Finally made it onto the ice!!

[dickbaker]

    On Thursday I finally got my gear into the pickup.   Charged up the drill battery and flasher.  Went to the cellar for maggots and got to release 500 flies(out the cellar door.
Gold finches loved them!!
Got to me favorite yellow perch spot at2:30.  Drilled six holes before I located perch on the bottom.  Tiny jig and piece of crawler worked OK but didn't seem to be just what the perch wanted.  More holes until I marked perch up to 2 ft. off the bottom.  At the recommendation of an IS friend I still had a jar of GULP Alive 1" minnows which I had spiced with a bit of anise oil.
At 3:30  10"+ perch got really active and would chase the GULP minnow more than 5 feet off the bottom.   By 4:30 I released over 50 perch and kept 6 about over 10".   Weather was great (24 degrees and calm).   Only two inches of fluffy snow on the ice.   Snow machines had ruined the access road and has only been recently been reopended?   Now to enjoy comfortable days until March.   Conn. River crappie and perch next!
Dick

[PoleJerker]

Makes one feel like a kid at Christmas when heading to the ice for the first sit.

[lowaccord66]

Nice trip Dick.

[dickbaker]

    Thanks Jon.
Dick

[PoolGuy]

Nice job finally getting out an landing some perch, bummer about your maggots but good for the finches

[ScotNH]

That’s great, Dick! I’m glad to hear your first trip out was a success.

Those 1” minnows are my go-to for white perch. I even jigged up a rainbow on them last weekend on Winni. My favorite ones are the “smelt” variety. I’ve tried a few of the other colors, but they just don’t seem to work as well.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures of (or at least hearing about) some butter crisco fried perch.

[dickbaker]

My minnows are "luma glow" and they sure attract fish.  I've taken crappie with them.
My wife made me fry these perch in Olive oil?  Not nearly as good as Butter Flavored Crisco!!
Next time I will wait until she is gone for the day??
Dick

[ScotNH]

I haven’t tried the luma glow. I’ll have to give those a try.

Sorry to hear about the olive oil!

[fishingidjit]

Dick, Good to hear you got out and had an olive oil fry! 

[meatandmetal]

Dick glad you go out surprised it was your first trip no early trout? Can't beat that Crisco.

[dickbaker]

Dick glad you go out surprised it was your first trip no early trout? Can't beat that Crisco.

Denny,  Most of my access locations were closed with two feet of snow.  Everything seems back to normal now.  I decided to change from trout to perch and crappie.  Better for deep frying?
Dick

[DConICE]

Dick,

Nice job getting out and catching a meal - even if not cooked in Crisco... but I have to ask... did you bring the donuts?

[dickbaker]

   Never go fishing without my chocolate frosted donuts!!
Dick