trip to antero on 1-17-10

[snotsickles08]

i went to antero yesterday for the first time ever. got there at 7:15 in the morning with my fiance and two other buddies. there were a ton of people there on the ice already. set up a little ways away from the shor and started fishing. fiance caught two, one of the other guys caught 4 and i caught 1. i had two on that were huge. got one to the top of the hole but it snapped the line. had another one on shortly after and it actually snapped the hook off the jig itself. overall nice weather and good company so i could not complain.

[brown-time]

Good showing for your first time ever at the Big A, especially since the water has been murky and the bite has settled down some with the lower O2 levels that come this time into March-April.  I never use less than 6# fluoro there because of those bigguns and stick the rod down the hole when playing them.  Thanks for the report.

[_colorado]

Nice job for a first time visit to Antero!  I agree 100% with brown-time about sticking your pole down the hole with the big ones.  The edge of the hole will abrade you line big time.  Also, I set my drag just tight enough to get a good hookset, light enough to let them run.  Usually they come to the hole within one or two minutes, though it seems longer.  I've never had a hook straighten.  Oh, be sure to use either a landing net, your arm or {dare I say it?} a gaff to get the hogs out of the hole.  Light tippet or mono won't support a 3+ pound fish out of the hole for very long.  Nice job - next time there'll be more blood on the ice!

[snotsickles08]

yeah. i am going to try and head up again this weekend on saturday. hope to land a big one. i will prepare my rods better with a little bit heavier line.