It is ON!! Today was my first chance to get on fishable ice in my area. When the ice is thin, normally I don’t expect to get on a knockout bite. Today was a completely different story.
I can’t remember the last time I caught gills and crappies of this caliber.
The gill picture above, I’m honestly putting at 12″+. I have never felt or seen one bigger. It was just a tank. Jeremy Crawford had the honors of catching it. Even though, I was jumping up and down like a school girl more than he was.
Being a bass fisherman, I don’t think he realized the magnitude of a true beast of a bluegill that he had caught. For me, this size is what dreams are made of.
First ice patterns for me are very much the same every year. They come down to hard work during the “off season”. Locating fall fish, preparing to winter, while in the boat, and then strategizing a game plan as soon as you can walk on water. Staying away from community holes, and trying and find ice that hasn’t been drilled. Then, we have to find ice thick enough to stand on. That was a challenge today. Most of the ice is around 3″.
Our strategy was to locate bait fish first, then fish deeper structure mid day, and swing shallow towards dusk. Swinging shallow proved to be the best move of the day.
I didn’t keep a count of how many fish we caught, because we were both so intent on catching the next 12-15″ crappie or the next 11″+ bluegill. I don’t think either of us have ever stared at a flasher with this much intent.
I can still see the MarCum red spinning in my eyes.
Jeremy and I were both using quiversticks, and powernoodles, rigged with Diamond Jigs/Gill Pills with finesse tails, or with wax worms.
The majority of the fish came in 12 FOW, and the crappies came in at a foot or two below the ice.
Best colors were Bumblebee, and Orange Tiger, rigged with the same color finesse tail.
Today was a blast. Tomorrow will probably be the last safe day for ice fishing in our area. I apologize for the short report, but I need to re-rig, and get to bed. My goal for tomorrow is get a 15″ crappie on the tape, as well as an 12″ gill on tape. I glad you finally bought the snosuit Jeremy, who knows if we would have caught any fish if you would have gotten cold!
Stay safe, and We’ll see you on the ice!!
Great report Luke. AWESOME size sunfish. U the MAN.
Remember, I retire this spring. See you at lake Winnepig in March and Rainy River in April?
Jerry
Awesome Luke!
Nice job Luke.
..and Mitch with my son were on the Waspi backwater
at the same time, good first ice fish Luke, Mitch, Adam:
http://www.idofishing.com/forum/files/photos/1323596287_firstice004.jpg
Nice catch Luke.
Nicr fish
Nice fish guys.
Good to see Crawford with something other than a stinky green fish in his hands
Great start to the hard water season guys
I headed north to Prairie du Chien this weekend to go ice fishing. Should have gone around my apartment, may have fared better. Nice fish Luke, I hope this warm weather goes away.
I don’t know what to say other than RIDICULOUS PANNIES!
Fantastic pannies, that is one big bull
Awesome bluegill in that first picture.
Thanks for the report Luke!
Brett… Come out of the closet.. You love the green ones!!!
Great fish Luke! That pig gill makes me look at my LX-5 for comparison purposes about every hour on the hour. Congrats on the great fishing and thanks for the report.
Joel
I saw your report on that Iowa site and I must say…you didn’t even get asked where your spot was one time on this site. I was kinda disappointed with the resposes on that other site…seems everybody has to ask you where you’re catching them…don’t want to do the work themselves.
Great report Luke. Some of those backwaters can really hold some nice fish. I think some of your ‘ice’ spots are probably set back a little with the latest warm spell..and more warm weather coming. Glad I didn’t put the boat up yet.
See ya around sometime…Ken