The lake ice is gone. About 70% of the ice was off the lake as of 6 AM this morning. Time to cast from shore and boat for the pre-spawn walleyes....should be a really good season due to the amount of ice we had.
Went out for about 5 hours yesterday. We found fish just about everywhere we looked. The active fish were suspended at 15 feet over 24 feet of water. We caught plenty of 8.5 to 9.5 inch fish. We only kept them if they Were over 10.5 inches. We kept 25 for a nice meal and threw the Rest back. Fishing is good if you have figured out the new pattern. Ice was 8 inches where we fished. This snow will keep the lake From adding too much more ice. We may have fish able ice for A few more weeks... Hopefully to the end of March!!!!
Good Job! I have been keeping 2x4s in the back of my truck during "thaws" to get over the edges for 35 years. They are the difference between going home or getting out on the lake. The ice is good if you can get past the edges. I used a couple of 2xs on Saturday to get out...left them hidden on shore near the spots I will fish later this week.
I just returned today from my Las Vegas convention and promptly went out and looked over the lake. Its in the shape I would expect after a week of warm weather. It looks to be about 7 to 8 inches as an average with the edges in pretty bad shape. The 10 day forecast will freeze the edges back up nicely but it will take a minimum of 3-4 days of good cold. I found a few areas that I could get back onto the lake. To be honest with you, I wont try to get back out (far out) until mid to later next week. I have been ice fishing this lake for over 35 years and would suggest caution until that week of cold has had its time to heal the edges and some of the mid lake spots.
I saw Bruce..way out on the lake...Bruce you worked hard for those fish! I cheated, I found them close to shore. If you were fishing what I think you were fishing, it runs the length of the lake..follow it west and see how close to shore it runs sorry I did not get to call you and meet up...this work thing is trying to interfere with my ice fishing..its getting out of hand
Went out this morning roughly 100 yards off shore and caught Fish basically for about 4 hours straight. I threw back Roughly 60 crappies that averaged 10 inches. I did not Keep count of the white bass but probably threw back about Half That many. The whites ran around 13 inches. Yesterday I caught About the same amount but also caught a couple Keeper walleyes. Nothing huge both just shy of 16 inches. Needless to Say fishing is good. Earlier in the week the crappies were much Bigger (quite a few over 12 inches) but the last few days I have seen Smaller fish come in.
I went out 2 times today...the first time out I found a large school of white bass...I caught over 25 and they were a mixed bag of medium to really large...couldnt get past the white bass to catch any crappies. Went back out from 4:45 to 6:30 and then found the crappies. I ended up with 18 keepers..with about 6 throwbacks. I have been finding the active fish roving along drops..generally between 23 and 30 feet. bottom content changes make it even better.
I found something (as I was wandering around on the ice today) that was dropped when someone was leaving the lake either today or yesterday. It was left near the visitors overlook point. I have it safe and sound. If you have lost something please PM me and tell me what it is and I will get it back to you. Oh..the fish are still hungry
Made the long walk out to mid lake today...Fish were not crushing the lure like yesterday but it was solid action again. I ended up with a limit of crappies. Largest was 13.75 and 13 even. The rest were between 12 and 10.5 inches. The new snow made it a bear to pull out there and back..roughly a mile each way. Here is a picture of my fish popsicles....
Had some work issues that kept me from getting out earlier but I was able to get out for 2.5 hours tonight. Threw quite a few back before i decided to keep these. One fish was about 15 inches with a few others in the mid 13s...I will be out tomorrow morning for a few hours.
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sorry I did not get to call you and meet up...this work thing is trying to interfere with my ice fishing..its getting out of hand 
