ICE!!!!!!!!!!! for now...

[crappieSCOUT]

We've got some ice forming here on the big red pond. the only bad thing is they are calling for high winds out of the west tomorrow. So that should take care of all the ice, either way its reminding us how close we are from doing some early ice pike!

[wanzek]

Looks like by the end of next week some will be setting in pretty good.

[MagicStik]

Well if there isn't any ice you should be out trolling those gators.

MagicStik

[Jonny P]

A short sled ride today and talking with Buddy Hillman showed about 100 yards of slush off shore extending the length of the eastern shoreline, and not shallow stuff either. Past that we are looking at 1 1/2 - 2 inches ice with air pockets and and voids. So it will be a little while yet.

[lund pro-v]

Suck's I got the itch to go fishing soon. The vexilar all charged up. new gas for the auger. Hope everyone has a nice turkey day.

[Jonny P]

Yesterday Kelly, Dean from Beacon Harbor and myself started strategizing how the joint forces road between the Hillman system and Beacon Harbor would be cut across the lake and just where to start fishing that led to a good scouting trip today. Now on the North shore between Hillmans and Gilbar (Yellow house on the north shore) the ice is in rough shape. Several spots of deeper slush paired up with stacked ice or inconsistent ice conditions made any travel on the ice ultra slow as every move must be checked ahead of yourself once you get off the packed road out of Hillmans.

After a decision was made to stay close due to the conditions I settled for a tiny little beak in ten feet of water for tonight’s fishing. Now when I say tonight I mean tonight as in after dark. Not one bite of even mark on the MarCum until the sun was completely gone and once the sun disappeared the fish appeared. The hot bait for me was a pinched off minnow head on a red glow Lindy Rattl’N Fler spoon. No flasher marks or any indication they were present until they literally slammed the bait. Definitely and ultra aggressive fish right now as they normally are first ice. I ended up with icing nine fish with a few keepers mixed in making for a great night.

Ice conditions are still in tough shape on the north side and care must be taken, I actually personaly don’t feel safe taking a sled out yet due to the big slush pockets and variations in ice thickness I found. Ice from 4”-10” and even a couple slush spots I didn’t hang around long enough to measure. All in all the fish are present and biting, we just need some more ice to form to get to them.

[MagicStik]

Thanks for the update!

Magic