after the season (NDR)

[Huntindave McCann]

Crappie morning today.

Got on the ice about 7:00AM and limited (25) on Crappie by 8:40AM
We have lost some ice and it is not coming back right now, with the heavy snow cover on top. Measured 8 inches thick, but the top 2 inches is weak. On top of that, is a layer of slush followed by 4 inches of snow. Even with the temps in the teens, the slush is not firming up, under all that snow.
I added another tool to my fishing arsenal yesterday. Bought a UV "Glow cup" and mounted it next to my seat in my flip over shelter. It does a good job at charging up the glow-in-the-dark spoon I was using.

 

[Dani]

Looks like fun Dave!!!

Do you pretty much just fry the fish or do you ever cook them in different ways?

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Looks like fun Dave!!!

Do you pretty much just fry the fish or do you ever cook them in different ways?

Dani,

Usually fry them because it is quick and easy. I do occasionally bake up a fish, bread crumb, cheese casserole recipe that's pretty good.

 

[Dani]

I do occasionally bake up a fish, bread crumb, cheese casserole recipe that's pretty good.

Sounds tasty....when's dinner?

 

[greg setter]

Ice fishing for panfish is lots of fun. I did a lot of it when I was younger and lived further north where they got enough ice. We had nice yellow perch, 10-12"s. Winter caught panfish are as good eating as you will get. Glad to see you're getting some fish.

 

[tod osier]

Fun Dave, I've been doing some reading and watching on ice fishing for the next phase of life. I see the glow cups quite often and I'm all lusting for fancy electronics this week.

fry of some crappie sounds pretty darn good.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Dave

Nice mess of fish you got there. In your area is there a lot of interest in ice fishing or are you typically the only one on the lake?

Eric

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Fun Dave, I've been doing some reading and watching on ice fishing for the next phase of life. I see the glow cups quite often and I'm all lusting for fancy electronics this week.

fry of some crappie sounds pretty darn good.

Tod,
Crappies and Walleye are a mainstay of my fishing. Both are abundant in my area and both are tasty. That said, I also enjoy fishing for Trout and Salmon, actually any fishing. I have a cousin in Colorado, so I'm familiar with several streams and lakes there. I could probably be talked into exploring other western waters. [whistle]

I've used glow-in-the-dark lures for years. While not a golden bullet, they do work well at times. Folks will use a flashlight, camera flash unit or UV glow cup, with the glow cup transferring the most energy charge to the coating on the lure. Glow seems to be best when used in low visibility water, duh.

As far as fancy electronics, don't get me started, the sky is the limit. I have more invested in my latest sonar unit, than I care to admit. It will NOT make the fish bite, but what it will do, is provide you as an angler, with an abundance of very useful information.

 

[tod osier]

Tod,
Crappies and Walleye are a mainstay of my fishing. Both are abundant in my area and both are tasty. That said, I also enjoy fishing for Trout and Salmon, actually any fishing. I have a cousin in Colorado, so I'm familiar with several streams and lakes there. I could probably be talked into exploring other western waters. [whistle]

I've used glow-in-the-dark lures for years. While not a golden bullet, they do work well at times. Folks will use a flashlight, camera flash unit or UV glow cup, with the glow cup transferring the most energy charge to the coating on the lure. Glow seems to be best when used in low visibility water, duh.

As far as fancy electronics, don't get me started, the sky is the limit. I have more invested in my latest sonar unit, than I care to admit. It will NOT make the fish bite, but what it will do, is provide you as an angler, with an abundance of very useful information.

All the fish I'm looking at are coldwater fish, pretty much all salmonids - mackinaw (some bigguns), rainbows and kokanee on the lakes near by the new house. The only other thing is burbot, but they are more of a drive. No invites until I've caught my fill (and know what I'm doing).

I remember your electronics post from last year, but can't find it to see what you bought. Next time you have some pics of your setup, post them up.

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Dave

Nice mess of fish you got there. In your area is there a lot of interest in ice fishing or are you typically the only one on the lake?

Eric

Eric,
As a general statement, over the years, ice fishing has exploded. I am old enough to have actually drilled holes thru the ice using a "spoon auger" and nothing but a lead weight to determine depth. A pair of Carhart bibs, uninsulated rubber boots, a bucket to sit on and a wooden stick to wind your line on, was all the equipment you had available.

Now it would be an odd day indeed, to be the only guy on any popular lake. Week days are definitely less crowded than the weekends, less popular locations even better. As opposed to duck hunting, each angler needs fewer square feet of public space to enjoy their sport, so the area will support a lot of traffic. That said, yes, there are many times I'm the only one out there on any particular day. Being out there alone can be a bit of a concern when ice conditions are less than desirable. If one is out there alone and you break thru the ice, it is much more difficult to self rescue.

The day I caught those crappies, there were two others on that small pond. We all arrived at the parking lot within 15 minutes of each other and all ended up fishing 50 yards apart, without any issues. Another more popular spot I frequent, that is a smaller area, guys will be setup as close as 15 feet. The "sweet spot" is about the size of a 3 stall garage and there might be 8 or 10 anglers.

 

[Mark W]

Ice conditions suck up here as well Dave. I have not been able to get out this season. I don't know the ice thickness but see no one driving on any of the lakes in MN. I do know there is 6"'s of slush on top of the ice and over a foot of snow on top of that. Can't even walk out to the spots unless you are a superman or just bringing a bucket and manual auger. Too much work for this old guy.

I would use my side by side but it is at the cabin. Ice conditions are worse up there but I can get out a little ways right in front of our place. Will probably be heading that way next week.

Because the ice conditions have been bad for a couple of years, I am going to fabricate a tow vehicle. I found a tracked snowblower that a guy is willing to part with for $75. I am going to remove everything associated with the blowing snow parts and just use the motor powered track parts to tow out my flipovers. Hopefully this will work.

Mark

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Because the ice conditions have been bad for a couple of years, I am going to fabricate a tow vehicle. I found a tracked snowblower that a guy is willing to part with for $75. I am going to remove everything associated with the blowing snow parts and just use the motor powered track parts to tow out my flipovers. Hopefully this will work.

Mark

Poor mans "Snow Dog". Might work as long as (a) there is enough weight to maintain traction, (b) enough track width and height to clear the frame. A Snow Dog belly is 100% moving track. Cannibalizing a non running snowmobile might be a better option. But the snowblower is pretty much all fabricated up for you.

 

[Mark W]

Snowdog too expensive for me. And I see there are plans on the web to build a verison of this as well. I even thought of buying a Kitty Kat snowmobile and cannibalize it but then weight becomes a concern. Found a couple of people who have gotten creative with recycled tracked blowers.

 

[Jeff Reardon]

All the fish I'm looking at are coldwater fish, pretty much all salmonids - mackinaw (some bigguns), rainbows and kokanee on the lakes near by the new house. The only other thing is burbot, but they are more of a drive. No invites until I've caught my fill (and know what I'm doing).

Dang--not a single native (to Wyoming) fish in the bunch! Maybe the burbot. And burbot are very fine eating. I've got to think that whitefish would be a suitable ice fishing target.

 

[tod osier]

Dang--not a single native (to Wyoming) fish in the bunch! Maybe the burbot. And burbot are very fine eating. I've got to think that whitefish would be a suitable ice fishing target.

Burbot are on the must be killed if caught list for our entire region (along with basically all the common warm water fishes), so not native where we are, but you only find them in the reservoirs on the Green River (Frontenelle and Flaming George, which are a bit down the road from us). The lakes were cutts (extirpated from the lakes mostly) and whitefish pre introductions. I'm really excited about the potentials, natives or not. Getting dialed into Kokes on the troll sounds great and I've always loved lakers. I'll take what I can get and double not feel bad when they end up in the smoker or pan. Did I mention the brookies in the high mountain lakes and streams?!?! Oh my. I'm doing everything I can not to quit work and leave this week. Gotta keep working a bit longer to afford 3K in electronics like Dave.

 

[Jeff Reardon]

Interesting about must-kill on burbot. This USGS reference and map suggests they are native in NW Wyoming and introduced in SW Wyoming. It's usually pretty accurate, especially about native range. It is usually a few steps behind the spread of non-native invasives.

They are native here, to both coldwater lakes and to streams, and I've never heard of any concerns about their interactions with other fish. (Those lake trout and brook trout, OTOH.) The burbot are a popular niche ice fishing target here, fished mostly at night. They are basically a freshwater codfish, with very mild white meat. Maybe my favorite chowder fish, freshwater or salt.

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=698

 

[tod osier]

Interesting about must-kill on burbot. This USGS reference and map suggests they are native in NW Wyoming and introduced in SW Wyoming. It's usually pretty accurate, especially about native range. It is usually a few steps behind the spread of non-native invasives.

They are native here, to both coldwater lakes and to streams, and I've never heard of any concerns about their interactions with other fish. (Those lake trout and brook trout, OTOH.) The burbot are a popular niche ice fishing target here, fished mostly at night. They are basically a freshwater codfish, with very mild white meat. Maybe my favorite chowder fish, freshwater or salt.

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/...t.aspx?SpeciesID=698

We are in the brown area in the SW listed as non native (green river basin), the other side of the winds the mustard colored area they are native (wind river/big horn river basin). I've always been interested in them, but have never tried for them. The state actively pushes tournaments as a control method where they are non native (wouldn't want them competing with the Mackinaw, I suspect).