Lake Manawa Ice Fishing Derby

[pis]

I'm excited about the Ice Fishing Derby this weekend.  We are headed up Friday night.  Hope the ice is good.  Has anybody heard.  We have gone from 3 guys a few years ago to three couples and the kids going.  Should be a hoot.  Hopefully something changes in our luck.  Either catch a fish this year or win a door prize.  LOL

Anyone heard the ice conditions?

[sonman]

Good luck with the door prizes because unless you get really lucky you probably won't catch anything.  If you go the day before you can catch fish by the beach.  Day of the tourney there is too many people and everything gets spooked.  I haven't learned my lesson though I'll be there hopefully I win a good door prize.

[doneinne]

Jan. 25, 2010
Locations were checked on the lake today and most areas have a good foundation of ice. Areas that need to be cautioned are along the west side of the main body of water. The areas around the tube and the tunnel underneath the road should be avoided. Along the road on the west side of the lake should also be avoided. An area around the southern tip of the north peninsula should also be avoided due to unsafe ice. The ice conditions will be looked at later this wekk. Anglers are still cautioned when traveling on any body of water to ice fish.

Jan. 17, 2010
14+ inches of ice on the lake

This is the lastest from their website.  Last year I finally caught 3 fish.  Unfortunately they were all under 6".

[Outdoor_Joe_26]

I've tried it a few years and have never had any luck.  I want to try some new spots but I'm having trouble getting the detals on them.  Could anybody tell me where Tin Can Alley is?  I posted this on another forum and got a few different answers.  I belive it's off of Naveho Road and to the right of the canal.  That's a big area so I'm still somewhat lost.  I don't have a flasher so could somebody tell me about what depth to be in or exactly how far from the canal to be?  I'm not looking for GPS cordinates, just close enough to maybe catch a fish this year.   Never fished BoyScout Island either.  Does anybody here have any opinions on which one would be better?

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Joe

[pis]

We have fished the beach the last two years also and no luck.  We want to go somewhere different this year, but want to make sure there is good ice.  Maybee the fishing Gods will change our luck this year.  It will be fun.

[pis]

We caught some fish this year.  Amazing.  We even won a decent portable hummingbird fish finder.  So I guess better than the last three years of nothing.   

[Mr.Seaguar]

What did you catch? I hear about Manawa some but have zero knowledge of the lake.

[pis]

We had a group of 8 of us.  With kids.  We 20 to 25 crappies and a few very small wipers.  It was a great time.  Considering the last two years nothing.

[chris71383]

Caught nicer fish last year but the 6 7/8" blue gill I caught this year got me 3rd place, not too bad for the second year I've fished it.

[Outdoor_Joe_26]

What area were you guys fishing in?  I hit Boyscout Island and hooked up with a winning drum in the first 10 minutes, then my g/f and I had a few bites but didn't catch anything else the rest of the day.   A few people around us caught some tiny bluegills, but that was it.  I can't complain one bit, this was the first year out there I've even had a bite!

[DPops]

Me and my buddies fished Tin Can Dike we had no luck but our neighbors caught a 3lb catfish and some other people did ok at around 7 am then fishing shut down. This lake is a lot about luck and trying to find any kind of structure as it is bowl shaped and very shallow. Even though the fishing was slow the chances of winning a door prize are pretty good and well worth the entrance fee. Will do it again next year.

[chris71383]

I was fishing the deep hole off navajo where the road turns away from the lake. Caught a bunch of bluegills and crappies and a few small wipers but that wasn't till around 9:00.

[pis]

I fished on the North West side of the lake just off the boat ramp.  There is a point out there.  We caught 20 some crappies just not any over 10"