Author Topic: Valentine refuge (Read 6052 times)

perch#er · « **on:** Nov 22, 2014, 09:04 AM »

Fished the Val refuge yesterday caught some nice gills. Ice was 8"

spikes · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 22, 2014, 01:18 PM »

Congrats on getting out. Welcome to the site. Need to show your location. Good luck

Sandbilly · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 22, 2014, 08:28 PM »

Ice conditions in this area are going South fast. Son fished the V. refuge today and said warm temps and wind cut off 2 inches of ice. 50 degrees and rain at the moment.

dc

hardh2ofish · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 22, 2014, 10:29 PM »

His location is Hershey Ne. Anything anyone tells you location of the fish will more than likely be a complete and well deserved lie! Refuge should be good enough for anybody! I probly wouldn't have given you that much.

Sandbilly · « **Reply #4 on:** Nov 22, 2014, 11:21 PM »

h20, I want you to know that I will no longer be stalking your pike reports on the internet. A chip has been placed on your auger sending waypoints directly to my gps.

dc

hardh2ofish · « **Reply #5 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 08:04 AM »

You needent go through so much trouble Don. You can always find me on North Marsh

grizzlyhackle · « **Reply #6 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 03:15 PM »

Quote from: Sandbilly on Nov 22, 2014, 08:28 PM

Ice conditions in this area are going South fast. Son fished the V. refuge today and said warm temps and wind cut off 2 inches of ice. 50 degrees and rain at the moment.

dc

Don do you happen to know how much ice they were fishing on? Was planning on trying to head up to the Refuge this coming weekend if the ice holds.

hankthecrank · « **Reply #7 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 03:36 PM »

I didn't check thickness myself, but I'm guessing it started between 7-8 ended at 5-6. Yep ice turned grey fast, lot of water on top and I was fishing with Dons boy.

viasandhillgill · « **Reply #8 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 04:11 PM »

Pelican had 8 inches Dewey 7 inches, Hackberry 7 inches West long 5 inches, watts 5 inches, before this wind. Right now the wind and temp are equal 46 with gusts to 46. All the lakes had open areas. SW end of hackberry was open.

hardh2ofish · « **Reply #9 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 06:23 PM »

I bet the temp and the wind today tore the ice right off. Hope to god it cools down this week and the winds lay down. Try to keep you abreast of the ice conditions this week Grid.

hardh2ofish · « **Reply #10 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 06:27 PM »

Meant to say Griz. Not Grid. Sorry

bdidley413 · « **Reply #11 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 06:46 PM »

I was at Pelican yesterday also had a good 8 inches but there was a lot of water on the top. It felt good to get back out and had a good time. My wife and 10 year old daughter caught a few perch, I only caught one large mouth. It was also a first time on the ice for my 2 year old daughter. She had a great time.

grizzlyhackle · « **Reply #12 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 07:30 PM »

Quote from: hankthecrank on Nov 23, 2014, 03:36 PM

I didn't check thickness myself, but I'm guessing it started between 7-8 ended at 5-6. Yep ice turned grey fast, lot of water on top and I was fishing with Dons boy.

Thanks Hank!

Quote from: viasandhillgill on Nov 23, 2014, 04:11 PM

Pelican had 8 inches Dewey 7 inches, Hackberry 7 inches West long 5 inches, watts 5 inches, before this wind. Right now the wind and temp are equal 46 with gusts to 46. All the lakes had open areas. SW end of hackberry was open.

Man I really appreciate the reports, definitely helps me out!

Quote from: hardh2ofish on Nov 23, 2014, 06:23 PM

I bet the temp and the wind today tore the ice right off. Hope to god it cools down this week and the winds lay down. Try to keep you abreast of the ice conditions this week Grid.

I was wondering if that was going to be the case, very disappointing as I was really looking forward to heading up there. Thanks for keeping me in mind brother!

MainTrout · « **Reply #13 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 09:22 PM »

Took the day as more of a check ice conditions day. I headed out to merritt first and talked to Jon for a lil while. After that beeds landing was a no go, ice right off the dock was two inches or less and not enough for me. So I went around to Boardman camp ground and ice was between 3 and 4 inches of good enough ice to fish on. And I caught 20 + blue gill between 7 1/2 inches to real small plus two Large mouth bass that where 17 1/2 and 15 inches. With the wind today the ice was starting to fail and honeycomb just a little bit but it didn't cut the ice enough to have any water on top. Around 3:30 I left merritt and went across to the refuge and hit pelican for only about 45 minutes. Not much water on top of the ice anywhere and 5 to 6 inches was the ice. One blue gill was all I got there. When I left at just about dark my ice holes where just starting to freeze around the edges. From the ice I saw today and with the predicted temps the ice should hold up well enough to fish through thanksgiving weekend. And I'll be out there.

Sandbilly · « **Reply #14 on:** Nov 23, 2014, 09:50 PM »

Thanks for the report Main Trout. Sandhill lakes south of there were ripping open this afternoon and more wind in the forecast. Hope it holds up there.

jthod · « **Reply #15 on:** Nov 25, 2014, 09:36 AM »

thanks for the reports

Sandbilly · « **Reply #16 on:** Nov 25, 2014, 11:04 PM »

It's not looking good.

Big holes of open water are popping up from the wind and warm up. Only ice we ventured on was 50 yards off the boat ramp at Duck. Thickness varied from 5 - 2 inches. Pelican and Hackberry's ice looked the best but couldn't get to it due to thin ice near shore. Back to the waiting game.

dc

hardh2ofish · « **Reply #17 on:** Nov 26, 2014, 12:18 AM »

Thanks for the report Don. Here's hoping I get on soon!

grizzlyhackle · « **Reply #18 on:** Nov 26, 2014, 05:31 AM »

Thanks for the updates! Sounds like the trip West might not be worth it. Keep the updates coming fellas, I will be heading West as soon as there is ice

hankthecrank · « **Reply #19 on:** Nov 26, 2014, 05:56 AM »

bdidley413 · « **Reply #20 on:** Nov 26, 2014, 02:15 PM »

That stinks! I guess I will have to go sit in the duck blind all weekend.

Shaun7HL · « **Reply #21 on:** Nov 26, 2014, 04:46 PM »

Well i guess Grizz and i will be watching football all weekend and talking about ice fishing

spikes · « **Reply #22 on:** Nov 26, 2014, 07:05 PM »

With the weekend forecast, doesn't look like I will be on the hard surface for some time. Looks like Christmas lights for the weekend.

grizzlyhackle · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 08, 2014, 10:26 AM »

I was in North Platte for the weekend, so Shaun7HL and I decided to head up to the Refuge on Saturday for a day trip to search for some ice. Lots of places were sketchy, but we found some fishable ice. The spud bar was an invaluable piece of equipment this trip. As we spudded our way out, the ice was extremely variable and would go from 6-7" to 1-2" in a matter of feet. These spots looked like they had been kept open from the waterfowl, but were not easily seen. I'm sure some of you are thinking that we are crazy, but we had spuds, picks, rope, didn't walk next to each other, and paid very close attention to the ice. Sometimes you just gotta feed the need (safely

)

Fished Clear and Pelican for pike, but the bite was very slow. Only caught one 28-30" in 6-7 hours of fishing. We werent able to get out to our usual spots, but word on the street is that the Refuge hasn't picked up at all yet. Hopefully we will be able to get out there again in the next few weeks. Although it was slow, it was good to be fishing. Looking forward to SD Thurs-Sun - this weather ain't gonna ruin my season.

p.s. - Thanks hardh2ofish for the smelt tip as well as keeping me in the loop on ice conditions!

Unclegillhunter · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 08, 2014, 01:06 PM »

Well at least you got out! I am guessing you will get out many more times before we in the Omaha area.
Keep it safe! JDL

Showdown56 · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 08, 2014, 01:23 PM »

GREAT lookin' set-up, Griz!

At least you Omaholers had a "chance" with early ice. I'm tired of re-checking and re-organizing my ice stuff while still waiting here in Central NE!

BORGMANN5 · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 08, 2014, 01:28 PM »

Thanks for the update, we do a trip up there every year the weekend after Christmas and are getting a little worried about what the ice conditions are going to be like

Shaun7HL · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 08, 2014, 02:24 PM »

Ya I was out there with the Grizz and needless to say the ice was SHADY!!!! There was open water about 20 ft behind my Frabill hut in the picture

Deadhead D · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 08, 2014, 03:44 PM »

Quote from: grizzlyhackle on Dec 08, 2014, 10:26 AM

I was in North Platte for the weekend, so Shaun7HL and I decided to head up to the Refuge on Saturday for a day trip to search for some ice. Lots of places were sketchy, but we found some fishable ice. The spud bar was an invaluable piece of equipment this trip. As we spudded our way out, the ice was extremely variable and would go from 6-7" to 1-2" in a matter of feet. These spots looked like they had been kept open from the waterfowl, but were not easily seen. I'm sure some of you are thinking that we are crazy, but we had spuds, picks, rope, didn't walk next to each other, and paid very close attention to the ice. Sometimes you just gotta feed the need (safely )

Fished Clear and Pelican for pike, but the bite was very slow. Only caught one 28-30" in 6-7 hours of fishing. We werent able to get out to our usual spots, but word on the street is that the Refuge hasn't picked up at all yet. Hopefully we will be able to get out there again in the next few weeks. Although it was slow, it was good to be fishing. Looking forward to SD Thurs-Sun - this weather ain't gonna ruin my season.

p.s. - Thanks hardh2ofish for the smelt tip as well as keeping me in the loop on ice conditions!

I may have to hit you up for a fishing report, Ill be heading to SD Sunday night to fish Monday and Tuesday.

hardh2ofish · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 08, 2014, 08:50 PM »

Dang guys. Disappointed in your pike bite. I guess everything on the refuge is being tight lipped. I did not make it out myself. We did make it to the lake though. 50 yards from our destination my son made me stop the car and violently vomited. We turned around and returned the poor child home. He's feeling better tonight but yesterday was pretty rough. I think he was more bummed than I. There will be another day.

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Author Topic: Valentine refuge (Read 6052 times)