About half of this 1400 acre reservoir was frozen over today, but we found an open ramp and went fishing anyway. Managed over 75 crappie and a couple bass in mostly 39 degree water. Was rather nice being the only boat on the water today. Come to think of it, didn't see another person in the entire state park

 

 

 

Minnows or jigs?

Unfortunately our 39* water is covered in 32* ice

22 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Minnows or jigs?

jigs

 

6 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Unfortunately our 39* water is covered in 32* ice

As soon as it's thick enough to walk on safely, just drop some jigging Rapalas down on them through a hole and hang on. Everything under 50 acres is frozen here, too, but today was day 2 of a warmup with rain the next two days, so I think small waters will be in play again by the weekend.

I remember a couple of decades ago or so - when I was a lot younger - we use to use the tin boat to plow into the flow ice to break open a channel so we could fish. Can't take the cold anymore like that, but as long as there is open water, we still manage a trip or two. Some of the absolute best crappie fishing can be had this time of the year. Unfortunately, we started our winter way too early this year. None of our ponds are open anymore though. Last trip for us was Nov. 7th.. Hurry up MARCH!

On 12/12/2018 at 7:44 PM, Team9nine said:

jigs

 

As soon as it's thick enough to walk on safely, just drop some jigging Rapalas down on them through a hole and hang on. Everything under 50 acres is frozen here, too, but today was day 2 of a warmup with rain the next two days, so I think small waters will be in play again by the weekend.

We've had a few mid 40's days and I saw some open water yesterday. If this keeps up, the ice may never be safe.

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

We've had a few mid 40's days and I saw some open water yesterday. If this keeps up, the ice may never be safe.

You make it sound like that's a bad thing 

8 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

You make it sound like that's a bad thing 

I don't ice fish, so I don't care. Ice out in February would be sweet

Just now, slonezp said:

I don't ice fish, so I don't care. Ice out in February would be sweet

I went ice fishing ONCE.

 

Got a 6# walleye, tossed it outside the house on the ice - just like everyone else did. Few minutes later heard some yelling. Opened the door and looked out...to see a bald eagle making off with my fish.

 

This was up at Lake Bemidji in the late 70's. Chippewa National Forest is close and has the largest concentration of nesting bald eagle pairs in the lower 48.

16 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I went ice fishing ONCE.

 

Got a 6# walleye, tossed it outside the house on the ice - just like everyone else did. Few minutes later heard some yelling. Opened the door and looked out...to see a bald eagle making off with my fish.

 

This was up at Lake Bemidji in the late 70's. Chippewa National Forest is close and has the largest concentration of nesting bald eagle pairs in the lower 48.

Eagles are scavengers. So much for our national bird. They are majestic. I'll give them that. They prefer the easy meal just like everyone else. 

 

A few years back I was privileged to watch a bald eagle steal a large sucker from a group of seagulls. The fiasco lasted about 10 minutes of back and forth, before the eagle finally dropped the fish into someones backyard where a kid was playing. Kid went screaming to his mother that a fish fell from the tree.

On 12/19/2018 at 10:01 PM, slonezp said:

Eagles are scavengers. So much for our national bird. They are majestic. I'll give them that. They prefer the easy meal just like everyone else. 

 

A few years back I was privileged to watch a bald eagle steal a large sucker from a group of seagulls. The fiasco lasted about 10 minutes of back and forth, before the eagle finally dropped the fish into someones backyard where a kid was playing. Kid went screaming to his mother that a fish fell from the tree.

My buddy calls them buzzards in tuxedos. We have a whole bunch of them nowadays, even some downtown 

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 8:34 PM, slonezp said:

I don't ice fish, so I don't care.

Me neither!  Frankly I think that most ice anglers are out there to drink beer or socialize, not fish.  And some of them seriously risk their lives, cars, snowmobiles, and other equipment all for the crack at a few dinky perch when they already know that the ice is very unsafe.

On 12/21/2018 at 12:00 PM, TnRiver46 said:

My buddy calls them buzzards in tuxedos. We have a whole bunch of them nowadays, even some downtown 

Love watching them terrorize the coots.....

Only ice I want is cube's in a soft drink glass.....

Im with you on that. I do enjoy watching Grumpy ol men. But thats probably as close as I ever come to ice fishing.

When ( if ) theres ice on the winshields here, its time to be huntin!!?

14 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Im with you on that. I do enjoy watching Grumpy ol men. But thats probably as close as I ever come to ice fishing.

When ( if ) theres ice on the winshields here, its time to be huntin!!?

Huntin smallmouth!