12-12-2017, 10:12 PM
[#0000FF]The title is "Chillin"...not drillin'. No auger needed but it was about as close to ice fishing as you can get without a hard deck. Ice was forming out from the south edge of the inside of the harbor, but it is still thin. Might not be long with this cold inversion.
I was hoping to get in a last shot at the perch at the north marina before iceup. I gave up ice fishing a couple of years ago...although conditions today were not much different. Cold and foggy at 8:30 launch. But at least it was calm...except for a while when a light north breeze cut right through all my layers for a while. Air temp 22 and water temp 38.
Worked a variety of baits and lures...including several sizes and colors of fligs. The heavy fog must have hindered me seeing anything on sonar or fish seeing my offerings. Nothing but a few stray individual small fish on my screen...and nary a sniff on anything I sent down to entice them. But at least I got my annual Willard skunk out of the way.
After seeing nothing on sonar...and catching about as much on my line for over an hour...I brought in the lines and started making big S turns with my electric motor. I covered all the areas and best spots from times past. Nada, zip, zilch. Only a few single fish...and no married ones.
I stopped and fished a while at several previously productive spots. No love. I finally motored back into the harbor and did the search routine there. Same thing. Clean bottom with no fishies to mess up the nice flat line.
Can't believe I stuck it out as long as I did. Sure did violate my rule that I fish for enjoyment...not endurance. Also puts an end to my being able to say "My mama drowned all the dumb ones." I think she missed one.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
I was hoping to get in a last shot at the perch at the north marina before iceup. I gave up ice fishing a couple of years ago...although conditions today were not much different. Cold and foggy at 8:30 launch. But at least it was calm...except for a while when a light north breeze cut right through all my layers for a while. Air temp 22 and water temp 38.
Worked a variety of baits and lures...including several sizes and colors of fligs. The heavy fog must have hindered me seeing anything on sonar or fish seeing my offerings. Nothing but a few stray individual small fish on my screen...and nary a sniff on anything I sent down to entice them. But at least I got my annual Willard skunk out of the way.
After seeing nothing on sonar...and catching about as much on my line for over an hour...I brought in the lines and started making big S turns with my electric motor. I covered all the areas and best spots from times past. Nada, zip, zilch. Only a few single fish...and no married ones.
I stopped and fished a while at several previously productive spots. No love. I finally motored back into the harbor and did the search routine there. Same thing. Clean bottom with no fishies to mess up the nice flat line.
Can't believe I stuck it out as long as I did. Sure did violate my rule that I fish for enjoyment...not endurance. Also puts an end to my being able to say "My mama drowned all the dumb ones." I think she missed one.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]