Fishing Report

Late ice is going by about as quickly as is possible.  Its a real bummer because this is when the fish really start biting well.  As far as ice conditions we are starting to see some significant deterioration of the main ice sheet.  Guys are saying that we have around 15 inches left with probably 10 of it being clear solid ice.  That’s quite a bit of ice lost considering that we were between 25-30 inches 2 weeks ago  Ever since last Friday overnight into Saturday the shorelines got wet due to the lake rising about a foot overnight.  Guys are still able to access off of the docks at the landing with ease, and there was one ATV out yesterday.  As far as the fishing goes guys are hammering crappies with some nice ones being caught.  Multiple reports of fish over 15 inches with an average of 11-12.  If you are willing to make the walk they are down by Marge’s Island.  They are also picking up a few perch but I have not heard of anyone targeting perch successfully.  The high water mixed with the poor clarity is changing the normal fish patterns and guys have really struggled to get on any sort of consistent bite besides the one I mentioned.  That being said if we see an improvement in clarity it should improve the overall bite.  Stop in for the latest report, conditions are changing quickly!

Also another note I don’t mind taking phone calls but please remain brief I have been receiving about 30 calls a day.  If I don’t answer I am on the phone with someone else or helping a customer.  Also I do not return messages when guys ask me to call them back with a report.

I really think we are about to hit a tipping point in the next week.  We have warm weather on the horizon and the perch are ready to go.  I know the local guides have been able to find active perch but overall they have not picked up yet.  If you only have one shot at the perch I would give it at least another week.  I really do think that my next report will be that the perch are biting.  Hopefully we can get a good 3-4 weeks of late ice and get some quality fishing in.  I do not have much of a fishing report at all, the lake has been a ghost town this week.  Keep your head up though, we are heading into my favorite time of the ice season!  Stop in for the latest report!

Once again the weather is the main topic on everyone’s mind. The storm this past weekend has impacted the lake quite a bit. Fisherman’s Rd is no longer open, the airport closed the gate and they are not committing to a date when the road will open again. They had to take the snowblower for the runway out there to get two guys out over the weekend. There are some significant slushy areas on the ice which is preventing guys from driving much farther then Marges Island. They seem to be getting around ok in the dredged areas however. I have spoken to the warden several times now about permanent shanties and if you are having issues removing yours give him a call and they are willing to work with you on it. If you want more information on that feel free to call me as well.

As far as the fishing goes the pressure has been really light this week so reports have been few and far between. The perch are starting to move around, they are starting to pick up some here and there in front of the shop. A couple of groups have also run tip ups out from me and they are picking up northerns. I don’t have any information on bluegills or crappies if you head out let me know how it goes! My report is only as good as the information that I get from fisherman!

You can’t catch them from the couch!

Well the snow is the topic of greatest interest for a lot of people now so I will start with that.  We have about 16 inches of snow on the ice after receiving about 12″ earlier this week.  We have plowed paths out from Mosey’s Landing next to the shop to just south of Marge’s Island (small island east of Rosebud Island).  If you have a 4×4 truck or SUV with decent clearance you can still venture out into the snow without issue, there have been plenty of guys driving over to the lights.  The people who are having issue are people with cars/SUVs that sit lower to the ground.  The snow gets packed up underneath the vehicle and you end up becoming real friendly with a shovel.  I have been out with my ATV and I was still able to travel around but it was work.  

Just to let everyone know it is the WIFA State High School Ice Fishing Championship this weekend on Pools 7&8.  We have been told to expect about 1,000 kids to participate.   They are not allowed onto the ice until 6:30 Saturday morning however they start staging at landings as early as 5 AM.  This means that there will be significant congestion at the landings during that time.  They will be prefishing Friday as well.  I will have extended hours for this event- Friday I am opening at 6 AM, Saturday I am opening at 5 AM.  I am loaded to the max with bait so we should not have any issues running out.

As far as the fishing goes I do not have a ton of new information.  With the derby last weekend they were catching crappies suspended in 10+ ft of water about 2-3 ft off the bottom.  The bluegills are both shallow and deep, however I think the best bet is to target them shallow.  The pike are still biting but I have not seen a 40+ incher in 2 weeks or so.  The perch bite is steady and guys have been telling me they are catching them over by the lights.  The beginning of the week there was two days that some guys got on a hot bite in the dredged areas and they were catching perch deep which was unusual.  Keep in mind that the snow on the ice will cause the oxygen to start depleting and fish will be on the move to places with higher oxygen.
Stop in for the latest report!

The Brice Prairie Conservation Association Derby went well with a lot of people out enjoying the warm weather!  The fish board was loaded with some nice fish, especially the bluegills and crappies.  The rain that came Sunday and Monday really knocked down the snow which was nice, but it looks like we are going to get it all back and more starting today.  The cold snap we had last week put on some ice and guys have been driving from here to the airport lights.  In the last few days especially there have been guys getting on a crappie/perch combo bite in the dredged area east of the shop.    Northern continue to bite well and I don’t expect that to change.  We should have some good fishing for the Lions Club Derby.  Stop in and get a ticket!

Pretty sparse report this week due to the cold weather.  I was closed yesterday and on Tuesday there weren’t very many people out either.  The guys I did talk to Monday and Tuesday reported a pretty slow bite all around which is no surprise.  The Atomic derby last Saturday also had a tough row to hoe and their fish numbers were way down.  The good news is this weekend we are going to have some bikini weather with highs in the 40’s.  The question will be how much rain we get on Sunday and Monday.  My hope is we do not get any, but if we do I think we are better off getting a fair amount and hopefully melting most of the snow off of the ice.  Just be aware it may make driving difficult if it creates a crust with slush underneath it.  Next week looks pretty good aside from the rain and we should see the bite pick back up.  The guys with cameras are still reporting seeing a lot of plus sized fish so we just need the conditions to cooperate!  Stop in and get your tickets for the Brice Prairie Conservation Association Derby on Saturday!

It looks like we are going to get the cold weather that we have been looking for.  Just this morning we have our first truck on the ice, they parked right by the landing.  I imagine people will keep pushing out farther with vehicles over the weekend.  You are still not able to get to the airport lights from this side of the lake.  The northern bite right in front of the shop took off last Thursday, and people have been having a lot of fun with it.  It has slowed down quite a bit since then, but I am sure you can still pick up a few flags without having to trek far onto the ice.  Elsewhere in the lake guys continue to pick up large northern.  The airport lights are remaining a popular destination for a lot of guys, and they are picking up nice perch.  The bluegills and crappies have been moving around in the deeper water, and depending on who you talk to the bite is either good or bad.  I think that if you remain mobile and are willing to move to find active fish you will have a good day.