2010 -2011

[HardWater Junkie]

I fished most of the day. I was all around the 1st island and the ice was a minimum of 4 1/2 of good clear ice with 1 to 3 inches of white ice on top. The water was crystal clear. In my shanty I could see bottom at 12 ft. I caught 27 crappie the biggest being 13 inches with an over all average of 10 in. Also caught 10 slab gills averaging 9 in. I was surprised that I didn't catch a single dink gill or crappie. The bite was super light. You had to look down your hole and watch them suck in the bait and hook them or they would spit it back out. I was using a size 8 and 12 horizontal jig. The best color for me was black or orange and black. The crappie were only 1 foot of the bottom. Look for the pack of guys in between the islands. That's were there at. I'm headed back out in the morning. Ill be in my blue viking shanty. Stop by and say hi.

[JustNutts]

nice report. Have any pictures to share?

[HardWater Junkie]

The wife had the camera today. Im going to start taking it out with me. Now I have to figure how to post them

[SlabJunkie]

I was out there with you guys yesterday morning. i was the first one out there, i was in a 12ft pocket to the east of the group by a hundred yards or so. i lost coun't of how many i caught (easy 30+) all undersized except 2. i got set up by 6:30 and started catching right away. very aggressive bite while it was dark. it didn't matter what size minnow you put down the hole they would come flying off the bottom and meet it at 6-7ft and slam it! slowed down a little bit after day light but i continued to catch fish consistantly, then i looked down my hole and couldn't believe i could see my bait @12ft, so i turned off the electronics and sight fished and caught another 10 or so crappie and a gill. then i went to the south side of the group  drilled a few holes till i marked some fish, set up and sight fished some more and caught a couple more crappie and a couple big gills. then i went to find some weeds in the shallows waste if my time and effort, there are no weeds in that lake i swear. i went into a cove and drilled a hole close to shore and expected to see weeds, there was nothing in 3 fow and less.

next time out i'm gonna go try the deep water and see if i can catch better sized fish.. i had a great time catching just wished they were a lil bigger. was home by 12:30. 

[HardWater Junkie]

I fished yesterday from 8 a to 3 p and caught well over 100 crappie and blue gill. The problem is all the crappie were 7 to 9 inch with one being 11. I was talking to a lot of guys who fish that for years and they are glad to see it open to the public now. They say there are big slabs but most are 7 to 9 inch. I was also told there are not many walleye left as they have not stocked it in years. Without very many predator fish the crappie population has exploded and there are millions of them. I can look down my hole in and deep area of water and see several fish. They will come up suck in the bait and spit it back out. The blue gill I have gotten were all good sized but there seems to be 10-20 crappie to each gill. I m going to try a few different spots tomorrow morning. I finally got my marcum lx-5 so that will help out. If you can find the weed beds that's where I think the big crappie are at. If I can find them I let you know.

[SlabJunkie]

PLEASE let us know if you find the weeds! i am gonna try and get out there this afternoon if i get off work early. i will be heading for the deeper water.

[HardWater Junkie]

 I was out past the islands today and still no weeds. I did find perch though. I got several over 10 inchs. The crappie are still biting like crazy. they hit everything I had. Vib-e's. swedish pimple's and every different small jig I have. The crappies are still around 7 -9 in. but a few coming larger. Still getting some nice sized gills. The biggest gill today was 9 in. I got some pics today. Ill try to post them later

[HardWater Junkie]

I was out for a few hrs. this morning. Still catching lots of crappies in the 7 to 9 range with a few running bigger. Got a few perch 9 to 11 inchs. The fish would come up and look at all my jigs but only seemed to want to take a #2 nickel swedish pimple. All the fish were suspended 3 to 6 ft off the bottom. I think im going to try a few spots I havent tried yet tomorrow.

[HardWater Junkie]

I didnt get out until after 10 am yesterday and I got skunked. I was told the crappie were hitting hard in the morning but by the time I got there the front was moving thru and all the fish shut down. I would see them on my marcum and they would look at my bait but then just turn away. I tryed everything I had but they just refused to bite. Im going back out on the 26th. Ill be there at 7 am if anyone wants to meet and fish.