Arrived at the lake @ 8:00 abit of a late start, being the first trip out its always an adventure making sure all the gear is in order. thought I would go light for the first trip and left the tent at home, Big mistake, the older I get the colder I get! Dropped off in the Damn Arm of the lake on the south side by the rocks in about 12-15’ water. Ice was 7" thick, Guys were all over the lake, the main channel must be 3-4" I would assume, I punched 2 holes and dropped in two different jigs and sizes, I couldn’t find any wax worms so I ended up with crawlers and powerbait nibblets as the scent. The larger jigs produce nothing for the day, ended up switching to 2 different 3/4" jigs and had constant hits on any color. Caught one 15" bow, and the rest of the fish were 7-10" My camera was dead so I didn’t get the chance to see what was really down there, The fish seemed to come in schools and were always on the move, the byte was constant for 10-15 minutes, then nothing for 15-20 more, not my best day at scofeild but non-the less my favorite fishing season has begun, I felt like I had no control without my tent though, I don’t know how you guys do it with out cover, I struggled all day with holes freezing up, iced up line and frozen body. I’ll take my tent anyday. Next trip will definately be in my tent on my favorite gps spot that always produces. On a side note, a few guys but not overly crowded, and One dude that professed to be a BFT guy with a ton of kids sledding down the hill, moved right in on two guys and basically stopped there fishing and had to move, Its a big lake out there guys, why do poeple think the fishing is better if they move right on top of someone else, my rule always is, min 200 ft. from anyone, and I would just as soon fish alone and catch nothing than be crowded in and knocking them dead. But thats just me!
Sounds like our day only we had our tent/heater I have grown to be a wuss unless it is a warm day no wind I always put up the tent. We got 1 14 inch tiger and 30 8-12 fish bows and cutts but no chubs. It was a zoo there but the ice was safe.
Never caught anything worth using the tape measure but also did not get a skunk. Thanks for letting me borrow the measuring tape orvis. I need to get that tape back to you but probably wont be out tomorrow. I feel bad about borrowing it and not even using it.[crazy][crazy] Anyway PM me and I will figure out how to get it back to you. Good seeing you on the hard deck again.
Good to meet you orvis, I has more fun watching the fish on the underwater camera.
Oh and thanks again Fullmoonfishin, for letting me tag along with you and your girl. I had a great time as we always do. And the crown was delicious If we would have had more I bet we would have caught more fish. It was like clock work, how one of us would get a fish immediately after taking shots. Good times bro. And better times to come.
Never caught anything worth using the tape measure but also did not get a skunk. Thanks for letting me borrow the measuring tape orvis. I need to get that tape back to you but probably wont be out tomorrow. I feel bad about borrowing it and not even using it.[crazy][crazy] Anyway PM me and I will figure out how to get it back to you. Good seeing you on the hard deck again.
Sorry to hear that… I wondered why I didn’t hear from you but looking at the weather probably a better day to sit at home and watch the snow and some football instead. I shot you my TN on that other site we will meet up later and drill some holes.
Full Moon Fishing.. That tent setup was sweet you know how to ice fish..
sound like I need to get all of my crap out of the shed was the whole lake froze over or just the damb?
I think I am the one you are referring to who had the group set up right next to. We walked away from the crowds to a little corner away from everyone and had a huge group with several kids and dogs set up right up the shore from us. They kepy walking right past our tent to go get stuff from their cars, the kids started sledding on the hill and there was constant yelling.
The funny thing is that we decided to move where no one was fishing. We set up and started fishing and no joke within 20 min we had two groups set up right next to us on our right and one on the left. The whole freaking lake was available and these three groups had to fish within 20-30 yards of us on each side?! I swear novice ice fishermen look for people fishing, assume that the fishermen know something, and then go set up right by them. So annoying!!
We caught well over 30 fish in 4 hours with the largest a 19" tiger trout. Compare that to Wednesday when we had 3 tigers between 21-25.5"s. The reason, crowds, full moon and high pressure, but mostly the crowds!
I knew from the post that you made the other day that the lake would be VERY crowded on a Saturday during thanksgiving weekend. Anybody who normally would have fished other waters this weekend was “lured” to the big tiger possibility on some early ice. I learned the lesson last year, not to post a good, highly successful midweek fishing trip, if I plan on hitting it within the next few days or over the weekend. I am not saying that there would have not been that many people if you had not have posted because there are plenty of people who already planned on making it there anyway. After seeing your big tigers the other day, I knew where I was going. I didn’t even have to consider any other places.
Don’t worry though when all the other lakes closer to the valleys freeze up you will have it back to yourself.
After you moved, it got worse, i had to laugh as more guys hoverd around you after your move, I just don’t understand it. Im usually the guy you see all alone in the middle of the lake or accross the other side, its amazing how good the fishing is when you don’t have 50 guys drilling holes every 10 minutes around you. I love my sled! Glad so see some monsters come out, now I just have to wait for the berry to seize up and Im good to go.
Don’t bash on the novice ice fisherman to hard. I remember fishing mud creek all by myself one morning. Been out there since the sun had come up. When two guys sneak up behind me and punch holes less then 20 yards away. That turned out to be the first time we met.
Are you sure? I don’t remember ever ice fishing mud creek but I could be wrong (but I don’t usually forget an ice fishing experience[:P]).
But the last few years have taught me that the number one rule to ice fishing is avoiding crowds. I go through a list of good fishing areas and I find the one with the least amount of fishermen. So this means I am either fishing early thin ice or walking a long ways.
I never mind people joining my area once they ask, and I always invite friends to join me. But the key is to produce as little sound and distractions as possible. That is why I will never go to an organized ice fishing event again (burbot bask was fun but fishing sucked) and why I always lack the motivation to join ice fishing one day tournaments.
I also went back and forth on posting my report last week but figured the crowds would be there anyways. I was just surprised when the groups followed us after we walked a ways and after we moved to a new part of the lake. Oh well.
lol i believe and love that mud creek story, i always laugh about the people on here that hot spot on there fishing trip because they want some glory and then cry when somebody shows up on the place they hot spotted.[;)]
I’m hoping to be one of them thar novice ice-anglers this year. One of the questions I didn’t ask at the clinic at SWR - was about “ice etiquette”
Questions like - distance/spacing - I’d assume use the same rule of thumb as if you were in a boat - 150 yards, or talk to 'em first and ASK if they mind company.
But yeah - lots of non-fishing kids stomping around, dogs running loose and stealing your bait, or knocking your flasher down the hole, um - no thanks.
If I choose a secluded spot and drill some holes then someone comes up next to me with a power-auger, there might be colorful metaphors to share!
Now if they are toting some Crown, and sharing a tent in return - we’re in business!
But what about left over holes? If someone has moved away from an area, when/is it ok to come chisel open their leftover holes, and plunk down on em?
Caught some underwater camera action on YouTube - and that looks like some danged fun! Watching those perch suddenly disappear skywards - that’s good stuff!
Hope to meet some chunky Perch, and slabby Crappie! And yeah - if I do I’ll probably post pictures to bask in the glory of it all. But probably’ll keep my GPS figures to myself!
Thanks for that very insightful post. Really contributing aren’t we?!
Ice fishing etiquette is a touchy subject and depends on the person you are talking to. The bottom line is don’t do anything to piss off the fisherman next to you. If you are bringing kids, dogs and power toys, probably best to find your own little corner of the lake without a fishermen within 200 yards of you.
Once someone leaves there holes, they are free game, unless they only moved a little ways aways and/or if they left some stuff there to show intent of returning. I have moved 20 yards before and had people come and drop their lines down my original holes. That is pretty lame.
At shallow and/or small lakes, you have to be even more respectful. Large groups/crowds will scare fish out of the area or cause lockjaw. Safest method is to ask. I am usually more than happy to let a fisherman or two join me in my general area if they are not going to cause a lot of noise.
But I knew the crowds would be at Scofield on Saturday so wasn’t too bothered. It did upset me that when I moved to an area that had no fishermen, to have 3 groups follow me there within 20 minutes was pretty annoying. But we only had an hour anyways and we outfished them 10 to 1 in that hour.
Yeah the Crown was good to bad we ran out bigger bottle next time. Can wait to get out again.
Well Put in both your posts here. I like your views on respect and leaving space for others.
Shawn
Yea, gettingthereok rarely has anything positive to say, you can look back over his post and you will be hard pressed to find a helpful bit of info. In my opinion, I’d rather read a glory post, as he puts it, than a negative post any day, sure makes me wonder why he bothers posting at all[unimpressed]. How does that saying go, “if you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all[;)].”
not all of us are arrogant enough to call people we dont know novice ice anglers and then claim to outfish them 10 to 1.nice contribution .i still love that mudcreek story and your selective memory.I am sure it is true.