Where dreams go to die (Elevenmile)

[stinkyfingers]

Larry Falk at the marina is reporting 8" of new snow and 20"-23" of ice. (11milesports.com).  The ice is no problem for me and Little Pokey but it would take younger legs and lungs than mine to drag all my junk out there, Smitty or not. That lake has some really quality fish cruising but they can be awfully picky. Some guys seem to have more success than others but then nobody really talks up all the times they got crushed. One thing I see frequently that's disappointing is a guy holding up a nice fish for a photo and you can just tell that the fish is frozen as stiff as a board. If you just want to eat frozen fish try some Mrs. Pauls fish sticks. It's important to keep the quality of the flesh at the highest so it doesn't get mushy. If I'm keeping fish for the table I'll put them on a stringer dropped through the ice a little distance away. Bag them up when it's time to go. Thus endeth today's sermon. If you have any powers of prayer use it on that football team this weekend.

[COlipripper]

Aaaaaahhhhhmennnnn

[IceOsprey]

In deep ice you can even make a live-well. Drill 4 holes together but not all the way through then two or three shallow holes in a line connected to your four deep holes. Last hole at the end of your shallow holes all the way through. Water comes up the last hole over your shallow holes and spills into your four deep holes instant live-well. Don't put too many fish into one live-well, they will use up all the oxygen and start to go belly up.

[skifisher]

Ice,
Wouldn't that be considered dangerous as you don't know how thick the ice is under your first holes, not to mention the overall size of your "live well" is well over the 10" maximum allowed by the state. Don't get me wrong, it sounds like a good idea, but I for one would not like to step in something like that especially if it was covered with snow. I like stinky's idea much better. Taking care of your catch is a top priority. Just sayin'...
Ski

[ITO]

I started using a stronger this ice season. It's really nice to go home and be able to fillet them the same day. Whereas last year I often waited til the next day for them to thaw so I could fillet them. Seems they have about 3 times as much slime when they freeze solid. Good words stinky fanger.

[IceOsprey]

Ski
Could be dangerous I guess, but all the holes I have seen from the day before are frozen solid. I exclusively fish the mile and I am not sure if they have had any nights that stay above freezing for a while. The 10 inch rule, does it count if it does not go into the water? And you don't fish in it either. Good questions that I honestly have not considered.

[skifisher]

Ice,
It IS a good question. I know what you're saying about freezing over, but you know CPW. Hate to see a guy get jammed up over something so trivial. Hope to see ya on the Mile sometime.
Ski

[snotsickles08]

i don't think it is bad to keep a nice fish every now and then. money is spent every weekend to go out ice fishing and if you catch fish and just throw all of them back then that stinks also. I only believe in keeping a nice trout if you are going to eat it. a lot of people keeping fish and they just rot away in their freezer.

[skifisher]

snotsickles got it right about the fish...same thing goes for wild game as well. Be a good steward of what you catch or kill, treat it right, and above all, don't take more than you can eat. I remember a article several years back where some clown caught way over his limit of crappie and hid them in the toilet tank of his camper. What a complete and total waste of resources.
Ski

[IceOsprey]

That's why I don't hunt squirrels any more. Have you tasted those things. Taste like pine cones. Mabe it was because it was a pine squirrel.

[stinkyfingers]

Porcupines are worse than squirrels. Taste like cheap turpentine.

[skifisher]

Not as bad as woodchuck! You boil one with a horseshoe, and when you think it's done, throw away the woodchuck and eat the horseshoe! 😜