Another Decent Day Started Slow and Chilly/Updated w/Recipe 2/14

[Anomaly]

Another trip east. Didn’t get onto a big pucker of a hurry getting going or even getting on the lake when i  got there. It was blown an -2 at the landing. Took my time getting unloaded and bundled up. Thankfully, by the time I got going, about 9, the wind had dropped off considerably!! Talked to a couple guys that were moving due to the wind. They hadn’t had a flag. I stopped to chat with them n the way out and tried a couple spots. Just two togue and no other marks. Spot # 3 paid off! Got there around 1 and, because it was slow, set 3 traps. Before I could get my jigging stuff in the water, Whitefish #1 and 2 on the same trap. So. I pulled it! Damn thing. hehehe  Immediately started getting action jigging! caught caught two more smaller ones, released, and missed a couple more. Funny, then the whitefish bite stopped and the smelt moved in. I changed jigs a couple times. Then on a tiny 4mm ball head, with 1/4” piece of sucker belly headed to bottom it fetches on the ice 10’ off bottom. Of course a mark shows up and I got it unfenced just in time for this guy.

I’m like, “Friggin togue!”  haha I knew it was a bigger one so I’d be playing it a while the 3# test and ultralight. Then a flag goes up. a few minutes, another flag goes up. So I forced the laker some and WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE 3# TEST ASSO LINE! Would have been fine if he broke off anyway....  Got him up for a photo op and release. Went to check the flags. Thinking I lilkey had a couple whitefish on I pulled the first one. was weird, knew it was a togue, but it was the togue from the first flag wrapped around the second. Another slot fish I never took form the hole. probably a little smaller than the first one above.

Then, nothing but smelt bothering, so I wound up those two traps and packed everything up but a couple jig rods and the 7. Wanted that last #3 whitefish! All but ready to leave when a decent mark showed up and actually hit! So! keep three really nice ones; released two others, caught a couple smelt ~ released, and four lakers!

One more trip up there next week with Kevin then  one more trip to a different lake. Some panfishing closer to home a few times will be happening before it’s over. 

Here’s the days catch and the faire made form last week’s. The first batch of whitefish wine sauce will be ready this weekend and making another to follow! I’m thinking crab stuffed whitefish tails tonight after some snow plowing!! Happy Winter Wonderland!
 

[Boglake]

When you’re hot, you’re hot! Nice work.  How was access?

[Anomaly]

When you’re hot, you’re hot! Nice work.  How was access?

Confined. You can still get on form GLS, but maybe like a 40’ travel area til you get out to the channel marker. The whole lake is glare ice. I didn’t venture over the pressure ridge. I plan on that next week.

[MaineMoparMan]

Pretty decent haul for a slow start! Crab stuffed whitefish tails sound delicious!  wish I had one of those jars right about now...

[moosehunter]

wow great day for you. its good to see the smelt are are healthy and around. they make the fish fat

[franklin fisher]

  Nice catch and good looking grub.

[Anomaly]

wow great day for you. its good to see the smelt are are healthy and around. they make the fish fat

A little after 3 the smelt were pretty thick. Not clouds of them but quite a few. I could feel them and see the rod tip move when the hit. Hard to tell if any whites there around after that. Then those lakers showed up. Glad I lollygaged picking up so as to get that #3 white!

[eiderz]

You are having some sweet trips!    Catching a nice limit of WF you're scoring togue most would be ecstatic with, as bycatch. 

[Anomaly]

You are having some sweet trips!    Catching a nice limit of WF you're scoring togue most would be ecstatic with, as bycatch. 

Maybe a change in presentation? 

Thatnice togue above was on that faceted ball head and 1/4” piece if sucker belly. 

[Bosshog]

Nice looking catch, would you be able to tell me what the road name is if we can't get on at the boat landing? a buddy of mine is coming up with a 4 wheeler , usually I would go around farm cove road with the snowmobiles but not with a wheeler, (snowmobile trail), I know that there is a road on the other side of the boat landing to get on the ice but not sure which one it is. Thanks for any help. We're going up Saturday morning till Monday afternoon.

[eiderz]

Maybe a change in presentation? 

Thatnice togue above was on that faceted ball head and 1/4” piece if sucker belly. 
(Image removed from quote.)

That's cool that you get them on the little jigs. I've got a bazillion for panfish, guess I have to give them a try.

[Anomaly]

That's cool that you get them on the little jigs. I've got a bazillion for panfish, guess I have to give them a try.

I think it is more putting just about anything in front of them when they are hunting. It is VERY rare that a togue shows up on sonar and doesn’t bite when I reel up to them. Some of it, I think is a conditioned response with the jig suddenly showing up in their view shed. I dunno. They bite. I reel em in. 

[eiderz]

Yes, they're generally very aggressive. I have a blast getting them to chase. The quality fish you've caught this year is what caught my eye. For me the larger fish seem reluctant to commit, I sometimes can see them follow it right to the hole and circle while I play with them. Smaller ones jump right on for a ride.    Looking forward to trying the small jigs, maybe that's a new secret weapon. 

[Anomaly]

  Looking forward to trying the small jigs, maybe that's a new secret weapon. 

You thinking a bait and switch kinda thing?

[eiderz]

You thinking a bait and switch kinda thing?

I wasn't, but that's an idea. With luck I'll get a chance to try this weekend.   

[StolenB8]

bait and switch

almost never fails (almost)

[Fishn'Rod]

Nice Job!! That pickled fish looks fantastic. Willing to share the recipe??

[Anomaly]

Nice Job!! That pickled fish looks fantastic. Willing to share the recipe??

HAHAHA! Yep! By popular demand! Here ya go.
 I used the top one. Added Garlic, a hot red pepper slice and dill. I used unrefined sugar as well. More of a note of molasses. You can add any spices you might like, BUT DO NOT overdo it. OH YEAH! Don’t use wine you wouldn’t drink. 

You can pickle any fish. but I think the oilier ones work best.

Gonna try this recipe:
 Might add some garlic.   

Pickled Fish Recipe: In Wine
Cut the filleted fish (about 1.5 pounds) into chunks. Make a salt brine by adding 1 cup of salt to a quart of water. Add the fish chunks to the brine in a large glass jar or other glass container, and refrigerate for 48 hours. Drain and add enough white vinegar to cover the fish. Refrigerate for another 48 hours. Drain. In glass jars make a layer of fish followed by a layer of thinly sliced onion, more fish, and so on until each jar is almost full.

Make pickling brine by boiling for five minutes: 2 cups of white vinegar, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of white wine, 1/4 piece of sliced lemon squeezed (and add the squeezed portion), and a tablespoon of pickling spices. Let the brine cool and pour enough into each jar to fill it to the top. Refrigerate for 7 days. Yes, it’s a long wait.

Maybe this one next time, for a second coarse:

Pickled Eggs For An Angler’s Lunch
Shell two- or three-dozen hard-cooked eggs and let them cool. In a large glass jar or wide-mouth stone crock, add a 16-ounce can of sliced beets with the juice, 1/2 cup of thinly sliced onion, 4 bay leaves, 6 whole cloves, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. of red food coloring, and 2 cups of white vinegar. Mix and add the eggs, more vinegar if required to cover the eggs, and refrigerate for at least 2 days.

Read more: http://www.in-fisherman.com/recipes/pickled-fish-recipe/#ixzz41eMXYvJq

I will try it with some other fish as well. I bet white perch would be good that way.

Here’s another:

So here’s the deal with the pickling. Fillet. I took the rib cage off via filleting from the back toward the abdomen. The bones go soft in the pickle, so no biggy if they’re left in. Cube the fish into 1X1″ pieces. For 3-4 fish: 1 cup salt, 5 cups water. Make a brine. Let the fish sit in the brine for 96 hrs. Drain. Cover fish pcs with white vinegar. Let soak for 96 hrs. Drain. Prior to jarring, make and chill a brine solution of 1.5 cups white sugar, 2 cups vinegar, 2 tbsp pickling spice or other aromatics of choice. Pack jars tightly, pour on brine, and eat from a week later to a few months later. Too long and the texture goes mushier – when fresh and with 96 hr cure times, the texture is pleasant, dense, and if you hate pickled fish, these could easily change your mind. They changed mine. I’m sure you could use less salt and sugar, but to me, these are like junk food – like tying into a bag of chips. Now: patience. Hard to wait that first week. Need to catch more whitefish.

http://www.kevinkossowan.com/pickled-whitefish/

[Fishn'Rod]

  Sweet. Thanks!!

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Thats awesome clam farmer. I wish I had some local white fish to target. They look like they'd be fun.

[nbg]

Nice work on those whitefish. I remember when you were trying to get your first one a few years ago. Looks like you have them figured out now. You figured out the way to catch them on rip ups too. That’s sweet and eludes a lot of anglers. Congrats. I’m going to try your pickles recipes.  I’m just getting into that. I pressure canned a bunch of mackerel a few years ago that turned out good.

Great seeing your updatea

[woodchip]

Mackerel make a very good refridgator  Pickle