Author Topic: Merritt and the Valentine Refuge (Read 12350 times)

Mr Merritt · « **on:** Dec 29, 2015, 10:13 AM »

We have finally had the sustained cold to get a decent ice cap started on the lake. I have been hearing good reports on action in Boardman creek. Those fishing the back (near the Boardman Springs access) are reporting 7 inches of ice, though not all clear hard. This area is normally first to freeze and last to thaw. Bluegills by the numbers along with some pretty nice crappies if you find the right spots. Quite a bit less ice near Beeds Landing. The bite there is primarily crappies--best bait minnows or jigs in 25-35 FOW.

Remember, even though it is the end of December, early ice caution is mandatory. With lots of snow on the ground here from winter storm Goliath there will be inconsistancies in ice depths. A spud bar and other safety equipment need to be with you and in use...not in your truck.

Somebody always jumps the gun and finds trouble. Yesterday a coyote hunter put his 4 wheeler through the ice in the Bird Tree area of the Snake arm. He broke through about 80 feet off the bank in about 8 FOW. He made it out and with some help retrieved his machine. Could have ended far worse. The good news is that the forecast is good for additional ice development.

Good reports are coming in from the Valentine Refuge as well. Panfish and pike are biting well in most of the usual good fishing lakes. Friend and guide Tyler Brown just reported 3 days of hot pike action on 2 different lakes fishing with family. On their best day they landed 5 pike between 38 and 41 inches!! Pictures will soon be available on our facebook site. Tip ups and smelt are working. The refuge seems to be on an up cycle and is producing good action during early ice this year.

hankthecrank · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 29, 2015, 04:40 PM »

C'mon John we know posts like this are no good without pics and GPS coordinates.

Husker.Walleye · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 29, 2015, 05:03 PM »

Anyone planning on fishing refuge lakes tomorrow. Thinking about driving from Kearney, will be traveling alone. Message me if you want to meet up.

Perch dude · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 29, 2015, 06:54 PM »

Thank you for the report ..... I want to come back home and pick up my dad, and get him on some gill & perch action.

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 30, 2015, 10:50 AM »

Reports coming in yesterday indicated a slower day of fishing on Merritt. I talked to a couple pretty experienced guys that tried different areas with marginal results yesterday. We seem to be on an every other day cycle here so don't get discouraged if you have a slow day. Some tried the Snake arm near the Snake boat ramp yesterday. They reported lots of fish on their sonar but had little luck getting them to commit. Most important was their ice condition report.

This is a good case in point of how snow can insulate the ice. In the areas blown clear of snow they found ice up to 7 inches thick. In areas of medium snow coverage (2"-4") they found 3"-4" 0f ice. In drifted areas with 6-7 inches of snow there might be only 2" of Ice. Be careful out there and check with spud bars etc. as you move along. It is doubtful that any areas are consistently thick enough to make ATV travel safe yet.

The Beeds Landing area of Boardman Creek has better ice to the left of the ramp (towards the back of the creek) than straight out or to the right (towards the mouth) so use due caution. Ice conditions are slowly improving with these colder temperatures but we are still in "first ice" conditions despite the calendar showing late December, so be careful out there.

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 31, 2015, 03:23 PM »

Ice conditions are slowly improving, though caution is still the word of the day. I've heard of some successes on crappies in the Boardman Creek area. Happily, the larger fish seem to be holding further back in the creek where better ice conditions also exist.

Happy New Year to all!

icefisherforlife · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 31, 2015, 07:50 PM »

Valentine is fishable

15inches · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 01, 2016, 08:10 AM »

Thank You for the Updates!

swampdonkeyice · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 02, 2016, 03:31 PM »

1-1-16
6 inches of ice on beeds....slow fishing. ...average one crappie per hour. ..with a few beast kitties mixed in.

jimyoumook · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 02, 2016, 07:05 PM »

fished the east end of pelican today did alright on pike including 2 that the state demands go back in the water but caught more 3-4 inch perch today than i have seen in years.

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 03, 2016, 09:51 AM »

It seems as if our panfish bite is heating up on alternating days. Many reported good action on Friday with slower fishing Saturday. One group fishing live chubs under tip ups was finding a good bite on pike up to 10 pounds and bass up to 4 pounds. Some good crappies and occaisional perch are being taken from the back 1/2 of Boardman Creek. A fast bite on mostly smaller bluegills in some of the shallower brushpiles is also happening.

Tip up fishing for pike and jigging for panfish on the Valentine Refuge remains pretty good. Most report good action from area private lakes as well.

Area ice conditions continue improving, though hampered by snow on the ice. Early ice conditions exist with caution advised. Anywhere with much snow could cover thin ice. I've heard of over 7 inches at the refuge somewhat generally and in the back of Boardman Creek. While some are fishing out of East Beeds I have not yet heard of anyone going out of west Beeds so I am guessing thin ice there?

jhankla · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 03, 2016, 02:32 PM »

Any recent news on the ice conditions up the snake?

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 04, 2016, 09:09 AM »

The last report I had for the Snake was from Tuesday of last week . At that time they indicated that freeze down was pretty spotty due to snow on the ice. This was near the Snake River Boat Ramp. I suspect that conditions have improved somewhat since I got that report. Please pass along any reports you can.

IceHutt · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 04, 2016, 11:05 PM »

I fished Boardman yesterday (Sunday 1-3-16) 8-10" of Ice, Used 4 wheeler to tow sled. A few marks but light biting. No good hits from anything of any size. Watch John's posts for current info. and he has most I.F. supplies that you will need. Happy Trails !

DH

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 05, 2016, 09:59 AM »

Friend and guide Tyler B. took a nice stringer of 13 mixed perch and bluegills from a refuge lake over a brief 2 hour window yesterday morning. He would have fished longer but had a meeting scheduled with the refuge manager. At the meeting it was confirmed that his application to guide fishermen for hire had been approved. I believe that Tyler is the only person currently permitted to guide fishermen on the Valentine Refuge, summer or winter.

If you have thought about ice fishing the nationally famous Valentine Refuge but have so far held back due to limited knowledge or lack of equipment, then call us and we'll get you on the ice or water with our guide!

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 07, 2016, 11:44 AM »

Ice conditions continue to improve at Merritt and the greater Cherry County Area. Most of the refuge lakes have about 8 inches. Boardman Creek has 6 to 8 inches near Beeds Landing, more ice to the back or east, less ice as you move west towards the mouth. I have no recent reports from the Snake Arm. The back of the Powderhorn Arm was reported to have 6 to 8 inches. Be cautious of springs if you explore back there. The trail back there requires 4WD as well.

In all areas we advise checking the ice ahead of you as you go out. Snow on the ice has caused our freeze up to be less than totally consistent, but improving daily.
Anyone have a report on ice conditions in the Snake Arm?

Showdown56 · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 07, 2016, 05:15 PM »

Can someone give me the current status of Watts Lake? Should it be marked on the Ice Map as "recently re-stocked" or is the lake being fished?

Also, an ice report for Big Alkali would be appreciated. Because it is not on the Refuge, we don't use blanket Refuge ice reports for this fishery.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ICE REPORTS! There are still lots of pink droplets (no report) on the map. IF you have a report, please post or send me a PM. Names are NOT included in ice reports from this site unless requested, and of course NO fishing reports are included to avoid mass attacks! HA

Mark P · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 07, 2016, 08:05 PM »

The outlet repair work was completed this year and the fish restocked into Watts only have a single growing season in them. I'd give it till next years ice before checking it out.

Showdown56 · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 07, 2016, 11:58 PM »

Quote from: Mark P on Jan 07, 2016, 08:05 PM

The outlet repair work was completed this year and the fish restocked into Watts only have a single growing season in them. I'd give it till next years ice before checking it out.

THANK YOU, Mark!

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 09, 2016, 10:07 AM »

Some guests staying with us did some late afternoon scouting yesterday. They reported around 8 inches of ice in the Cable Hill Area of the Snake Arm. I would still advise drilling or spudding your way out, but 8" is a good report. The forecast is favorable for more ice formation with highs today of 5* and lows of -9* today, then warming enough to be comfortable fishing Sunday thru Thursday before cooling off again towards the weekend with single digit lows and highs in the teens to low 20's Friday thru Monday.

Strokem · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 09, 2016, 01:56 PM »

Fellas I have family in N. Platte and my great grandfather homesteaded in the sand hills of Ogalalla and sadly I haven't been out there since I was 16yrs old. Now my question is this, when you all are fishing those lakes in the Valentine National Wildlife Area and you go from lake to lake how do you do so, is it by foot, ATV, vehicle or what?
I would love to one day make a trip out west and do some ice fishing there. Any info would be appreciative.

icefishnrancher · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 09, 2016, 02:58 PM »

you can drive, there are roads to each of the 8 or 9 lakes the govt. allows fishing on and if you go there, check the current regs. specific to the VNWR.

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 10, 2016, 12:04 PM »

Sounds like most areas in the outer Boardman and lower Snake (nearer to Cedar Bay) have around 8 inches of ice. You could find less where snow has insulated the ice so use due caution, especially if on an ATV.

John Graham iced a 46" Muskie recently (sorry, no pix so far).

There are 23 Antelope grazing in our mowed grass parking lot across Hwy. #97 as I type this. They have been "hanging out" in the vicinity for almost a month now.

Flippin and Dippin · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 10, 2016, 06:08 PM »

46"?!?!?!!!! Holy Moley! Love to see a pic.

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 11, 2016, 09:34 AM »

Check the Merritt Trading Post Facebook page for pix of fish, antelope and more. I don't yet have a picture of John's muskie but I do have others in the galleries up to 51".

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 13, 2016, 12:20 PM »

I just had a good report on mixed bag action in Boardman Creek. A pair of anglers reported good panfishing near the Boardman Springs Access point. Fishing mid last week and over the weekend they reported lots of action from bluegills up to almost 9 inches along with some nice sized perch and crappies mixed in. The nicer crappies taken were 11-13 inches. As if that wasn't enough, they also iced a couple of pike along with 4 bass of around 5 pounds each (released!). The best action came on slender spoons tipped with minnow heads. Others have said action was slower for them. I 'm interpreting this to mean "if you are not catching fish---move".

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 16, 2016, 10:49 AM »

Some guests staying with me reported ice depths in the Snake River arm near the Cable Hill access as 8 to 12 inches. Could be the weather, they said only a few crappies. Generally the Snake arm turns on more towards late ice in late January and February.
So far better action has been in the Boardman creek area.

jimyoumook · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 16, 2016, 08:55 PM »

fished pelican today there were a bunch of people out there until the weather got bad cant say how anybody else did but we marked plenty of fish but nothing was taking

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 17, 2016, 09:14 AM »

Despite some serious cold weather, some young anglers found success. Kayla Bales iced (and released) a personal best Largemouth Bass that tipped the scales at seven pounds. Thomas Hakonson caught a master angler sized 13" perch. Check out our Facebook page for pictures. www.facebook.com/MTPResort

Mr Merritt · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 19, 2016, 09:47 AM »

Dewey and Clear are most often mentioned for pike under tip-ups using smelt. Pelican is ok some days. Hackberry and West Long are putting out some nice panfish. With a tournament on Big Alkali this weekend there will likely be less pressure on the refuge. Merritt has been producing some good stringers of perch/crappie mixes, mostly in the Boardman Creek arm. The back of Boardman Creek is producing lots of Bluegills. Sort to get 8+ inchers. The forecast for the week upcoming looks great with highs from 32 to 47 and lows in the 20's.

We still have cabins available at winter rates....just saying.

News:

Author Topic: Merritt and the Valentine Refuge (Read 12350 times)