Albany pump station ice conditions...

[CatfishCrazy]

Been a week since I've seen anybody on the ice just down from Albany. Was wondering if anybody has visited that hole in the last two days, and could provide some insight on the ice there. The family fishing extravaganza down by  Peoria has been cancelled...so I'm back to square one. A couple of friends of mine are off on Sunday, and so am I...so I'm trying to devise a brilliant and magnificent plan for a guy's day on the ice (hopefully) catching dinner.

One thing I haven't seen at Todd's tackle in Thomson is a ice spud. Anybody know of a place in Clinton that I could grab one at?

Any info would be appreciated.

[fish333]

I was not there but, the wife said there was 3 cars there Friday as she was going north.

[jrjach75]

Heard from some people that went late last week that the ice was fine. Even if you were to fall through there, you'd only be wet up to your knees.

[CatfishCrazy]

Well...I finally spent some time on the ice for the first time in 17 years. I didn't catch anything, but still very much enjoyed the time spent outside.

Mickelson' s Landing has solid ice ranging from 7 inches on up. One fellow I talked to stated there was 14 inches where he drilled through. I saw a couple folks pull out bluegill...One fellow said he caught a small bass and a small perch.

I ran down to the Albany pump station and found a couple open holes...but got nothing. I drilled through where somebody else had tried a day or two earlier but had no luck. I would have drilled a couple new holes...but it was raining, and got dark, so I called it quits and walked back to my vehicle with the couple of minutes of low light that was left.

I'm rusty, so any input on presentation and bait would be welcome. I tried a couple of different jigs, wax worms, and some ice fishing lures (can't remember what the fellow that sold them to me called them) today.

[jrjach75]

I'd look for some deeper water right now. The pump station area is only 3' deep, seems to be a good early and late ice spot, but middle of the season, like now, not a lot of action.

I've been doing well all year on small spoons and horizontal jigs, both tipped with waxworm. I'm not big into changing colors, but I do change jig sizes or profile if in not getting any bites. If you don't want to mess with live bait, it's hard to beat a Ratso, Shrimpo, or a northland bloodworm plastic jig.

I wouldn't feel too bad about getting skunked, I've heard it's been slow in the Clinton and Sabula area for the past few days.