2014 Ice Fishing

I didn't get out and do much ice fishing this year as I had 3 fishing buddies move out of state and the reports on our usual reservoir have been bad all year. The lakes did freeze over early due to a lack of snow, but I wasn't able to get out until after Christmas. Our first adventure was to a reservoir up in Northern Utah that has great early season bluegill and perch fishing. My buddy and I stayed about 7 hours and caught about 125 bluegill and perch, a couple small bass and a small rainbow. We had about 20 bluegills we kept at 9"+.


12/28/13

The following week we went back up there and caught about 65 fish in 5 hours. No bass or trout. We only had four 9"+ bluegills for keeping.

01/04/14

January the temperatures were regularly in the high 30's to mid-40's with maybe 2 small snow storms. My lone fishing buddy Joe wasn't able to go most weekends due to work or family.

Luckily, this last weekend one of my old fishing buddies was in town, so the 3 of us headed to a new reservoir not that far from my house. When we showed up we were worried as the temperatures have been so warm and the shores showed open water. After we crossed a board onto the ice (you can see the red board in the picture), we found it to be 14" thick still. While the bluegill were only in the 5-7" range, and the trout in 9-12" range, they kept us fishing. In the 4 hours we stayed we caught 21 fish, and had 3 get off the hook.


02/09/14

Hopefully I'll get out a few more times but I'm afraid the reports of the temperature getting into the low 60's this weekend will effectively end the season soon.

I have always wanted to try ice fishing. How can people catch big fish like Muskie with those thin little poles?

RemMan700 wrote:I have always wanted to try ice fishing. How can people catch big fish like Muskie with those thin little poles?

You have to finesse them and hold as baby duck outside the hole and they jump right out.  (That's sarcasm Sheldon)   

Nice catching Taylor, I'd go Ice fishing with ya if-ing I was a bit closer to ya.

RemMan700 wrote:I have always wanted to try ice fishing. How can people catch big fish like Muskie with those thin little poles?

2 seasons ago my buddy Joe caught a huge Muskie through the ice on his 24" light action panfish rod and 4# test. Like Brad said, it takes a lot of finesse. Joe had to fight it for over 45 minutes. However, if you know you are going for bigger species like Macs or Muskies, you generally have a thicker/stiffer rod and its no big deal.

Nicnac wrote:Nice catching Taylor, I'd go Ice fishing with ya if-ing I was a bit closer to ya.

Brad, it's funny you say that because I was talking to my cousin in Omaha while fishing on Sunday and he has never been and wants to go. I told him I'd try and convince you to take us to Minnesota next year ice fishing, as that has been a dream of mine.

Looks fun, I need to make the drive up next year

I have done it here in SW IN. We do not get ice thick enough to ice fish very often! I did enjoy it with my 5 fends.