get his friend and move over to where I was, as I was about to leave.

As I drove home I was almost stunned by the beauty of the sunset, every time I crested a hill. The colours were incredible and lit up the horizon from the west to the south. It was almost a religious experience, it was so beautiful. I can't recall being affected like that.

Eventually the light faded and I made it home in the dark, only having to stop once for a group of deer in the ditch.

And of course, now the weather goes fucky. It's going to be too windy the next couple days, with a heavy snowfall the day after that, followed by a few cold and windy days. Tuesday if I push it, but more likely Wednesday before I get out again. At least by then the action will be that much better as the spawn ramps up.

 

[Bullfrog]

Burbot spawn is getting started. It wasn't crazy action but i was comfortably into double digits for the afternoon. Brought a couple home for the pan.

Another spawn, another year of rookies wandering over looking for tips. Today it was a Chinese fella who came looking for a lesson on how to catch his first burb. We chatted for a bit before he went to get his friend and move over to where I was, as I was about to leave.

As I drove home I was almost stunned by the beauty of the sunset, every time I crested a hill. The colours were incredible and lit up the horizon from the west to the south. It was almost a religious experience, it was so beautiful. I can't recall being affected like that.

Eventually the light faded and I made it home in the dark, only having to stop once for a group of deer in the ditch.

And of course, now the weather goes fucky. It's going to be too windy the next couple days, with a heavy snowfall the day after that, followed by a few cold and windy days. Tuesday if I push it, but more likely Wednesday before I get out again. At least by then the action will be that much better as the spawn ramps up.

I know there's burbot in our bay, but I really don't know much about them. I caught one out their perch fishing in deep water when I was a teen, 36 in that beast was, still to this day biggest fish I've caught through the ice. Watched Dad catch some out of one of the inland lakes on a couple occasions. Always on accident while perch or walleye fishing.

We have a pier that goes out to 20' or so, never heard anyone getting them off the pier though. Or near the river mouth.

Do they go shallow during spawn?

 

[Amarok]

Do they go shallow during spawn?

My understanding is that they spawn between about 12 and 25 fow.
This is the only time of year they are consistently catchable during the day as they usually stay very deep and only come up in the dark.


Yeah, 36" is a monster. Not any people have caught one that big, and on perch gear no less. Nice job.

 

[Bullfrog]

My understanding is that they spawn between about 12 and 25 fow.
This is the only time of year they are consistently catchable during the day as they usually stay very deep and only come up in the dark.


Yeah, 36" is a monster. Not any people have caught one that big, and on perch gear no less. Nice job.

There were bigger ones caught that morning. We all wanted perch but all anybody caught were giant burbot. Didn't take long for the burbot to chase all the perch away, or maybe they just ate em all up. Once the burbot moved in the Perch fishing was done, happened faster than you'd think too. There one minute, gone the next.

It was on Lake Michigan, Great Lake, great big fish.

I'll have to read up on them, one of the few native fish of my area I don't know a lot about.

 

[Jewels]

Do you ever see Whitefish up there Amarok?

None of the fish on this list I could reach on a day trip.
Cept for the Goldeye, everything else is at least 3 hours drive, one way.

 

[belleswell]

I have the former Michigan Whitefish record of 13 lbs 4 oz. It was caught surf fishing Lake Michigan at St Joeseph/Benton Harbor. We were catching
steelhead, and caught this one along with a bunch of steelies. There were guys on the pier watching us that were getting a little jealous as we had
released at least a couple dozen, without keeping the last one we each needed to limit out. While they were keeping count, we were as well. We saw about 30
guys catch 3 fish for all of them. Mean while we were sometimes fighting two at a time. My partner and I had as much fun showing off as we did releasing them.

What were we doing that they weren't ? 2 lb. test leaders, small hooks, and freshly tied spawn bags with a mini marsh mellow in the bag with the eggs.
The aroma the marsh mellow gives off, the floating bag, only held down by a small spit shot six inches from the bag, and the length of the leader. All key.
It was their presentation that was holding them back or they would have caught as many as we did.

 

[Amarok]

Do you ever see Whitefish up there Amarok?

Rarely. Lake whitefish are present in some lakes I fish, but I don't target them, same with Rocky Mountain whitefish in the river.

The burb record listed is inaccurate,btw. I actually caught my PB from that same lake, and it was pushing 15 lbs and isn't close to the provincial record.

​

Burbot

25 lbs 2 ozs

Sam Lebeau

Peerless Lake

2015

Alberta Outdoorsmen - Record Book

everything else is at least 3 hours drive, one way

Man, I would lose my mind down there in the desert.

 

[Jewels]

Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

 

[Amarok]

Slipped out at the last minute today. Didn't decide to go until after 11 and left for the lake around noon. There is a front moving in bringing high winds, a big temperature drop, and a bunch of snow and I wanted to race it to get one last trip.

Set up and had marks right away. Dropped the camera and saw this.

Caught the biggest one and he was only about 7" so back he went. These guys would slide in every time there weren't pike or walleye around.

Popped a pike right away for species two. I was hoping for #3 but only saw a couple 'eyes and they weren't interested.

Played around catching pike and little perch for a couple hours and around 4 I popped outside to drain some tea. Looked North to see the world being devoured by a snowstorm.
The photo doesn't do it justice, but I knew what I was seeing. I started quickly packing up and 10 minutes later as I was driving off the lake, the sky had gone dark and the snow was coming down hard. I managed to keep the tires from spinning on the big hill going out and was very happy to reach the pavement.

Time to relax for a few days until the weather gets civilized again.

Edit: up to 8" of snow forecast for tomorrow. It's going to be a whole new world next time out.

 

[Amarok]

I want to go burb hunting today but it's -20 with high winds and staying like that. Combine that with a fair bit of snow over the last few days meaning that the lake may not be driveable = me staying home.

It's one thing if you can drive right to the spot and use your vehicle as a windbreak while you fight with the tent. It's something else if you are loading everything onto a sled and hauling it out into the gale. Then, the whole time you are fishing, that end of day hike off the lake is on your mind.

Nah, lazy shall continue for a while longer.

 

[Bullfrog]

I want to go burb hunting today but it's -20 with high winds and staying like that. Combine that with a fair bit of snow over the last few days meaning that the lake may not be driveable = me staying home.

It's one thing if you can drive right to the spot and use your vehicle as a windbreak while you fight with the tent. It's something else if you are loading everything onto a sled and hauling it out into the gale. Then, the whole time you are fishing, that end of day hike off the lake is on your mind.

Nah, lazy shall continue for a while longer.

There's nothing worse than the wind. Fighting it is a losing battle, even if you think you win it whips ya good.

Back in the day I'd get dropped off on the lake at daylight, picked up at dark. I had some interesting days fighting the wind all day. Snow saved me more than once. Can make a pretty good shelter from the wind with a little snow.

 

[Amarok]

Back in the day I'd get dropped off on the lake at daylight, picked up at dark.

It's sad to me that today's kids will not only never know the freedom earlier generations had, they will never even know what they missed out on.

How will you ever become confident in your own abilities and character if you are never tested, when help is always a call or text away. Being on your own, nobody but you (and your buds, if applicable) to provide the solution, is how boys become men.

 

[belleswell]

The very last of the ice on our pond went today. A couple hours later, a pair of hooded mergansers showed up. They are fish eaters, but not on the scale of the
Great Blue Heron, and our pond is a short respite on their way northward toward the arctic circle, or somewhere into the wilds of the Canadian wilderness.
I don't mind if they fill their gas tanks on their long journey with a few smaller perch from our pond. They only stay for a few days and then they continue their
northward migration.

That means that the wood ducks should be arriving soon. We always have a few of them that call our pond home for the season and many will have a brood
of ducklings here. Our best year was 3 hens that had 22 ducklings between them. I can almost hear the spring peepers.

We saw our first Robins about a week ago, the red winged black birds have returned as have the grackles. Gardening season is right around the corner.
This was by far the worst season I can remember for ice fishing and I've been ice fishing for 67 years.

 

[Amarok]

-27 with the windchill(-17 without wind) and I must admit I'm getting kinda tired of this shit.

It will get a bit warmer and calmer later and I'm going burbot hunting this afternoon, wind be damned.

 

[Amarok]

Didn't go yesterday. Not feeling well, couldn't get warm, fighting a virus or something. Slept all evening, was up all night, before another nap around sunrise.

It's cold again today, but the wind isn't too bad. Still deciding how healthy I feel. I really want to go today, since this lake will probably be a gong show on the weekend and I don't need that.

 

[Amarok]

This is why I love this time of year.

16 burbot in the first two hours. 😍

 

[Bullfrog]

This is why I love this time of year.

16 burbot in the first two hours. 😍

Wow! Must be crazy action, happy for you.

Probably made you forget about not feeling the best, at least for a while.