Things worked out to take my trip to petenwell lake in Wisconsin this past weekend. To sum it up , very tough. Kind of knew that going up from reports I saw. Got there to late Friday to fish so I checked out the ramps and the two local bait shops, picked up a couple lures to try and talked to a couple fishermen at the lake. Reports were slow, slow bite and no one catching much more than a couple little ones. Next morning I stopped and got some Rosie's, a pinkish minnow and hit the lake. Drilled a couple holes, 17 in of ice. My drill only held out for six holes, and my arms about the same. First time I tried a drill and my 18 volt only has one battered. Found out how good a strikemaster is, lol, and found the depth I needed to be. Nothing, not a fish marked. Moved a couple times and called it quits at noon and moved to another place down the lake a way. Stayed till dusk and only managed one little cat and small walleye. Next morning, sat, fished dawn to dusk. Same reports from bait shop and people around me. I quit the recommended lures and started trying different things. As like the first day, many lookers. Threw everything I had at them and wound up catching on bare hook and my go to gold blade. But I did start catching fish. Still many lookers not many takers. A few swing and misses. I could entice them up off the bottom and wound up with around 14 fish for the day through the ice. 14in was my biggest. One cat and one crappie, rest walleye. Must be 15-20in to keep so no walleye to bring home. Lost several that could have been keepers and I blame that on me only taking a six inch auger. Still kicking myself for that one. But I had a good time. Got some ice fishing in and a great experience. Caught more that the locals around me so I feel I did good. Was a trip first time seeing full size trucks driving on a lake. A lot of them make a party out of it. You see clumps of two to four trucks with there territory staked out.
