This week in ice fishing

[Akhardwater]

Just wanted to see what everyones up to this week.  Gonna start my marathon tomorrow out on long for some lakers, wend and thurs I'll stay close to home and fish Eklutna and mabey lower fire, fri I think I'll go to canoe and catch some grayling, cann't fish sat but sun I'll join my buddy on big lake.  Thats this week I haven't planned next week but I'm sure it will be about the same with a little pike thrown in there.  I got 2 weeks before apprenticeship school so I got to make every day count until I'm tied up for 6 days a week.  I'll be fishin solo so if anyone wants a partner drop me a line (phone or email no hooks please they hurt).

[alaskaruss1]

Good Luck. I am stuck at work for the next two weeks but I have the first week off in February and plan on living on the hard water.

[iced]

Be careful on Eklutna Lake. Since the city gets its water from there the level changes and so does the ice. I don't think that I would risk it. I have caught some nice dollys in there in the summer though.   

[Dirtofak]

What school are you going to attend?

What about Campbell Lake in Anchorage.... is there access/fish?

[Akhardwater]

What school are you going to attend?

What about Campbell Lake in Anchorage.... is there access/fish?

Ironworker apprenticeship.  I've never fished campbell so I couldn't tell you but I bet there is some big bows in there.

[Akhardwater]

Well you could not have asked for a better day on long.  Next to no wind, the entire lake was driveable, and the fish were very hungry.  Caught 6 lakers ranging from 15 to 20 inches, the biggest was a fat 20 incher that I swear would have gone five pounds.  I also caught a 22 inch char and a bazillion of those little dinkers.  All in all had a good day especially watching my shorthair try and catch rabbits in the 3 foot drifts along the lake shore.  There was no overflow and no drifts, the snow was only 6 inches deep at best so the whole lake is open to exploration.  Who needs a shanty when you can fish right out of your truck, if I knew I could drive around the lake I probably would have left the shack at home.  Any how off to Eklutna tomorrow for some more of that CR karma.

[Dirtofak]

Be careful at Eklutna.... Look for the creeks coming in. Shrimp for bows.

[Akhardwater]

Well went to Eklutna yesterday and today with my buddy.  I did good both days yesterday was better than today.  Caught one nice bow and several smaller ones mixed in with a few dollies yesterday.  Today my buddy caught the big bow and it seemed like I was just focusing on the smaller fish.  That's OK because I've been outfishing him all season and it's his turn.  I will say one thing that this lake is not for the faint of heart, with the cracking and the water seaping out from along the shore.  You need to have your #@$# together if your gonna fish this lake.  Stay on your toes and be ready to move fast.  So tomorrow I'm after grayling.  Never caught one through the ice but I got a pretty good idea on what to do.  I will keep you all posted on my marathon and let you know when I finally poop out (yeah right).  There is no room for weakness in this game.

[Akhardwater]

Fished Canoe this morning and dominated the grayling and the little stockers.  It was harder to keep them off the hook than on.  Fished in about 4 foot of water and was using a pheebe spoon and a shrimp imitation fly all tipped with shrimp until I got tired of rebaiting.  Caught one really nice bow right at first light.  I couldn't believe the amount of sticklebacks in there.  A couple years ago that lake was full of shrimp now there isn't a single one.  Still running strong with plenty of energy.  I think I'm going to win this marathon.  Headed to big lake on Sunday and then back to Long on Monday in search of the big boy.  For the finale I'm going to drag the wife and pooches out to Long for a little camping on sat and sun.  A little fishin and a lot of drinkin should cap it off nicely.  If anyone would like to join us we will be setting up shop at the far end of the lake in hopes of avoiding the wind.  Should be allot of fun.  My shorthair will be offering free sled rides for the kids he just doesn't know it yet.  We are looking for people that would be willing to set up some shacks to accommodate the friends that don't have shanties.  If anyone would like to help out it would be greatly appreciated, I'll throw a few beers your way at the campfire. 

[Akhardwater]

Just got back from big lake and I caught 2 char an 18 and a 21.  My buddy also caught a 21 right when we set up.  Not a bad spot did see one big pike cruising on the camera.  He made my mouth water a little but didn't bite.  Headed to long tomorrow gonna find some more lakers.

[Akhardwater]

Starting to get a little tired but still fighting.  Fished long yesterday and only managed 1 laker and 1 char both about 15 inchers.  Kind of depressing as apposed to 2 years ago when you couldn't beat the lakers off with a stick.  I think people are practicing to much catch and keep and not enough catch and release.  Fished Otter lake today and struck out.  My buddy says I was fishing on the wrong side of the lake so that might have something to do with it.  Well tomorrow is a new day so hopefully I can get into some big fish.

[Akhardwater]

Went and fished Eklutna yesterday.  Caught a few bows and a couple of dollies.  My heater was on the fritz so I didn't stay as long as I wanted to.  Finally slept in today and went out to lower fire in the afternoon.  Got skunked, a rarity, but I was looking for big fish so that goes with the territory.  I'm really excited for the weekend on Long.  When I was out there on Mon I located some areas that should hold some bigger fish.  With a little time and effort I should be able to find that lunker with my name on it.  Is anyone planning on heading out there this weakend?  The weather is supposed to be beautiful. 

[Akhardwater]

Well its not over yet.  Apparently school doesn't start till Thurs so I got three more days to fish.  We had a beautiful time out on long this weekend.  The weather was awesome, next to no wind, and an awesome moon.  The fish didn't cooperate with us at all.  I did see many large fish just cruising around sluggishly but couldn't get them to bite.  I switched up tactics a bit and put on a whole hearring.  The slow dead fall presentation drew the big fish in but they would just mouth the bait and I couldn't get a hook set.  O well at least I know what to do next time.  On a side note, those people that think its a good idea to leave baited hooks on the ice please don't.  My wife's dog got 2 hooks stuck in his mouth.  One was in his lip that I had to take out with pliers, the other was in his tongue.  That one was the worst because he decided to eat someones s#$@ right before he found the hook.  He maneged to work the hook out with his tongue the whole while just wanting to rip my fingers off.  So please if you want to be a slob please take the bait of the hooks and drop it down the hole.  Luckily the hooks were just 2 small pinmin or it could have been allot worse.  He's a pretty dumb dog so I'm not to surprised this happend.  On top of the hooks my wife slammed his nose in the car door accidentally and bumped the heater several times singeing his hair a little.  Yeah he's a dumba@#.  My dog was in heaven watching me fish and fetching sticks.  So any how I think a couple trips to big lake are in order or ma bey a trip back to long.  I hope everyone else had a good weakend.

[Drifter_016]

Well its not over yet.  Apparently school doesn't start till Thurs so I got three more days to fish.  We had a beautiful time out on long this weekend.  The weather was awesome, next to no wind, and an awesome moon.  The fish didn't cooperate with us at all.  I did see many large fish just cruising around sluggishly but couldn't get them to bite.  I switched up tactics a bit and put on a whole hearring.  The slow dead fall presentation drew the big fish in but they would just mouth the bait and I couldn't get a hook set.  O well at least I know what to do next time.  On a side note, those people that think its a good idea to leave baited hooks on the ice please don't.  My wife's dog got 2 hooks stuck in his mouth.  One was in his lip that I had to take out with pliers, the other was in his tongue.  That one was the worst because he decided to eat someones s#$@ right before he found the hook.  He maneged to work the hook out with his tongue the whole while just wanting to rip my fingers off.  So please if you want to be a slob please take the bait of the hooks and drop it down the hole.  Luckily the hooks were just 2 small pinmin or it could have been allot worse.  He's a pretty dumb dog so I'm not to surprised this happend.  On top of the hooks my wife slammed his nose in the car door accidentally and bumped the heater several times singeing his hair a little.  Yeah he's a dumba@#.  My dog was in heaven watching me fish and fetching sticks.  So any how I think a couple trips to big lake are in order or ma bey a trip back to long.  I hope everyone else had a good weekend.

I feel sorry for your dog.
Poked, slammed and burnt all in the same day!!!!!     Not to mention POO Breath!!!!   
How old is he?
Sounds like he's still young and dumb.   
Man did he have a rough day or what!!!!   
Hope you gave him a couple of treats when you got home.   

[Akhardwater]

I feel sorry for your dog.
Poked, slammed and burnt all in the same day!!!!!     Not to mention POO Breath!!!!    (Image removed from quote.)
How old is he?
Sounds like he's still young and dumb.   
Man did he have a rough day or what!!!!   
Hope you gave him a couple of treats when you got home.   

He's actually an older dog he just doesn't go ice fishing much.  I think after this weekend he wont be going much more.  Or until my dog can teach him not to eat everything he finds.

[Barleydog]

Great updates Hardwater!  Sorry about the pooch...  Good luck with the apprenticeship.

[Akhardwater]

Big lake was a bust today.  Fished all over saddle island and burnt point with nothin but little ones to show.  I was targetting bigger fish so I'm not surprised I got skunked.  I think we all know what thats like.  Think I'll go hit up Eklutna tomorrow afternoon hopefully end the marathon covered in slime.

[Akhardwater]

Well its a good thing I went back school cause right now I can't buy bite.  Eklutna was a bust.  I don't know what went wrong I always catch fish there.  All I can think of was that the current was ripping so hard it was like I was fishing a river.  My guess is that the fish don't like the current and are holding in calm waters.  The marathon is over and it felt real good.  Its good that it's over cause I was turning into an ice zombie.  My wife hit me a couple times when I started jigging in my sleep.  I learned allot in the past 14 days, caught allot of fish and missed allot of fish.  Its gonna be hard not fishing for the next month, I'm gonna need a good long trip once school is over.  I hope everyone got a little chuckle out of my stupid marathon it was defiantly fun and worth the gas and propane.