I think there may be something to that sensing fear. Good luck next trip. J
Need company? I can’t get loose until 8:00, but I’m game to head up.
Funny, summer or winter I’ve caught zero trout out of Mantua, except one tiny planter in the open water of the south inlet after we couldn’t find the bluegills through the ice.
I generally rig for bluegill, so are there any tips for trout rigging you’d care to pass along?
Best of luck to you! Let us know how the ice is. Lavaman and myself (hopefully CoyoteSpinner too) will be out there Saturday in the a.m. Can’t wait!
I’ll be over on the east side by the point with a couple of buddies. Gettin up there at 6:30am, hopefully the ice will be thicker than 2" tomorrow
BURR! Wonder if my townhouse fully equipt with furnace & powder room will float?[:p] You guys are pretty darn silly! I’m gonna hold out for more inches…getting to be a wany pany in the freezer kids!
Smiles Always!
MA
Plannin’ on it. Jdawg’s coming out too (
firstie ).
Started swapping the long rods for the shorties and buckets.
I was wonderin’ - we usually park on the S. road, and hoof it across toward the knoll- the usual trail that forms - but with the new parking areas - any benefit in parking in one of the new lots, then hiking around on the east shore, and dropping in at the point.
Less snap-crackly ice to walk across. Hope we have 4 by Saturday! It’s still been cold. And in the AM…
Wonder if the man-eating hole forms this year. Just don’t know how the access will be - at least to the north road. Don’t they scrape the south road? Hope they at least left the bathrooms open.
But in any case - getting out on the ice will be nice! I’ll make sure to get a BFT sticker on my sled. Need a flag for the tent!
Here’s TDs most recent revision of the Mantua Map. Includes the new roads/parking areas. Second pic was posted last year. Bit of debate about whether or not there ARE springs. Plus - nothing there scratched in stone - ice conditions change, inevitably.
[inline “MANTUA RESERVOIR NEW.jpg”]
But don’t quote me . . . YMMV
[inline “Mantua Map.jpg”]
Thanks for posting that “Springs Map”. I’ve fished that pond many times, and always wonder where those traps are located. Makes you wonder if indeed that is all there are; or if springs come and go over time.
Yote very good info to know especially for the early anglers. Thanks for posting that I think I was fishing right on top of those springs last winter and didn’t know it. Might be why the ice was a lot thinner than others had told me it was. Or do these springs stay open to the surface like Bear Lakes do? Anyway good to know where to be careful thanks J
Ice was 4-5" thick today. Fishing was pretty slow but did catch one nice rainbow
Awesome! I drove by today to check it out. I was in a tan F-150. I probably saw you out there south of the knoll. Thanks for the info! It is much appreciated.
Ben A. Friend
yeah that would be me haha. everything went wrong out there today…heater wouldn’t start (had to build a fire) and the auger broke. good thing there were some good sized rocks on the bank
They aren’t quite like bear lake but the are still very dangerous. Depending on how warm the day is they can open back up. The worst one I know of is over by the knoll. Just don’t go over by the darker spots.
Thanks I’ll be more alert. J
Part of the debate was whether there were any springs - period, but one proposal was that some of the “thin spots” could be caused by gas bubbles, or heat generated by tall weeds.
Basically - if you see something like THIS - stay clear! (this was TDs pic I’m pretty sure).
The real hazard comes if a bubbler gets covered with snow. Maybe we should mark 'em with orange cones!
[inline “DOUBLE BUBBLER.jpg”]
I recall being impressed at ice-skaters cruising into all kinds of untrodden territory. And with blades on - whatever floats your boat!
The real hazard comes if a bubbler gets covered with snow. Maybe we should mark 'em with orange cones!
Thank you for volunteering! We expect to see you carrying orange cones all over the lake tomorrow.
Ummmm…who is going to walk over and put the cone by it? 
Ummmm…who is going to walk over and put the cone by it?
Coyote brought it up…I thought that meant he volunteered?
When the ice is thick I fish in those holes. Saves me drilling time.