I’m still planning on taking the boat or least twice. No ice planning for me.
However, my 4 year old can’t wait for ice fishing. When we had ice on the windshield this last week, he excitedly exclaimed “we can go ice fishing now!” This morning he was whining and moaning (coming down off a Halloween candy sugar high) and fussed about wanting to go ice fishing. It has been coming up at least three times a week for the last couple weeks. He’s hooked.
I’m excited for spring.
I have never caught a crappie. I would love to go with someone who can teach me the ropes. Perch fishing is fun when you get into some that has a little size to them. Are crappie as good to eat as perch? We caught some bass and a couple of gills at Mantua a couple of winters ago. They were okay eating, but I much preferred perch.
About 4 years ago, maybe 5, I picked my wife up from work at midnight and we drove to strawberry and fished through the night. We fished out from the ladders. About 6 am in the morning I caught a 26 inch cutt. That was the first and only slot buster I have caught. It was also the last season I used a hand auger with ice over 18 inches thick. My wife felt so sorry for me, she bought me a power auger for my Birthday. Later that year we traded in one of our ATV’s for a snowmobile. She says we are getting to old to have to work that hard dragging our equipment out on the ice. That turned into the best ice fishing investment I ever made. (Teaching my wife to ice fish)
I have never been ice fishing but have always wanted to go. Im hoping this year will be the year! a couple questions.
Is it relatively safe as long as you read the ice reports, and weather? My wife is a bit freaked out about fishing on top of ice…
any tips on good ice fishing lures for Utah waters? Its hard to find specific information for Utah on the internet.
any other information or tips for a beginner angler / ice angler?
I wait until there is 4 inches of ice, 3 is safe but I just prefer to wait for 4. And for ice fishing lures there’s a ton depending on what your doing for. Atomic ants, paddle bugs, gizits, ratsos, rantfinke, there’s a tone of lures, just hit sportsmans in the ice fishing section. I use a bu ch of different lures and don’t really have a go to, maybe the paddle bug in green.
I’m still planning on taking the boat or least twice. No ice planning for me.
However, my 4 year old can’t wait for ice fishing. When we had ice on the windshield this last week, he excitedly exclaimed “we can go ice fishing now!” This morning he was whining and moaning (coming down off a Halloween candy sugar high) and fussed about wanting to go ice fishing. It has been coming up at least three times a week for the last couple weeks. He’s hooked.
Yeah you got the kid hooked.
I have never caught a crappie. I would love to go with someone who can teach me the ropes. Perch fishing is fun when you get into some that has a little size to them. Are crappie as good to eat as perch? We caught some bass and a couple of gills at Mantua a couple of winters ago. They were okay eating, but I much preferred perch.
About 4 years ago, maybe 5, I picked my wife up from work at midnight and we drove to strawberry and fished through the night. We fished out from the ladders. About 6 am in the morning I caught a 26 inch cutt. That was the first and only slot buster I have caught. It was also the last season I used a hand auger with ice over 18 inches thick. My wife felt so sorry for me, she bought me a power auger for my Birthday. Later that year we traded in one of our ATV’s for a snowmobile. She says we are getting to old to have to work that hard dragging our equipment out on the ice. That turned into the best ice fishing investment I ever made. (Teaching my wife to ice fish)
Good job looking your wife on ice fishing. I took mine out once and I never received all the toys you did.
Albino… if she didn’t tag along, then I would not have gotten the toys either. For years and years she told me to “run along, and have a good time”. After all the kids left home, she worried about me going by myself, so she decided to keep me company. She went with me when I took a bunch of scouts out one Saturday. She caught her first fish thru the ice and that did it. She still jumps out of her skin when the ice sends a crack under her feet. She really likes taking my oldest granddaughter along. They fish together in the same hole. I spend most of my time baiting everyones hooks. I have become a master baiter.
I like fishing with a ratfinkie tipped with a wax worm. It is my go to bait. I went 5 years straight without being skunked. When I took my wife, I spent so much time helping her, I got skunked. It has been 3 or 4 years running again with out meeting up with the skunk. Having the right equipment (sonar), the right partner, and using the right setup helps a lot. Getting away from the crowds works, but is not a must.
To find out what lake will freeze first we will have to ask the fish bowl for the dates and lakes..
I’m ready for the ice. I live for that time of the year. I fish Otter Creek and Fish Lake most of the season. I probably fish too much during that time of the year, seems how I fish every weekend of the short season that there is. My wife just started going with me fishing on the ice and she loves it. That also makes it easier for me to go every weekend, due to she is spending time with me. BRING ON THE ICE, and let the party begin.
It’s safe if you’re careful. I won’t step on anything thinner than 3 inches personally, but you can fish through 1cm of ice (at Utah Lake for example) if you stay on the docks and just punch your holes through the thin stuff.
I’ve had more luck with jigs than anything else through the ice.
Get a hand auger off Craigslist (I paid $20 for mine) and dress warm. Bring a friend so you don’t get bored if the fish don’t bite at first.
I’m pumped for the ice season. We’re hitting that awkward time of year when it’s cold enough to make fishing a bit uncomfortable (i.e. Provo River), but there’s no ice yet. I will probably be putting away all the 3 season rods within the next week or two, and getting out all the ice rods to change the line, grease the reels and get my ice tackle ready.
Right there with ya! youtube vids, Clam catalogs, watching re-runs of Across the Ice Belt, TV show..Got me my new friend for this year, the bigger Clam version of my current ice hut..I got the XL6000, 112sf of fishable space! Can’t wait to hit it!
Right there with ya! youtube vids, Clam catalogs, watching re-runs of Across the Ice Belt, TV show..Got me my new friend for this year, the bigger Clam version of my current ice hut..I got the XL6000, 112sf of fishable space! Can’t wait to hit it!
Lol, I see where your focus lies. I am. Currently biting back the urge to dive into saltwater gear. I got spoiled this past summer and now I am hooked.
I’m ready for ice fishing season!!! This summer and fall fishing is just slow to the point I decided to work more to have more cash this winter.
I can’t explain how excited I was leaving for work this morning and seeing snow flurries. Ice season can’t get here soon enough!
18 here this morning in Gunnison, Im sure up top they are making ice. May get on the hard deck off skyline before snow prevents it from happening. Ive got the itch too. May get the shelters up this afternoon to make sure everything is ready.
Good to hear about the temps there in Gunnison. Generally the first lakes to freeze in Utah are Huntington and right behind it is Scofield and about a week or so behind Scofield is some of the bays at Strawberry. I have been able to fish Mud Creek the first of December many years. I have usually gone up to Huntington Thanksgiving weekend (Friday after) and often Scofield. Generally the bay by the dam at Scofield freezes up a week or two before the rest of the lake. Many of the Uinta lakes are freezing now. I am not a Uinta fan, but if I really wanted to get out on the ice, I think I would be looking at Mirror Lake and a few lakes at that elevation in about another week.
let me know if you want to split gas and drive out for a weekend.we can leave on a Thursday night and come back on a Sunday. It’s usually 150 for gas round trip. Oh and Greg is coming out for thanksgiving. We may hit Provo or the Weber that Saturday.
let me know if you want to split gas and drive out for a weekend.we can leave on a Thursday night and come back on a Sunday. It’s usually 150 for gas round trip. Oh and Greg is coming out for thanksgiving. We may hit Provo or the Weber that Saturday.
Thanks