10 and 10 Challenge

[Bout-Time]

Just like to share an approach/goal I started about 5 years ago, since we are waiting for ice. I was telling Ron about it when I brought the trailer jack to him, and he seemed to think it was cool, so here goes.

My goal was to fish 10 different bodies of water, and catch 10 different species every ice fishing season. I knew it wouldnt be real easy, but it turned out to be harder than I thought the first few years. I was still learning the finer points of jigging, and I hit some dry spells. It was still very rewarding to try, and it got me preparing better and broadened my horizons of ice fishing. I got to see a ton of different places that I hadnt been to before too. There are 5 lakes I like to re-use every year, but I try to hit 5 new lakes every winter as well. (That is the cool/hard part)

Only maps were used, and I use no electronics when I fish.

2010/11 - I got 10 lakes and 8 species

2011/12 - I got 10 lakes and 9 species

2012/13 - I got 11 lakes and 9 species

2013/14 - I got 10 lakes and 10 species

2014/15 - I got 12 lakes and 10 species

2015/16 - I got 11 lakes and 11 species

This goal isnt for everyone, because it takes extra time and money and can be a PIA at times. Heh.... putting it mildly.....   BUT.... it is actually quite fun and addictive once you get hooked into the 10 and 10 challenge.

Ive already got 3 new lakes planned out I want to hit, Schoodic, Tunk (quite a haul for me), and Echo. (oh and Hermon)

Any thoughts?

[Bout-Time]

Species caught while doing this are:

Brook trout
Brown trout
Rainbow trout
Lake trout
Redbreast sunfish
Pumpkinseed sunfish
White perch
Yellow perch
Fallfish
Black crappie
Pickerel
Pike
Largemouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Smelt
Chub
Salmon

[. Ron]

As I said before, it's certainly an admirable goal.  I can think of seven or eight species that I could catch in my normal haunts, but would struggle to get ten.  And ten bodies of water is a stretch for me.  I like to fish at home, and generally fish four or five different lakes or ponds every year.

If you need a partner, though, I'm game to go out with you.  And of course you're welcome to come hang out at the shack and knock off five species.

-Ron

[franklin fisher]

If you fish Echo you could add Cusk to your list.

[Shrinkage]

I caught 6 on that list on 1 lake 1 day, I threw back the little ones and salmonids.

[Bout-Time]

As I said before, it's certainly an admirable goal.  I can think of seven or eight species that I could catch in my normal haunts, but would struggle to get ten.  And ten bodies of water is a stretch for me.  I like to fish at home, and generally fish four or five different lakes or ponds every year.

If you need a partner, though, I'm game to go out with you.  And of course you're welcome to come hang out at the shack and knock off five species.

-Ron

I'll definately be out on Hermon at some point, so I'll try and hook up with you then Ron.

[Bout-Time]

If you fish Echo you could add Cusk to your list.

Never caught a cusk in my life, but Im willing to try!

[Bout-Time]

I caught 6 on that list on 1 lake 1 day, I threw back the little ones and salmonids.

Wow, 6 in one outing is pretty damn good!

I think I hit on 5 species on one lake once. (already had a couple in the books though)

[Anomaly]

I caught 6 on that list on 1 lake 1 day, I threw back the little ones and salmonids.

Wow, 6 in one outing is pretty damn good!

I think I hit on 5 species on one lake once. (already had a couple in the books though)

Wow, 6 in one outing is pretty damn good!

I think I hit on 5 species on one lake once. (already had a couple in the books though)

WOW! Nice Salmon! 

[Anomaly]

I’ve been thinking about this. Kinda cool. Don’t know I have the time, but YP, crappy, wp, lmb, and  pickle  would be easy. Brookie laker and salmon, no prob...... OK, That’s 8.

Next?

Whitefish, Sunnie, Bluegill, pumpkinseed, Sucker, Brown, Rainbow, fallfish/chub, smelt. tommy cod, pike, smb, hornpout/bullhead, white catfish, grass pickeral, golden shiner, tiger trout, .....What am i missing?

[Bout-Time]

Well a fallfish is not a chub like some people think, they are two different species.

Fallfish (Semotilus corporalis) have a pointed tailfin and look like a disco ball with large scales. (very shiny) Like on the right of Shrinkage's pic.

Lake chub (Couesius plumbeus) have rounded tailfin points, and are a little less shiny with smaller scales.

[Sawyerjosh]

I challenge you to do that topless!  Ha!  I have got 10 species in a season, but not sure of 10 different bodies of water.  White perch, yellow perch, smelt, salmon, brown trout, brook trout, sm bass, lm bass, pickerel and pike

[Bout-Time]

LMAO

[Seamonkey84]

Let's hope that trend doesn't catch on...

[Shrinkage]

The "Human Rug" aka Josh is just channeling Burt...this look goes beyond trend.

[GasBlaster]

Shrinkage has do some modeling to.

[Shrinkage]

The timeless art of seduction! I must have left that at the 1 hour photo...

[Anomaly]

The timeless art of seduction! I must have left that at the 1 hour photo...

OK, Men posting pics of scantily clothed men on a site tha is mostly men??? What up? 

[gunn308]

Maybe some of these guys have more in the closet than ice fishing gear.

[cap]

I'm not sure I understand...the 10 species is IMHO a pretty easy goal for a season of ice fishing and it can be easily done on fewer than 10 lakes I catch 10 species if not more just about every year and I'm not even trying.

Pickerel, yellow perch, white perch, pumpkinseed, crappie and smb can all be had in most warm water lakes in Maine and can be had in one day let alone one season and that is already 6 species toward your 10.

Togue, salmon and brook trout are all easy in most any cold water lake, some better than others.....  So you are at 9 species and you have only been to two lakes....and even if you had a special brookie pond, a special salmon pond and a special tongue pond...you'd be 9 species in 4 lakes.

If the first lake had LMB...your done in two.

If the second lake had cusk...your done in two.

If the 2nd had a whitefish you are done in two. (I have never caught a whitefish!)

If you add both you are at 11, 12 and 13 species....

I usually catch a fall fish or a large shiner over the course of a season....that's 14 or even 15....so there is tons of leeway to make 10 species in Maine...

I don't always go smelting every year...but if I do then the 10 species is almost a given.

I don't usually fish for Pike, but that should be easy enough if you want to fish in pike water...so Im not sure I get the 10 lakes part of the challenge?...unless you mean that the challenge is to catch 10 species each in a different lake?

Even then it seems to me 3 cold water lakes for a brook trout, a salmon, and a tongue.

Then it would just be running around to 7 warm water lakes to fill in a yp, wp, smb, lmb, a sunfish, a pickerel, and a crappie

It'd be more travel and I suppose you'd find new areas to fish, but going to different lake to catch another crappy or yellow perch or pickerel seems not worth the effort to me.

PS  bullhead are another fish that you might catch in just about any mud puddle...

PSS  splake where they are stocked?

PSS Muskie up north?

PSSS bows and browns? I usually don't fish where they are stcocked but they are options...

[icefisha22]

I think the point would be to make yourself explore new bodies of water and new areas of the state. I think its a pretty solid idea.  I only really fish coldwater lakes/ponds, so I'd be looking at a species list more like the following: Salmon, togue, brookies, browns, rainbows, cusk, smelt, yellow perch (can't seem to not catch them), white perch, pickerel, largemouth, smallmouth.  Generally the I manage to accidentally catch the warmwater fish.  I think I will give it a shot on coldwater ponds only.  It'll force me to try spots that I've been meaning to for awhile.  Good Idea!

[Bout-Time]

Yeah the idea was to hit 10 different lakes in one season, whether you fished 5 of them the year before or not. Personally, I try to hit 5 lakes Ive never fished before in any capacity, because exploring new waters is 70% of the fun to me.

Getting 10 species is the harder part for me, as I never targeted salmon at all before 2013, and havent got a brown in a few years either... In 2013/2014 I couldnt find a white perch to save my life. If you can knock off 5 or 6 species at one lake, thats a big plus, but I personally havent had it happen very often. Thats why I use 5 lakes Im familiar with, and know what to expect before I go.

I know I can probably cross off rainbow, brookie, yellow perch and pickerel on opening day, so if all goes to plan I will have a head start.

IF all goes to plan......

[Epkomd]

Love fishing new water. It's always rewarding whether you are successful or not. If I strike out I keep going back a few times till I figure it out. Variety is the spice of life. Id probably get bored fishing for stocked brookies all season, same goes for jigging yellow perch of crappie or what have you. When it comes to time on the ice, I chase em all. Some I am successful with, others I need to fine tune my approach. Maneuverability plays a big part in success. I have had sleds for two years now, but I have hardly utilized them because I lacked a way to get them to the lake. Just got a truck so that won't be a problem this year. Traps will be on the back burner for quite a bit of the season. The run and gun jigging game is on this year. I have my list of waters I want to fish already picked out, mixed in with my regular rotation. Can't wait for the ice to get here. If should be a good season!

[csiacd78]

I love fishing new waters, however since building my most recent shack, I stay out in that every weekend except for the 4 fishing trips I take. This year we may take a day on some of the trips to strike out to nearby lakes. I like your goal of adding the amount of species as well, I usually get pissed when I pull up yellow perch, pickerel, or chubs. Would give you reason to get more excited for whatever on!

[Anomaly]

I bounce a around a lot. My favorite way to fish. I’ve definitely got go to spots when I want to be pretty sure I will ice a few and places on larger lakes I haven’t been to yet.

I’ve got a couple spots in mind now to hit as soon as they get a good 3” on em.

Looking forward to a good season! The temperature is ssslllloooowwwwlllllyy yyy heading in the right direction. 

[franklin fisher]

  My buddy and I decided midway through last year that we are not putting the shack out this year.  We pulled it early last year and fished around a lot.  It was really nice. I fished 5 ponds I had never fished.  That is the plan this year.  Already have three ponds on the list to try this year that are new.  A shack just marries you to one pond, and if your spot ends up sucking, you wasted a lot of time in one spot.

[. Ron]

  ... if your spot ends up sucking, you wasted a lot of time in one spot.

Even with days when the fishing sucked, I don't believe that I have ever thought that I have wasted a day in my shack.  If the fishing sucks, I read.  If the book sucks, I throw darts, if the darts are not hitting the mark, I carve, and if the knife is dull, I try fishing.

Shampoo, rinse, repeat.

And that's when there isn't anyone else out there in the village.  When the neighbors are home it's never boring.

[Anomaly]

Even with days when the fishing sucked, I don't believe that I have ever thought that I have wasted a day in my shack.  If the fishing sucks, I read.  If the book sucks, I throw darts, if the darts are not hitting the mark, I carve, and if the knife is dull, I try fishing.

Shampoo, rinse, repeat.

And that's when there isn't anyone else out there in the village.  When the neighbors are home it's never boring.

Bud Lite, Tip, Repeat. I CAN believe it’s interesting when the neighbors are home. 

[Bout-Time]

  My buddy and I decided midway through last year that we are not putting the shack out this year.  We pulled it early last year and fished around a lot.  It was really nice. I fished 5 ponds I had never fished.  That is the plan this year.  Already have three ponds on the list to try this year that are new.  A shack just marries you to one pond, and if your spot ends up sucking, you wasted a lot of time in one spot.

Thats why I built 2 smaller, lightweight shacks. (and plan on putting a 3rd together) Just big enough to get out of the cold.  I can drag the littlest one all over Maine with little effort, and have put on a bunch of miles on both of them.

Never even put my 4x8 out last year.

[franklin fisher]

Even with days when the fishing sucked, I don't believe that I have ever thought that I have wasted a day in my shack.  If the fishing sucks, I read.  If the book sucks, I throw darts, if the darts are not hitting the mark, I carve, and if the knife is dull, I try fishing.

Shampoo, rinse, repeat.

And that's when there isn't anyone else out there in the village.  When the neighbors are home it's never boring.

  That is other side of the coin.  The shack is like going to camp.  There is usually bacon, ham steak, deer steak, eggs, sausage, and whatever else anybody brings out.  It turns into a social event because everybody comes out to the shack.  Even if the fishing sucks it usually is a fun day no matter what.